WANTED: SHELTER.

NZ Truth, Issue 57, 21 July 1906, Page 4

WANTED: SHELTER.

It is more than up to the Corporation to protect its motormen from the fierce wintry winds and driving rain and hail., b^ seeing; to it . that all cars are fitted with "-lass breakwinds. Under existing circumstances mot only is the work bitterly cruel, but' the intense cold and the rapid rush through biting gales are at any time liable to cause accident. The cold numbs . the poor fellows until they can with difficulty control the levers and the wind's v cause their eyes to water to such an extent as to render them practically sightless at times. It is a common sight to see a motbrman with tears streaming down his face and constantly compelled to make sudden dabs with his gloves to clear his vision. This is particularly the case on the Island Bay line, where the cars are, fcjr nearly the whole route, head on to the howling southerlies such as made life a misery last Sunday and Monday, even indoors. What it was to these un-^ fortunate, uncomplaining; motormen' may be .imagined by those whose duty compelled them to be out of doors on either of those days. There is no good reason why these glass shields should not be placed on' all cars— they have proved invaluable on the few on which the" are installed— and the drivers' health and comfort would thereby greatly benefit. The objection that they obstruct the view on wet days is untenable, as a cleareyed man behind a slightly blurred pane can see a great deal better than a blear-eyed man blinded by wind and sleet m his face ; while, so protected from the cold, he has a .much better command over his car. In the name of common humanity, these men, holding a heavy responsibility as they do, should be protected m such a climate as this, >and from the winds > that Wellington is so noted for. The steersman of .all ferry boats," m all the crowded harbors, of the world, stands m a glass wheelh^use with no pent-house to keep the rain and spindrift off the glass at head-height— as ; - tram cars have— and such a thing as an objection on the ground of the glass preventing clear vision never arises. How much less, then, can this objection hold good ashore, where the "course" is a clear line of rails and everything makes way for the car.