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163
The General Purposes Committee appointed Mr. Councillor Robert
Brown to attend the Conference.
At a Conference of twenty-one local authorities of Greater London,
convened by the West Ham Town Council, on the subject of mud
splashing by motor omnibuses, the following resolution was adopted,
viz.:—
" That this Conference, representing twenty-one local
authorities in Greater London, recognising the great damage and
annoyance to persons and property caused by the mud splashed
from the wheels of motor omnibuses, and having regard to the
refusal of the Commissioner of Police to take reasonable steps to
obtain an abatement of the nuisance, requests the Secretary of
State for the Home Department to receive a deputation from this
Conference with a view to his intervening and requiring the
Commissioner to make it a condition of his licence that all motor
omnibuses plying within the limits of his jurisdiction be fitted with
efficient splashguards.
"That this Conference further resolves that a copy of the
preceding resolution be forwarded to the Members of the Government
and also to the representatives in Parliament of Greater
London requesting their support."
The General Purposes Committee reported that:—
" The Home Secretary, in reply to the request that he would
receive the deputation, states he is advised there is at present no
mudguard suitable for use in London streets which can be said to
be efficient, and which, therefore, could be compulsorily imposed
on the omnibus companies. He would be glad to consider any
information which may be submitted as to mudguards considered
to be satisfactory for use on motor omnibuses."
The General Purposes Committee considered communications from
inventors and others, submitting diagrams and particulars of splashguards
stated to be suitable for use on motor omnibuses, to prevent side splashing.
The General Purposes Committee directed these inventions be brought
to the notice of the Chief Commissioner of Police, and he be again urged
to take steps to enforce the use of splash guards on all motor omnibuses
licensed under his jurisdiction, in order to terminate what has become an
intolerable nuisance.