Motor Bus Service
A meeting of a Sub-Committee was held on May 6th, when there were present: Messrs. J. T. Boots, L. Elliott, and R. Downs, with the Assistant Surveyor and Clerk. The various applications were again referred to and discussed, and the further correspondence and circular letter of the 25th January, 1921, from the Ministry of Health, as to Clauses of the Roads Act, 1920, read. It was resolved that the following Companies be permitted to establish services in the area of the Council, viz.: (a) Mr. A. Hughes, 7, Cwmtillery Road, Blaina; (b) Tillery Garage Company, of Cwmtillery, Abertillery; (c) The Griffin Motor Company of Brynmawr; (d) H. Moon and Co., Abergavenny, upon the following conditions: - i. License to operate for 12 months ending 30th April, 1922. ii. Services to be arranged to meet the public convenience and should ply for hire down to the Walpole Hotel at Llanhilleth. iii. Suitable stopping places to be arranged so as not to cause any obstruction to traffic. iv. The permission is given subject to any steps which the County Authority may take in respect of any road or roads over which they exercise control.
The report was adopted.
Mr. J. T. Boots drew attention to the fact that the omnibuses now plying for hire in the Council’s district were stopping in dangerous places. That morning there were two opposite the Liberal Club.
The Clerk: They should not stand opposite the Club. It would be more convenient if they backed into Division Street. It’s a matter for the police to take up.
On the motion of Mr. T. H. Mytton, seconded by Mr. W. Williams, it was decided that the proprietors should be asked to rectify this matter or the permission granted would be withdrawn.

James Perry (aged 72) Coppersmith and Panel Worker Motors (Ref: RG15 Piece 26064 Schedule 32)
George Henry Ralph (aged 59) Carriage Maker Wheeler (Ref: RG15 Piece 26067 Schedule 50)
Richard Brock (aged 51) Blacksmith (Ref: RG15 Piece 26062 Schedule 141)
Morgan Denbury (aged 50) Motor Char a Banc Driver (Ref: RG15 Piece 26063 Schedule 30)
Albert William Vaughan (aged 40) Carriage and Motor Painter (Ref: RG15 Piece 26221 Schedule 58)
Harry Higgins (aged 35) Motor Mechanic (Ref: RG15 Piece 26064 Schedule 114)
Edgar Thomas Lewis (aged 34) Motor Conductor (RG15 Piece 27519 Schedule 219)
George Herbert Ledbrooke Jones (aged 33) Motor Garage Manager (Ref: RG15 Piece 26063 Schedule 278)
William Lewis (aged 25) Motor Mechanic (Ref: RG15 Piece 26057 Schedule 40)
William Watkins (aged 24) Motor Driver (Ref: RG15 Piece 27520 Schedule 93)
David J Williams (aged 24) Motor Conductor (Ref: RG15 Piece 27517 Schedule 123)
Cyril Mervyn Price (aged 17) Motors Apprentice (Ref: RG15 Piece 26064 Schedule 40)
Robert Cecil Watkins (aged 17) Apprentice To Motor Body Making (Ref: RG15 Piece 26061 Schedule 241)
Horace Embrey (aged 15) Apprentice Motor Engineering (Ref: RG15 Piece 26070 Schedule 12)
Alfred Hubert Vaughan (aged 15) Apprentice Engineering (Ref: RG15 Piece 26221 Schedule 58)

INJURED ON A MOTOR-BUS
A case of especial interest to users of the bus services in the valleys was that in which Henry Pocock claimed damages for personal injuries sustained on September 17th 1921, while travelling in a bus owned by Mr. H. W. Moon. Plaintiff also claimed for damage to a suit of clothes he was wearing and for damage to the clothes of others – presumably from bloodstains – who assisted him after the accident.
The plaintiff was represented by Mr. Charles Thomas, Newbridge, while Mr. Kirkhouse Jenkins (instructed by Mr. H. G. Lemmons, Abergavenny), appeared for the defence.
Mr. Thomas stated that plaintiff lost six weeks’ work as a result of the accident. He had been earning £3 12s. 6d. per week. A suit of clothes he was wearing was also damaged, and the suits of two men who rendered assistance.
Dr. Savage, Rogerstone, locum tenens for Dr. Simons, Abertillery, at the time, said he attended Pocock, who had two lacerated wounds on the face – one on the cheek and the other on the forehead. Witness attended him for about a fortnight. He would probably have been out of employment five weeks. It was quite possible for him to get neuralgic pains as a result of the face wound.
Cross-examined: He had been drinking when he came into the surgery, but he was not drunk.
Plaintiff, giving evidence, said he resided at Penybont, and was 52 years of age. On September 17th, 1921, he mounted the bus at Nantyglo about 10.15. The conductor standing at the bottom of the steps, had an electric torch showing people up the steps to the top. The conductor shouted “Fares, please,” and witness got up in his seat, put his hand in his pocket for his money, and “was knocked out,” and remembered no more. He had not had much to drink. He lost seven weeks’ work in consequence of the injury, and claimed for five weeks’ loss of work and certain other items.
By His Honour: His suit of clothes, which cost £7 or £7 10s. was damaged.
Cross-examined: he mounted the bus with four or five other people and the conductor did not tell them not to go up to the top of the bus, as it was full, nor did they force themselves up despite his warning.
In reply to His Honour, plaintiff said the top was full when he got up, but before they reached the bridge another person got off and witness took his place. Witness did not hear the conductor or the people shout “Keep your seats” or “Mind your heads.” He drew 30s. per week club money during the time he was unemployed.
Albert Ball, Blaina, said he got on the bus at the Garn at 9.20. The conductor switched the light on and told him there was plenty of room upstairs, but he found the top was full. He got a seat later and saw Pocock opposite him. Witness saw plaintiff struck on the forehead when they reached the bridge.
Cross-examined: witness denied that the conductors and passengers shouted “Keep your seats; mind the bridge.” None of the men were under the influence of drink.
John Meredith, miner, 7 Newall Street, Abertillery, also mounted the bus at the Garn.
George Pocock, son of the plaintiff, said the top of the bus was in total darkness.
Cross-examined: witness denied that he was told by the conductor not to go upstairs. He did not hear any shouting. He was sitting on his friend’s lap. He did not challenge a conductor to fight.
Another passenger named William Jenkins, Blaina, said he was the other person standing up on the bus. He also “had a clout on the head,” but had made no claim, though he was unemployed in consequence for a time.
Edgar Lewis, one of the conductors on the bus, said plaintiff and another of the passengers got on the bus at the Garn. He told them it was too full, and they must not go upstairs. Plaintiff took no notice but went upstairs, and took the seats of some passengers who got off at the hospital. Witness heard his fellow-conductor shout “Keep your heads down, boys,” from the top of the bus. Witness then heard shouting.
Cross-examined: witness said that plaintiff’s son struck him in the face, and he asked Huish, the other conductor, to go up and see what he could do with the men.
David Huish, conductor with the last witness, corroborated his evidence on the main points. The men insisted on going upstairs despite witness’s protests. He warned the passengers when they were about 200 yards from the bridge, and repeated the warning twice or three times while passengers also passed on the warning.
His Honour, in giving judgment for the plaintiff, said that there was a strong conflict of evidence. If the defendant’s servants failed to warn passengers of the danger of standing up when approaching a bridge they were liable to damages if an accident occurred without contributory negligence on the part of the passenger. Upon the whole he had come to the conclusion that he must accept the evidence for the plaintiff on that point. No independent person had come forward to support the conductors’ story. Moreover, it was very difficult to believe that if the warnings were given someone would not have pulled the man down when he got up to take money out of his pocket, yet there was no evidence of it. He was forming the best opinion he could upon the evidence he had heard, but must accept the evidence for the plaintiff. Plaintiff claimed for six weeks’ loss of work, and damage to a suit of clothes he wore, and suits of clothes belonging to two others, but he could not think the latter claim was sound. He thought if he awarded the plaintiff £40 he would be dealing fairly between the parties.

IN BANKRUPTCY. Re W. H. Moon
Cross Street Garage, Abergavenny.
To Garage Proprietors, Motor Engineers, Coach Builders, Painters, Merchants, Ironmongers, Blacksmiths and Others.
Messrs. Straker, Son & Chadwick (F. A. I.) have received instructions from Mr. J. L. Cunningham, the Trustee to the Estate of the above Bankrupt, to Sell by PUBLIC AUCTION on Tuesday Afternoon, October 24th, 1922, the Valuable
STOCK-IN-TRADE
of Motor Accessories. Also Machinery, Vulcaniser, a New Delco Lighting-Plant complete, Drills, Vices, Smith's Tools, Band Saw, Spares, Mahogany and Walnut Boards, Shafts, Varnish, Paints, Cable, Large Quantity of Oils, Grease, 2 ½ tons of Bar Iron, and Motor Accessories of every description too numerous to mention, with OFFICE FURNITURE, including small Safe, No. 5 Oliver Typewriter, Desks, etc., etc.
Sale at 1.30 sharp.
Terms – Cash.
Auctioneer Offices, Abergavenny.

The public examination opened at Tredegar on Thursday of last week, of William Harold Moon, of 19, and 42, Cross Street, Abergavenny, motor garage proprietor. The liabilities amounted to £4,255 5s. 11d., and the deficiency was £3,697 18s. 7d., exclusive of about £900 monies lent by his wife and not repaid. Debtor was apprenticed to a firm of motor engineers but joined a firm of tea merchants. In 1915 he joined the army, and when released in 1919 opened out in the motor business on a small amount, about £50, his gratuity. Abergavenny was a town which depended for its business on the hill districts, and the numerous strikes and the slump in conditions generally seriously affected the town, and consequently his business. The examination was adjourned for the amendment of certain accounts.

ABERGAVENNY
Sale of an Exceptionally Valuable Freehold Business Premises, Dwelling House, and Gardens.
Messrs Gregory and Phillips (F. A. I.) will offer for Sale by Public Auction at the Angel Hotel, Abergavenny, on Tuesday January 29th, 1924, at Three o’clock in the Afternoon (subject to Conditions of Sale),
THE SITE OF THE BLUE BOAR HOTEL AND NOW KNOWN AS MOON’S GARAGE
19, Cross Street, Abergavenny, Mon., containing by admeasurement 1,040 square yards or thereabouts, together with the Valuable Premises erected thereon, with the following accommodation:
FRONT GARAGE, with a frontage to Cross-street of 31 ft 3 in. and depth of 39 ft., with Office, Tyre Store, and General Store erected therein
REAR GARAGE, 74 ft. across by 47 ft 6 in. deep. Inspection Pit. Large Store, and Smithy
FIRST FLOOR: Large Paint Shop
SECOND FLOOR: Large Workshop and two smaller Rooms at rear.
FIRST FLOOR: Over rear Garage, Large Storeroom, and Large Workshop, 45 ft. 9 in. x 28 ft. 3 in.
A DETACHED RESIDENCE in its own grounds is situated at the rear of the garage.
Accommodation: 2 Reception Rooms, Kitchen, Pantry, Scullery, 4 Bedrooms, Boxroom, Coal Cellar, and usual domestic offices.
This valuable freehold affords an exceptional opportunity for commercial extension in the progressive agricultural industrial centre of Abergavenny. The buildings contain a quantity of valuable old English Oak.
VACANT POSSESSION of the whole will be given upon completion of the purchase.
Further particulars from Messrs. Colborn, Coulman and Lawrence, Solicitors, Newport; or from the Auctioneers, Newport and Abertillery, Mon.