Oct. 26.
Two very interesting letters Jon the Traffic Commission's report reach us to-day from Mr. George Matheson and "Lor doner." It was hardly to be ex-' pected that Mr. Matheson would Teave unanswered certain remarks of the Commission, who, in respect of training given to riesha coolies in traffic essentials, seem to have suffered from some lapse of memory. The work that the Ricsha Mission does in endeavouring to bring] home to riesha coolies what they must and must not do, is, of course, well known; and the experience of anyone who has been regularly driving about Shanghai for the past seven or eight years would be, that riesha coolies are erratic in their: movements than they once were. But when Mr. Matheson goes on to plead that. the Commiission's recommend tions as to eliminating hauled vehicles generally, passenger and freight, should not} be taken, we fear he is asking for something which the progress of time will to some extent render inevitable. That elimin-
Jation can ever be total, we do not believe; nor do we think it desirable; w) a matter of public convenience, in contrast, Jwith that of the minority of high-speed vehicles, we do not think it desirable at all. But cannot help thinking that! there must be a tendency to keep ithe man-hauled vehicles off main thoroughfares, at least in the business section. That does not necessarily mean the ruin of the ricsha-man,—When the trams first came, it was thought that large numbers of ricshas would ibe put out of business. Nothing, Jof the sort actually happened. The trams merely meant that the riesha's operations were pushed further afield.
With all "Londoner's" letter are in full accord. The tone his letter indicates that he knows exactly what he is talking! about and it carries conviction in every line. His strictures on the practice of trams at least, not always, we think, of omnibuses, to stop on the near side a turning appeal to us_particularly. In point of fact some few years ago the "North-China Daily News" attacked this very Jarrangement with particular reference to the Bubbling Well-Mohawk Road turning, which was much more cramped then than it is now. The panjandrums of the day derided the notion of the "cross-over" stoping-place. "Local conditions"—a phrase almost as blessed as Mesopotamia when excuses for, Jdoing nothing are desired—were supposed to make it equally impossible and undesirable. Perhaps there may be a change of fter all these years. Ce tainly "Londoner's" letter leaves no doubt as to the undesirability jof the present system. Another, point on which his recommendations deserve a kindly ear, is the multiplication of tram-trailers. Of course the Tram Company' like them because they are cheap, but their hindrance in traffic is palpable. At one time the Council feebly tried to enact! a rule that there should only be so many trailers to so many' motor-vehicles. But this attempt has long since collapsed trailer. Equally.cogent too the need of making railless trams pull in to the kerb when [putting down or taking up pai sengers. ' When railless trams first came, one of the great advantages claimed for them [their flexibility, But in practice Jone finds that they deviate very little more from a straight line than if they were on rails. See-jing that they run mostly in the narrower streets where the utmost use of all space should be the aim, this matter might [well receive attention.
While we are on traffic matters, might we put in, once more, a plea for restriction of the excessive sounding of horns? Any careful motorist will testify to two things which may be regarded as axiomatic. First, that} absolutely nothing is gained by trying to rush in the business section.. However furiously the horn is sounded, however recklessly the "gas is stepped on" when openings occur, so much time is needed to cover a certain distance anywhere east of Thibet Road and it cannot be apprecia ably lessened, Secondly, that ninety-nine per cent. of the hor blowing "is It is even dangerous. ting may quite easily' startle and confuse the pedestrian and cause him to go precisely in the direction that he should not. And for the comfort land nerves of the community the motor-horn as now fitted and commonly used is anathema. There is, we are fa police regulation on this mat! Why should it not be enforced?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.