§ 42. Captain MURRAYasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that drivers of motor vehicles not infrequently make excessive use of warning instruments; and whether the terms of reference to the Committee which he is about to appoint will include an investigation into this subject?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In regard to the second part it will be open to the Committee to consider the matter so far as it bears on the occurrence of accidents.
§ 65. Mr. KELLAWAYasked if the reference to the Committee on London Motor Omnibus Traffic will include the question of the damage done to the road surface and to property adjoining the routes used by the omnibuses?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe answer is in the negative.
§ Mr. KELLAWAYIs my right hon. Friend aware that there is a widespread feeling amongst local authorities owing to the way the rates are increased by damage to the road surface and will not the reference include the possibility of that matter being considered?
§ Mr. McKENNAThis question may be considered later. The hon. Member presses me to lose no time in putting a stop to accidents, and therefore we propose, first of all, to address ourselves to the question of accidents.
§ Dr. ADDISONWill the Inquiry not also include the damage to shopkeepers and others caused by the fixing of routes?
§ Mr. McKENNAThat may be a question for later discussion, but at the present time we have to dispose of the question of accidents.
§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYWill the Committee have power to consider the routes in relation to accidents?
§ Mr. McKENNAThat will obviously depend upon the routes taken so far as liability to accident is concerned.
§ Mr. JOHN O'CONNORMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he does not consider it well to discourage these 1714 questions by refusing to make answers while the question is sub judice before a Committee of this House?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe Committee has not yet been appointed. As soon as it has been appointed I will bear in mind what the hon. Gentleman has said.
§ 66. Mr. KELLAWAYasked how many persons have been killed in the London police area, including the City, since 1st January last by motor omnibuses belonging to the London General Omnibus Company?
§ Mr. McKENNAFor the Metropolitan Police district and the City combined the figures are 125, from the 1st January to the end of October.
§ Mr. KELLAWAYHas not any director of this company been held responsible in any way for these 125 deaths in ten months?
§ Mr. JOHN WARDIs not that very nearly a man every other day? Surely it is surprising.
§ Mr. McKENNAIt must be a question of law as to liability.
§ Mr. KELLAWAYWill the right hon. Gentleman refer to the Law Officers of the Crown the fact that 125 deaths have occurred in the case of this one trust or company alone, and also the evidence given at the inquests that the terms on which the men are paid is an inducement to them to drive furiously?
§ Mr. McKENNAI do not think those questions are relevant to the matter. Besides, the mere fact that the trust is so very largo to some extent explains the number of accidents.
§ Mr. MORRELLWill the right hon. Gentleman consult the Law Officers?
§ Mr. JOHN O'CONNOROn a point of Order. May I ask, Sir, whether the questions that are now being answered by the Home Secretary are not prejudging the matter, which is referred to a Committee of this House?
§ Mr. SPEAKERAs long as the Home Secretary confines himself to a statement of facts, I do not see how that can be so.
§ 67. Mr. KELLAWAYasked how many persons have been killed in the London police area, including the City, since the 1st January last by each of the following classes of vehicles: Motor omnibuses, taxi- 1715 cabs, all other classes of motor vehicles, mechanically propelled trams, and horse-drawn vehicles, respectively?
§ Mr. McKENNAFor the period from 1st January to the end of October the figures are as follows:—
Mechanically propelled trams 23 Motor omnibuses 143 Taxi-cabs 29 Other motor vehicles 109 Horse-drawn vehicles 124
§ 71. Sir J. D. REESasked how many persons were killed in London by other than motor-drawn vehicles, e.g., horse-drawn vehicles and non-motor bicycles and tricycles, in London in October; and whether the Home Department compares the mortality arising in both cases?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe figures for the Metropolitan Police district are:—
The cycle accident which resulted in a person being killed occurred in September, but the death took place in October. The comparative mortality arising from different classes of vehicles is published every year in an appendix to the Report of the Commissioner of Police, and a Return has been issued annually since 1908 from the Home Office showing fatal and non-fatal accidents caused by different classes of motor and horse-drawn vehicles.
By carts and vans … … 10 By omnibuses … … 1 By broughams … … 1 By cycles … … 1
§ Sir J. D. REESHas not the motor omnibus service proved of great utility?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a matter of argument.