1929-04-03 — Page 3

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TRAFFIC IN PARIS. distances to go. No wonder that

HOW IT IS REGULATED.

THE CITY OF TAXI-CABS.

THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1929,

Paris has more-let it be said in justice better-taxicabs than pro- bably London and all the other cities of the United Kingdom com- bined. No wonder," too--thanks not. only to the taxis but the innumer able private cars in a land where the petrol and motor-ear tax is so Tow-that the traffic problem of Paris is beginning to appear in- soluble. Nor is the comic press. guilty of excessive satire where t suggests that at certain times of the day it would save time and money both for taxi driver and client i ANIMALS MORE ECONOMICAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH

LISH MUNICIPALITIES,

MOTOR NOTES.

the one could attach a taxi-metre to the leg of the other, accompany him on foot to his destination, and charge him accordingly.

HORSE VERSUS MOTOR.

FOR SHORT HAULS.

་

RAILWAYS & ROAD TRANSPORT.

MOTOR-CYCLING PROGRESS.

TESTING STANDARD MACHINES.

be selected by the union from any dealer in England or Wales, and will then be stored until the day before the trial. The names of the dealers from whom machines have been taken will be published in the official programme.

Tasting Accessories. The only spares to be specified are the following:-One inner tube per wheel, one sparking plug per per cylinder. These must be of the same make and type as those fitted to the motor cycles when selected, and will be sealed.

Two marks will be deducted for

giving any ratios specified in their printed catalogues, but no change of gearboxes to obtain different ratios will be permitted.

Open checks will be taken at not less than 20 miles interval. No al lowance is given for competitors passing checks in advance of their for late arrival has been increased schedule time, but the allowance

to five minutes.

ing or adjustments will be allowed. In controls no cleaning, repair No time allowance will be made for repairs to tyres, and no replace ment of outer covers will be per-

bounded and shut in. To each cate; London, the south side, kere. "Intion. Sir A. Griffith-Boscawen Pthat arrangements had already been ing the conditions of the trial con- legal requirements, must be fitted, is confined exclusively to standard

sidered.

Sided

Why

From the point of view of traffe, no two great cities are alike; each has its special individuality, and

THE A.C.U. STOCK TRIAL. therefore each has its own trata

The Auto-Cycle Union has now problem. At the ane pole is Man-

issued the regulations of the Stan- hattan Island, wherein New York.

dard Stock Motor-cycle Trial of enclosed betweera the East River

ENG-19, which will be held from April and the Hudson, has been forced

to April 13, and will be run over to sprout upwards into skyscrapers At the other pole is Tokyo, which,

a course approximately 730 miles with less than half the population

in length (excluding the final high each change of sparking plug durated during the road test. The Royal Commission on Trans. Sir Josiah Stamp stated at the in the vicinity of London, radiat- will be inflicted for the cleaning of ment of outer covers may be per- speed test on Brooklands), starting ing the road test, but no penalty sary on the score of safety, replace of London, spreads with its little

If the stewarda consider it neces dwellings over an area greater than

port sitting in London recently | London Midland and Scottish Railing round Buxton for three days, pluge that of any other city in the world."

heard some interesting evidence way Company's meeting that active and finishing on Brooklands track. There are, roughly speaking, great

Read Transport Employers' Federa undertakings, both municipal and have ben made in the regulations will be noted on the certificate.

Any number of types may be used but auch replacement will be noted mitted for the final speed test only. given on behalf of the National negotiations with road transport Certain cities that sprawl, others that are

important alterations for the speed test, but such changes on the certificate. independent, were proceeding, and this year with the obpect of mäk gary the population test applies

deace on behalf of the Federation, porations and were in

Lamps, which must comply with motor-cycle event of the year which The Stock Trial is the only differently. To the one sort

Mr. P. L. Turner, who gave evi- made with certain municipal cor- form more closely to those under and will be tested in the same man- lateral measurement only suffices;

aid that it represented practically stages with others, and the state private owners. to the other there is, as. with New

the whole of the larger haulage ment is exemplified by the state of

various which machines are ridden by ner that they were last year.

stock machines such as are in use York, a vertical element to ba con Mayfair, and Bloomsbury to the contractors in England and Wales.sach negatiations at Sheffield, and

On the day prior to the start of information, therefore, which can- by the general public, and provides, The competing motor-cycles will the trial entrants may fit sprockets not be obtained in any other way. The advantages of the internal at Manchester and Salford. port had been specially shown in Sheffield was the first corporation combustion engine for road trans As has already been announced, regard to the transport of frozen with a large road transport under- the case of milk the cost of trans-as tramways to arrive at an agree meat direct from ships, while in taking operating omnibuses as well port had been greatly reduced by meat with this railway company, on the introduction of the glass tank the delimitation of their respective take by road goods that could not vehicles. Meetings between repre The haulage contracter could also areas of operation of motor-omnibus be carried by the railways an count of their bulk, such as marine

ac- sentatives of the L-M.. and S. Com- boilers. They could also carry com

pany and the Corporation Tram- plete locomotives weighing 63 tons. and Salford are also projected, with ways Departments of Manchester

About five miles an hour.

The Chairman:At what speed 1-a view to effecting similar agree ments for the south-east of Lanca

hire, but no schemes are yet ready

not the kind of traffic for which the

for consideration by the Manchester The witness agreed that that was Corporation Tramways Committee. roads were built; in many cases

Thres Classes of Molor Services. bridges had to be trussed. These

The L.M. and 8. Railway Com heavy loads were not usually taken pany's desire is to make an arrange any distance and were practically ment for this part of Lancashire Eimited to short distance.

similar to that already arrived at for South Yorkshire with the Shef- Heavy Taxation. Asked by the Chairman whether rangement would contemplate three there was

feld Corporation. Such an substitute motor-lorries for horse The first consists of such as are drawn vehicles, the witness said operated on routes either wholly

a general tendency to

classes of motor-omnibus services.

A few years hence, perhaps a lewtances. In a port such as Liver-extending only a short distance be that that was not so for short dis within the municipal boundary or months even, it may become neces-

Even more than New York, Paris (saya the correspondent in that city of the Manchester Guardian) is an island city. What has made it a island are its ring of fortifications created in the forties of the last century. They encircle it like a medieval wall and moat, travors alle only at the various gates, and at these gates the stranglehold is nude all the more intense by the absurd octroi system Paris, in a word, is still a walled city, and within its walls dwell nearly three million people, and what is most to the point, virtually the whole of the motoring class. Such a con- gestion, both of human beings and of vehicles, is not to be found else where..

M. Chiappe, Trame Dictator. A few more details to complete the picture. Like Loudon, Paris is cut across by a river, but, unlike

is busy as the north. Imagine the Rive Gauche," is as important and City and theatreland north of the Thames, and Buckingham Palace, Whitehall, the House of Commons, south of the Thames. Toen put a mile long, of the Louvre and between the two the barrier, nearly Tuileries Gardens, Add the many centuries-old, exquisite, and narrow bridges like the Pont Neuf and the Pont loyal, architectural gleries that no one in Faris (unlike Lon. The transpontine problem in Paris don) would ever dream of touching. is much graver than that bf London. The dictator of Paris traffic is y. Chiappe, Prefect of Police, the stergetic, innovating, and Napoleon (incidentally, with some miracle-working Corsican ainee of his faults). Five years ago the traffic control here was almost comically chaotic, the joy of every English visitor; to-day it is equal, if not superior, to that of London or even of New York. No capital city ena boast of such splendidly efficient pointamen few of so well-drilled a motor world, even though it be somewhat excessively at the expense of the pedestrian. No other capital possesses so fine or so large fleet of taxis or such skilful too skilful and too daring

taxi-drivera,

being four miles. (Laughter.

The Chairman: The legal limit

41

Er-

Blicking to the City. Paris has to be sure, ita suburbs. Fut the less said of them the better. It would be hard to find a parallel to the inner" zone," with its misery and filth The outer industrial zune is hardly more tolerable These "suburbs have nothing in common with the outer dormitories of London. No one who valued his akin, much more his health or his comfort, would dream of venturing therein. The wealthy and the mid-sary at the hours of maximura pool the horse was in a strong posi-yond it. The second class of service congestion to thin down traffiction, being much more economical.

dle class of Paris keep prudently within Paris proper and keep their dars within Paris.

2

horse was

Comparing London and Paris as whole by the vertical test, the French capital would come out on the average some three or four storeys higher, a fact which ac counts for the barrack-like ragu. larity of all the streets alike, and p.m., for the Parisian is a bame tions. The petrol tax to a certain were accepted by the corporation renders Paris, outside one or two main avenues, so extremely ugly as a city. To give full force to this vertical element, it should be added that the Paris population is pretty well entirely herded into tenements (rich and poor alike), and that are for the dark courtyards of the tenement blocks there are virtually no open spaces," gardens, or parks.

The Hours of Encumbrance.

motor-car or

going, early-to-bed creature. A further relief will inevitably be found in double-deck buses of the London type, and their multiplica tion at least seven or eight fold, which would mean a corresponding reduction in the number of taxis now altogether excessive. A roman- it, sensational press talks of up streets and down-streets" of traffic at different levels. But this would mean the rebuilding of Paris from top to bottom. It would be cheaper to destroy the city and re-erect it on another site. Such Utopias are not worth serious consideration.

THE LAW OF LICENCES.

MOTOR-COACH COMPANY.

FINED.

4.1.

in the centre of the city, to weed Up to a distance of four miles the comprises those extending into the cat annecessary vehicles, to invent

more economical than often operated along existing elec immediate suburbia zone, very a system of passes," to impose mechanical transport. Until a year tric tramway what in New York is. called 480 it was true to say that the

routes. The third class of services consists of those to metaphorically a "curfew," Batore could not be economically the curfew" will not be, as in used for distances over three miles, towns like Buxton (which is 25 miles New York, between 7 p.m. and but increased taxation, especially miles), or Southport (48 miles). If from Manchester), Blackpool (49 midnight, but between 5 p.m. and

the petrol tax, had changed condi- the railway company's proposals extent had had the effect of stop- ping the increase in mechanical the first class of services would be vehicles, and in places like Liver left wholly to the corporation with- pool, and perhaps London, it had out railway competition, the second brought the horse back.

class of routes would be shared In reply to questions by "the equally between the corporation and Chairman, the witness said that he the railway company under could not see why commercial agreement involving the acquire vehicles in England should be soment by the railway company of a much more heavily tured than number of garages and workshops, those in every other country of the and also. feet of motor vehicles to, world. At lunch time and at nightfall

commercial vehicle on ats average the corporation transport depart

The taxation on a 4-ton be run to a time-table concerted with this virtually congested population

running and including the petrolment. The long-distance services of pours into the streets simultaneous

tax, was about £110 a year in Eng. the third class would be left wholly ly. These are what in Paris are called the hours of encumbrance."

land, The nearest approach to to the railway company, and would an exact phrase. At these hours the

that figure was in the case of Texas, be extended ultimately to all the city traffe is brought pretty well

where the tax would be £79 108, Lancashire coast resorts, and also to In France the tax would be £11 48,

a number of inland towns. to a complete block. Between mid-

in Belgium £18. in Germany £39 It is understood that the attitude day and 2 p.m. and between & p.m. and 7 p.m. no one who was not an

19. in Italy £11. in California 219 of the London and North Eastern invalid.would dream of traversing |

Gs., in Michigan 235 153., and in Railway Company to the corpora central Paris in a

New York State £9 45 Those tions of the Lancashire.and Cheshire taxi. More and more during these

figures had been compiled by a towns is similar to that taken up by hours taxi-drivers in the outskirta

joint committee of motor manufacthe London, Midland and Scottish are refusing to take clients into the Grey Coachce, Limited, a London

At the Brighton Police Court turers and the railway companies.

Company.They desire co-operation centre. Still less would one, un firm, were summoned for plying for

Damage to Roads. less one were compelled, think of hire with an unlicensed motor-

with municipal authorities in the The witness aid that he could ownership and operation of such taking the "Metro" (Le, the un-coach on April 10 last. The driver cial vehicle did more damage to distance services, freedom of opera derground) or the buses.

not agree that the heavy commer-services, or, in the case of long- The of the vehicle was summoned for roads than any other vehicle: Fation and right of entry into muni- ! quettes at, for example, the Opéra driving the vehicle in the same cir- "Melzo " station are interminable, cumstances, Laust Jear when the did not think it did more damage. cipal areas for their vehicles plying and anyone who had to wait less case was brst heard, it was contends than the fast-moving motor coach. For public-hire than an hour for a place on n'bused that Grey Conches, who garaged moving motor coach as a rule has The Chairman But the fast might judge himself lucky.

their cars at Brighton, and went The government of the city is n & dapat in West Street simply pneumatic tires. partly to blame. Why it should to take up passengers and then object to the compact double-deck drove to London without stopping 'hus of the London type and prefer to take up further passengers, were the long, unwieldy, caterpillar- not liable to be licensed in Brigh- like single-decker, often six-wheeled, so that in making the slightest Mr. Raymond Jennings, for the näneuvre it blocks Ik whole prosecution, said that the case had thoroughfare, is beyond imagining. been taken to the Divisional Court, Nor why it prefers single-decked which had remitted the case to the trams that linked together in two Justices with a direction to convict or three long cars constitute rather Mr. Edmund D'Connor, for the railway trains than trame and bold defence, said

that his clients up traffic in their deliberate passage thought they were acting, legally for two or three minutes at a time. Let a Manchester man imagine the they did not require a licence.

last year, having been advised that Chorlton-Didsbury trains crawling The Bench decided to inflict a across Albert Square or a Lendoner nominal penalty of £1 with an the local trains of Charing Cross order to pay 10s, costs, and the meandering across Trafalgar Square driver was fined 10s. in the masquerade of linked tram cars and he would have a faint idea of the Place de la République

or the Place de la Bastille in the

ton.

"'.

The witness replied that so had many commercial vehicles, including 4-too vehicles.

Competition With. Tramways. The case of Salford in, regard to mator-omuibus services has recently been prominent because of difficul ties that have arisen from unres tricted, moter-omnibus competition With regard to speed restrictions, in arcas contiguous with the city of he considered that the speed limits Salford and where the corporation for heavy vehicles were unduly low is, under statutory obligation to The Federation recommended that operate electric tramway services. for heavy vehicles with pneumatic. The relations between Salford and tires and without trailers the maxi- Prestwich have not improved as the mum speed should be 30 miles in-result of recent negotiations, and at stead of 20 miles; for the same present the Salford Corporation is vehicles with soft or elastic tires, running motor-omnibuses through 20 miles instead of 12; and for the the Prestwich area to Radcliffe and same vehicles with trailers, 20 miles and Whitefield, near Bary, without instead of eight. For solid-tired being able to pick up passengers in vehicles they suggested 16 miles the Prestwich area. The real.ex- instead of five. These figures were planation of this anomaly is that in each case higher than those in whereas Prestwich is desirous of the draft Road Traffic Bill. The encouraging unrestricted competi Federation had had a letter from tion in the Beld of motor omnibus the Minister of Transport saying transport, the object of the Salford that he would give these speeds Corporation is to secure the co careful consideration,

Asked by the Chairman whether operation of surrounding licensing be looked forward to a very greatly owned, motor-omnibus so far as excluding the private- authorities

tram-ears run' so few and far be- " During the course of February, road, the witness said that he did possible from the field. Prestwich

increase in the cartage of goods by tween. They create a maximum of according to The Motor Ship or not and that it was less now than monopoly to Salford, for motor has definitely refused to grant a blockade when they do rua, but ders were placed for 34 motor ships it was in 1021. That was due to omnibus trafic, and has even moot provide no corresponding or com- totalling 180,000 tons gross, of taxation. He thought that if taxa- pensating service. Had Paris any- which 12 (of 60,000 tons gross) are tion was reduced there would be ed the idea of pulling up Salford's thing like the London motor bus to be built in England. They în. service or the Manchester tram-cars, elude 18 cargo liners designed to

an increase, but he could only speak wich area on the way to Whitefield. tramlines which traverse the Prest- "life would be much easier. But maintain 14 knots or 15 koots at for people who carried their own dertakings are well aware of the for the haulage contractors and not The private enterprise omnibus un- why it should be so is a mystery sea, thus illustrating the tendency goods. He did not consider that threat to their interests involved in that only tradition, prejudice, and to raise the speed of freight-carry the prospects of the haulage co-exclusive arrangements between the the singularity of Paris as the only ing ships. Included amongst the tractors' trade were good at pre railway companies and municipal great human agglomeration in orders, mentioned are four Diesel sent. Franco-in other words, the lack of engined trawlers which are experience, can explain

b. In reply to questions by Major authorities, and are likely in the lieved to be the largest fishing Salmon, M.P., an the subject of near future to take concerted action The result is an enormous super- It is recorded that among those who agreed that in Belgium the roads do to compete.

Vessels of the type yet built comparative taxation, the witness for the maintenanes of their free- fluity of taxis. In Paris a taxi ordered motor ships are four figins, were very poor. He did not con- costs only fourpeace a mile. There owning between them oil-engined sider that saturation point had yet an examination of drivers for phy. is no extra charge for extra pasen ships of three-quarters of a million been reached in England in regard sical fitness being made compul-. gers, so that for three or four tons deadweight, and they have now to road transport. people they are even cheaper than contracted for a score of motor)

Bory, the "withess said that it was the buses. And then in a virtually vessels which will add over 200,000 the Federation, were in favour of drivers a declaration of physic

Asked by the Chairman whether their custom to take from walled city there are such short tone deadweight to their fleet.

(Continued at foot of next column teas.

crowded hours of the day. Nor again can it be understood why these cumbersome motor-'buses and

Too Many Taxis.

LARGE CONTRACTS FOR MOTOR TONNAGE.

an

Austin?

(1) Because the Austin is a really high grade, light Car. It is luxuriously equipped and economical to run and can be relied upon to achieve the high re-sale figure an Austin always commands.

(a) Because the number of Austins on the road prove that thousands of people have found them the finest value on the market.

(3) And because, of all the unsolicited testimonials we receive yearly, 60 per cent. are in praise of the economy of the Austin,

(4) Ask a friend who owns an Austin. He knows.

Terms of payment arranged to suit the buyer,

AUSTIN 12.

$2,675.00

ALEX. ROSS & CO. (CHINA), LIMITED.

OFFICE: PRINCE'S BUILDING, HONG KONG,

TELEPHONE: C. 2487.

GARAGE AND SHOWROOM: KOWLOON (Next the Ferry).

TELEPHONE: K. 1486.

THE ENGINE IS THE

HEART OF THE TRUCK

The paterted Willys- Knight double-sleeve valve six-cylinder en- gine powers all Willys Kaight motor trucka.

One of the big exclusive advantages of the Willys-Knight truck is the patented double-sleeve-valve siz, cylinder engine. The Knight engine is the most advanced of all automotive power plants, and is the simplest and most efficient. It is an engine you can depend upon- always, The Knight engine has far less moy. ing parts than any poppet-valve motor. There are no valves to adjust, grind or replace; no springs. to weaken or break. Carbon is never a putrance.

Agents:-

Messrs. GILMAN & CO., LTD.

44. DES VEUX ROAD CENTRAL

LONG

TEL C. 290.

4

All action in the Knight engine is smooth, silent and positive. In each cylinder, two sturdy metal sleeves". move quietly up and down, one with in the other, in a protective film of oil, admitting and expelling petrol vapor through openings in their sides. Smooth and quiet when new, the Knight engine grows smoother and

quieter the longer it is driven. This supe- rior motor powers a complete line of Willys-Knight trucks, from 1 to 2 * ton capacities. There is a type for every

line of business.

· Garage & Service Station :

DURO MOTOR CO., LTD..

132. NATHAN ROAD, KOWLOON. TEL K 226.

ECONOMICAL

LIFE