J. H. BBENNAND.J

39

H.— 24.

on the cars comes up too far, and there is very little room to put anything on the side of the tram. Controller-modifications and wire-modifications would be required as before. Our Controllers are absolutely unsuitable, and you must hare new controllers for it. Speaking of electrical emergency brake having been used on Car No. 75, and the result being a flattening of the wheels, the air brake did not fail, but the man, who had never seen an air brake before, and had been used to a certain thing, did it from mere force of habit more than anything else. He did not know the possibilities of the air brake. The traffic manager has his report; it will no doubt be produced. As to the question of the relative safety of two cars fitted with magnetic and air brakes and slipper brakes, 1 still consider that the latter would be the safer, because the slipper brake would also be available. 1 know the magnetic brake is also made with hand-attachments,, Supposing the car fitted with the magnetic brake had the hand-attachments, I still believe in the car with the slipper brake. Personally I should feel safest with it. In America the steepest grade was about 1 in 14, running between Niagara Falls Bridge and the bottom of the Gorge: that struck me as being particularly steep. They had the air brake alone there—no track brakes. I am aware that in Dimedin and Wellington the magnetic track brake appears to be in daily use, but lam not aware as to the cost of the upkeep and the work done. The motorman can vary the leverages of the air brake when applying same. He can apply the service and emergency stops by using the service or full application. The only objection I see to the brake leverages being so worked out as to give the motorman the maximum holding-power when required in an emergency is that it would give him too much power, and it would increase the likelihood of skidding. The date of the Royal Commission held in New South Wales to which I refer was, I think, in 1905 or 1906. The Commission was brought .about by the men being asked to use the magnetic brake for emergency purposes only, and they asked to have it used for service stops as well. William Allwood Dutton duly sworn. Examined by Mr. Myers :My name is William Allwood Dutton. lam an electrical engineer employed by the Brush Electrical Engineering Company. lam the resident engineer in the Auckland District. The company have been building cars for twenty years, and I have been employed in their works for about eleven years. They completely equip the cars if necessary. They are not manufacturers of brakes, and have no interest in any particular brake. They simply equip the cars in accordance with the specifications. I have had experience in the different types of brake, the electric brake, the rheostat generative brake, also the hand-brakes and air brakes. We have not fitted air brakes to tram-cars except for Canada and for foreign companies. But we have fitted the Newell magnetic brake on several systems. I have had experience of the designing, equipment, and construction of tramways, and also experimenting on our own private track before delivering, in the early days of electric traction. I cannot say I have studied the best form of brake for Auckland conditions, but I have travelled on the cars a good deal, and have seen no signs of inefficiency on the existing brakes. I have been to the depot and seen the appliances there. By the permission of the company I was allowed to witness the tests of the air-brake cars. I know the Parnell Rise. ! think the track brake is a very suitable brake. I have seen the cars equipped with the air brake and the track brake. I think it is more efficient than both brakes being hand-operated, inasmuch as the driver has not to exert any great physical exertion with the air brake, and is more likely to be fresh at the end of his shift. I think the air brake and track brake is a very excellent combination of brakes, and particularly efficient. 1 should be satisfied if all the cars were equipped with the air brake and track brake, most certainly. I should certainly prefer the air brake and track brake in preference to the Newell magnetic brake. The main reason is that when using the magnetic brake you are heating up your motors, otherwise the motors would be cooling down through not acting, and radiation would be taking place, instead of the machine being heated up by energizing electricity. Another reason is that the magnets are depending on the revolving wheels to excite them, and you cannot hold up the car at rest on a down grade; and the extra wear-and-tear thrown on the motors and controllers, which are a very important part of the cars. 1 have known of accidents in Great Britain on cars fitted with magnetic brakes, but cannot give you date or place. I have no personal knowledge, but only by repute. From my own knowledge of magnetic brakes I can conceive a possibility of sudden failure of that brake. There are many things that might occur, the coil might be burnt out and rendered useless, it may ground-earth, or it may short-circuit. If those things were to happen, breakdowns would occur without any warning whatever. Provided the earth-indicators were attached, the motorman would know prior to actually applying the brake; but with a short curcuit, or a burnt-out coil, he possibly would not know. I cannot suggest any combination of brakes preferable to the track brake and air brake in conjunction. .By Mr. Rosser: I stated that I did not observe any signs of inefficiency on the part of the handbrake in the Auckland service. 1 travel in the fore part of the car as much as possible. I would pit my opinion against those twenty-seven motormen that you speak of, because if the car is required to stop it depends on the speed that you approach the grade. I have not been on any runaway cars in Auckland, as I have only been here nine months. I have driven a car with a hand-brake, but not in Auckland. It was on the private track, specially constructed, and consisting of all the worst features you would be likely to meet. We had to imagine traffic crossing the line. . , By the Chairman: I served my time with P. and R. Jackson's, at Manchester, and then took up the position with the Brush Company, and have been with them ever since. I was first of all designing electrical machinery, working out the parts, providing drawings for the office, with particulars and calculations, &c. lam an Associate of the Electrical Engineers. We have fitted the Newell magnetic braks to out ears, with ground-detectors.