The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-13 00:00:00

THE NEW CAB LAW.

Yesterday, at Bow-street, Mr. John Bigg, fruit-
era, of Covent-garden market, applied for a summons
under the New Hackney Carriages Act, with the view of
testing the clause relative to the conveyance of luggage.
The applicant, holding up a fine specimen pine-apple in
his hand, stated that for a long time put he had been ac-
customed to employ cabs for the purpose of conveying fruit
of that description from the house of Messrs. Keeling and
Hunt, fruit broken, in Monument-yard, to his ow
premises in Covent-garden market. For this accommoda-
tion he invariably paid 25., which rather exceeded the fare,
even under the old act. On Monday morning be hailed a
cab near London-bridge, u usual, and having put
130 pine apples inside, under and upon the seats, the driver
carried him to Covent-garden, where witness offered him
2s. The cabman, however, declined to take the sum, stating
that his fare was 3e. besides the luggage, for which he was
empowered by the new act to charge 2d. per packet. He
then reckoned up the loose pine-apples, regarding each ss
one packet, and said he could claim IL Is. Bd., if he went
to a police-court—that being the aggregate amount of 130
packets at 2d. each. He took the act of parliament out of
his pocket, and read the clause to witness ; but he (Mr.
Bigg) of coarse declined to take the cabman's interpreta-
tion of the new law, and paying him the 3s. which he de-
manded for the fare, resolved to apply for a summons. He
accordingly took his number with that intention.
Mr. Henry said the question as to luggage could not
arise in any case, unless there were more than two persons
in the cab. The act provides that " when more than two
persons shall be carried inside with more luggage than can
be carried inside the carriage, a further stun of 2d. for
every package carried outside shall be paid by the hirer, in
addition to the fare."

Mr. Bigg stated that some of the pine-apples were put
outside, and although he rode outside himself from choice,
there was ample room for him inside. The man was de-
Dined about fifteen minutes in Monument-yard, for which
he was entitled to 6d. besides the fare, which was not more
than Is. or Is. Gd.

Mr. lienry—l must tell you that one of the objects of
the new act is to provide the public with a better class of
hackney caniages, and to have them kept in a cleanly and
decent condition. It was intended that they should
be converted into market carts. It would not be very
pleasant, for example, to the next person who engaged the
cab in question, after it had been filled with pine-apples.
Mr. Bigg thought that nothing could be more agreeable
than the smell of pine-apples.

Mr. Henry—But if once the system prevailed of sending
about merchandise of that kind in cabs, they might soon be
employed to convey fish, meat, Isc. However, u the cab•
man in the present instance did not object to carry the
pine-apples, which he would,bave been fully justified in
doing, he had certainly no right to make a charge for
them.
The summons was than granted.

THE TUSCAN POLITICAL THlALS.—Letters from
Florence announce the: Guerra:xi has declared it to be his
intention to appeal against the judgment just pronounced
upon him. The expenses of the trial, which all the con-
demned parties are ordered to pay amoigst them, do not
amount to leas than 400,000 ti.