Inspectors on Driving.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1868, 30 September 1913, Page 4

Inspectors on Driving.

Inspector M'Gillivray stated that on last Saturday morning ho drove a car from Courtenay Place .'/O Oriental Bay in 4 minutes 520 seconds. Thoro were seven stops, and allowing twenty seconds for every stop the trip could ho done insido seven minutes. The time for the rcund trip between Lambton Station and Oriental Bay had recently been speeded up from forty minutes to thirtysix mimitcs, except that it was still thirty-six minutes for Sundays, and motormen had expressed satisfaction at tho now time-table. He did not agree with Mojtorman Hilder's taking the car over tho curve with full power on. Through Hilder's taking this curvo on Saturday at this high speed witness was thrown off his balance, and had ho been on tho side-step ho felt that ho would probably havo met tho fate of Conductor Breeden.

Mr. O'SheaHave you observed tho practice of motormen at this curve — since the accident? Mr. Blair: Pity you didn't observe them before the accident.' Witness replied that ho had observed about fifteen motormen, nil of whom eased up. On Saturday Hilder went through the curvo ono way at eighteen miles, and the other way at nineteen miles.' That was an absolutely unsafe pace. Hildor was a good drivor, but some of tho experienced men commonly took risks which others would not take. To Mr. Blair: Motorman Hilder taught him to drive, taught him as well n j any man could, and taught him "not to do as lie did, but do as lie told me." Witness could suggest nothing except the centre aislo te do away with accidents; but mishaps might bo minimised by reducing speed on the curves. Inspector Patchott gave evidence to tho effect that the lino was in satisfactory order. It was unsafe to go over this curvo at nineteen miles per hour. Sixteen minutes each way would cover tho Oriental Bay-Lambtou Station run: thirty-five minutes return was a fair allowance.

Paul Freyburg, a law clerk in the City Solicitor's officc, who was sent to Oriental Bay terminus on Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening, stated that lie observed tho length of time that each of twonty-tbrco cars stopped there. Tlie average was slightly over tlireo and a half minutes. In' tho afternoon tho stays ran from ono minute 20, scconds to iiivo and a half minutes, and in tho evening from two minutes 20 scconds to six and a half minutes;

Mr. Cable on Fast Drivers. Matthew Cable, traffic superintendent and member of tho Tramway Board, said that tho week-day tinio on tho round trip-, Oriental Bay-Laihbton Station, was forty minutes, on Sundays thirty-six minutes. Tho Sunday loading had increased sinco tho opening of the Oriental Bay Kiosk, and tho timo allowed for tho run would probably bo increased. He had never known a to bo punished for being behind time, and in very few cases were they asked to explain. Thoro was a good deal of trouble with men running ahead of time. Hikler's driving last Saturday was much in excess of time-table requirements. Traversing the curve in question at a high speed on Saturday (Milder driving) ono who was not prepared for a lurch was liable to ho thrown. The inquiry stands adjourned till Monday uoxt.