LIGHT LOCOMOTIVES and MOTOR use of these vehicles is regulated by the Locomotives on Highways Act, 1896, and the Motor Car Act, 1903. These two statutes, w hich are cited as the Motor Car Acts, 1896 and 1903, though conferring upon the Local Government Board and certain local authorities the power to make regulations and bye-laws respectively, yet themselves contain some extremely important provisions on matters of detail. Part of the existing Local Government Board Regula tions are appended hereto, the others being placed in the Appendix. And these regulations, if the Board deem it necessary, may be of only a local nature and limited in their application to a particular area ; and also, on the appli cation of any local authority, they may prohibit or restrict the use of loco motives for purposes of traction in crowded streets, or in other places where such use may be attended with danger to the public. They have full effect notwithstanding anything in any Act of Parliament other than the above mentioned Acts, whether general or local, or any bye-laws or regulations made thereunder. They are, in effect, a supplement to the Acts. Before, however, they can have any force they must be laid before both Houses of Parliament. Certain Acts, known as The Locomotive Acts, are declared not to apply (except as to tolls) to the light locomotives the subject of this article, and in creating this exemption the Act of 1896 incidentally gives a definition of the term " light locomotive." The relevant section runs as follows : " . .. shall not apply to any vehicle propelled by mechanical power if it is under three tons in weight unladen, and is not used for the purpose of drawing more than one vehicle (such vehicle with its locomotive not to exceed in weight unladen four tons), and is so constructed that no smoke or visible vapour is emitted therefrom except from any temporary or accidental cause." The expression " motor car " has, by the Act of 1903, the same meaning as the expression "light loco motive," except that it does not include a vehicle drawn by a motor car. In
calculating for the purposes of the Acts the weight of a vehicle unladen, the weight of any water, fuel, or accumulators used for the purpose of propulsion is not to be included. The local authorities entitled to make bye-laws under the Acts arc the Councils of county and county boroughs ; but these bye-laws are allowed to relate to only " preventing or restricting the use of such loco motives upon any bridge within their area, where such Councils are satisfied that such use would be attended with damage to the bridge or danger to the public." A light locomotive is expresslNdeclared to be a " carriage " within the meaning of any Act of Parliament, whether public, general, or local, and of any rule, regulation, or bye-law made under any Act of Parliament ; and if it is used as a carriage of a particular class it is regarded as a carriage of that class, and the law relating to carriages of that class applies to it accordingly. A light locomotive must carry a bell or other instrument capable of giving audible and sufficient warning of its approach or position ; during the period between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise, the person in charge of it must carry attached thereto a lamp so constructed and placed as to exhibit a light in accordance with the regulations of the Local Government Board ; and the keeping and use of petroleum or of any other inflammable liquid or fuel for it is subject to special regulations. No light locomotive can travel along a public highway at a greater speed than fourteen miles an hour. or than any kss speed that may be prescribed by the regulations. A breach of a or regula tion made under the Act, or of any provision of the Act itself, may, on summary conviction, be punished by a fine riot exceeding S10. The duties payable on vehicles of this class will be found in the article on EXCISE. The remaining statutory provisions, particularly with regard to Speed-Limit, will be found in the Appendix under the title MOTOR CAR.