Motor Cars.
xv in the Rural District of Ballymahon, County Longford, and in the Rural District of Gort, County Galway, where formal schemes had not hitherto been in operation.
We also made Orders approving of new schemes prepared by the County Councils of Armagh, Cork, Gahvay, Kilkenny, King's County, Longford, Tipperary (S.R.),
and Westmeath for the renewal of schemes which had lapsed on the expiration of the statutory period of three years.
On the 1st January we had under consideration schemes formulated by the County Councils of Antrim, Carlow, Down, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Longford, Sligo and Westmeath for certain districts in these Counties, and the documents in these ca^es were indue course forwarded to the Ministry of Transport.
We held a local inquiry into an appeal received by us from the Kilmacthomas Rural District Council against a new declaration made by the Waterford County Council under Section 8 of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, declaring certain roads in the County to be main roads from and after the 1st October, 1919.
In our opinion sufficient grounds were not shown for setting aside the County Council's declaration and wTe accordingly dismissed the appeal.
The documents in connection with an appeal received against a declaration of main roads formulated by the King's County Council were forwarded to the Ministry of Transport.
We also referred to the Ministry of Transport the question of confirming bye-laws framed by the Louth County Council for granting annual licences for locomotives used within their area other than for agricultural purposes and for charging a fee in respect thereof.
Motor Cars.
Under the Expiring Laws Continuance Act of 1919, the Motor Car Act, 1903, wTas continued in force until the 31 December, 1920.
Representations having repeatedly been made to us pointing out the serious nuisance and damage caused by mud-splashing from heavy motor vehicles on public roads, we considered it advisable in the interests of the public to take action in the matter, and on the 30th May, 1919, having first satisfied ourselves that a reasonably efficient splash-guard was available, we made an Order, entitled the Heavy Motor Car (Ireland) (Amendment) Order, 1919, requiring that all vehicles coming within the scope of the Heavy Motor Car (Ireland) Order, 1905, be fitted with such a device as will prevent mud or water being thrown upon any person or property or upon any other vehicle.
To allow reason¬ able notice of the new requirement, the Order did not come into operation until the 1st October, 1919.
In a few cases where local bodies proposed that the driving of motor cars in certain areas should be limited to a speed less than the maximum fixed by the Motor Car Act, we explained the
