Evening Standard from London, Greater London, England • 4

1111 lWinliMaHTft- 's a -Tv7 1 tTusa: In sags i-mrono standard WIDNEiDAT Aran -tv l' nrn HT IS I MOSCOW ENVOY CALLS taxis Transport is the benefits mat haV resulted from his present mind last the man whose No 78 hJ caught on a rising iS of Tower Bridge HispmSj action saved ni uraiK Bridge Qor ALEXANDER FLEMING the 71-year-old discoverer of penicillin is to marry His bride: tltlan-halred Greek bacteriologist Mrs Amalia Coutsouris who is 40 Sir Alexander's first wife Marion McElroy from County Mayo died four years aga Mrs Coutsouris came to work at the Wright-Flemlng Institute under Sir Alexander in 1947 The staff knew her as Dr Voureka Coutsouris was her maiden name Her previous marriage was dissolved i- Two years ago she returned -to Athens where she became head of the bacteriological department at a hospital -Now she is staying with friends in Gate Kensington The wedding will probably be at Chelsea register office Risked her life Mrs Coutsouris risked her life during the war by hiding British and New Zealand officers and men at her house She fed them from her own small ration After ha two last escapees were safely aboard an Allied submarines she was caught The Germans imprisoned and tortured her Finally they sentenced her to death: but the Allied victory saved her Field-marshal Alexander and the New Zealand Prime Minister wrote tributes to her Sir Alexander lives in 0 jo tt 8 ti gi 0 Other peers are being found seats in the same way When the Earl Marshal held hlg ballot he did not stop the draw when all- the accommodation was filled he continued until the names of all the peers who wanted seats drawn drawn Now they are being given' seats following that order whenever a successful peer finds he is unable to attend the Coronation -4 Peers -from- this -supplementary list who have Just been given seats include Lord Sefton and Lord Har court Harriman for mayor? jlTR AVERELL HARRIMAN at stands a chance of being nominated by New York Democrats as candidate for mayor Two other Democrats are being mentioned as possible candidates: the late Presi- dent son Frank- lln and Mr Rnhort i lln and Mr Robert Wagner a former senator but Roosevelt has said he will not accept nomination and Wagner would be unlikely to get such strong support as Harrlman Mr Harrlman is anxious to get the nomination His political fortunes demand that he should get some new opportunity and if possible an elected office But first he is finding out whether he is legally eligible to stand Wants to be sure He to make sure he would not be barred on residential grounds Although he has a residence In Manhattan he votes from his country estate: and his Government he was until recently director of foreign aid under the Mutual Security have kept him away from New York If Harrlman stands he will be assured of strong support gardens pETWORTH the late Lord great house In Sussex Is to be opened to the public on May 8 for the first time since it became 'National Trust property 'Lord Leconfield gavePet- worth to the National Trust in 1947 but continued to live there until his death a year aga- i The house will be open three days a week at a charge of 2s 6d The gardens -under Mr Fred Streeter are famous City gift to hero WITHOUT pretending that he wants the same experience again Driver Gunter of London I i Mr Charles Bohlon In London to-day on hia way to taka up bio job os US -Sea The reluctant envoy cost Mr Eden more than £500 A suite at the Clinic costs' around £35 a week Mr Eden may be there a month or six weeks fee 1937 there were nearly 8000 taxicabs plying for hire in London To-day there are fewer than 51 thousand and their number Is still decreasing The demand lor new cabs is so small that already it is becoming a doubtful business proposition to manufacture them The one remaining manufacturer needs to produce 1000 a year to make it worth his while The actual production is five a week Unless there is a reversal of this trend there will in the near future cease to be an effective taxi service in London The Runclman Committee were appointed last year to inquire into this problem and make recommendations Their report now issued is a sensible and practical document which should do much: to save the situation The London taxi trade is already a closed shop in the sense that all its cabs and drivers must comply with legal standards before they can take the road But the trade has suggested as a remedy lor its troubles the further restriction of an overall limitation of the numbers of licences issued On this proposal the number of new entrants would be governed by the number of retirements Ho restrictions The committee have rightly rejected this proposal The restriction of enterprise and opportunity might mask for a time the sickness in the trade but would accelerate its final destruction Nor even if the trade were assisted by such measures would it be in the interests of the public to erect a ring fence operating solely for the benefit of cab owners and drivers Instead the committee make a number of suggestions aimed at rehabilitating the trade through cheaper costs to the operator and better service to the public They are in favour not only of equipping more cabs with radio but of linking all ranks with a central control point which could be reached simply by dialling TAX or CAB They point out that there is no justification under present conditions for subjecting cab owners to hire purchase restrictions A public service Above all the committee call for the lifting of purchase tax from taxis The basic cost of a cab is £847 Purchase tax raises this cost to £1319 But the buses run by London Transport which also serves the public are altogether free from tax Buses and taxis are both of them a form of public service Bus transport running along fixed routes at fixed hours cannot fulfil the routine far less the emergency needs of eight million people There never has been any Justification for affording to the one form of public service run by the State a privilege denied to another form run by free enterprise It Is of cardinal Importance to London to preserve the taxi from a place by the side of Rocket in a museum The Runclman Report points the way to the maintenance of an essential eommunal facility The Best Appetizer To-day Gunter tells met more good news in June andjils family will takei weeks free holiday at Bournemouth hotel th first holiday for five Hii son and1 daughter fight and 14 are invited party in November Gunter halved award with his wife He add a £3 3s broadcasting fee his share and bought a overcoat 'Free holiday A small cheerful man 47 Gunter has been a driver six vear Hu J1- years-Wls J0b him £7 10s a week Gunter saved his bus opening the throttle spec ing off the arm and di ping feet on to roadway He was bu shaken and spent 10 days the road Several Injured His conductor Alfred Barton cracked i -heel-bone and still walk with crutches Now Gunter is back on hii 41-minute run from Shonw i ditch to Dulwich Seven -times he has driven tin Tower Bridge bus HERO CUNTER Thankful for benefits Incidental intelligence CROSSING' Broadway tb Vs other night I called Lot attention to the fac that me of the traffic cops well over six feet tall and th other was only a few inena over five feet "The little guy i for those midget English explained Columnist NwS Kenny in Daily Mirror Kta York SEE LEWOOUN CLOTHES TO-DAY! r- I i I i for mankind has received so little recognition from his Government Beaverbrook scholars ORD BEAVERBROOK Chancellor of the University of New Brunswick Is establishing five more scholarships for Canadians They are for New Brunswick teachers and will be tenable for a year at London Institute of Education The first five teachers will be arriving here in the autumn Lord scholars will then number 75 Eighteen of his earlier awards are for one-and-a-halfor two years' post-graduate study at London University The' new scholarships will provide for travel tuition fees and living expenses In addition each teacher will receive from the Department of Education a grant of 500 dollars The reluctant envoy Tfr CHARLES BOHLEN on "Xhis way to Moscow to take up his post as United States Ambassador flew from Paris to London to-day Mr Bohlen 48 travelled alone His wife and children are in Paris At London Airport he was shown Into the VIP lounge where drinks and light refreshments were waiting Mr Bohlen strode out again 4o his car It was with reluctance that he paused to answer questions Is he seeing Mr Aldrich the UJ3 Ambassador in London? No This is purely a personal I just want to buy a few things" said Mr Bohlen his call on Mr Aldrich will be formal Moscow bn Saturday What does he think of the latest Russian peace moves? MI have nothing to no comment at Ambassador Bohlen returns to Paris to-morrow and leaves Berlin for Moscow on Saturday Last day for Ascot THIS is the last day to apply for tickets for the Royal Enclosure at Ascot in June The list closes to-morrow There will be many disappointments Applications far outnumber the accommodation this Coronation year The Duke of Norfolk as the Representative will allocate the tickets Edenvs operation EDEN was going Into London Clinic In Devonshire Place this afternoon But this morning he continued to deal with Foreign Office papers at his official home in Carlton Gardens The operation on his gall bladder is expected to-morrow The operation and the subsequent treatment will The operation may be performed by Mr Basil Hume who operated on him for appendicitis last year Fee for a surgeon of his calibre is around £105 The anaesthetist receives about a tenth of the fee Several doctors signed the bulletin about the operation including Sir Horace Evans and Dr Rossdale who diagnosed Mr jaundice last year These may attend the operation if thq patient asks for them A 'fee of £11 11s each would be expected Youngest peeress MISS STEUART-MENZIES 'Twenty lest week YOUNGEST peeress in the A Abbey at the Corona- tlon is likely to be Miss Susan Steuart-Menzles who is to marry the Earl of Leven and Melville in Scotland on April 30 Miss Steuart Menzies was 20 on March 30 Lord Leven 29 next month has known Miss Steuart-Menzles since they were children When he took part in the Earl ballot for seats in the Abbey he was not engaged applied for one he tells me "and I got if The following week (January 22) he announced his engagement Soon after I wrote asking the Earl Marshal for another seat for my future he says He was given a second seat Given spare seats How did the Earl Marshal find a spare seat It was a seat unwanted by another peer lucky In the ballot i M346 Elefoet swagger coat i fine guelity velour boldly faced front cellar to hem with block re sgniin which alio edges the slit pockets Note the contrast-stitched buttonholes on the collnr and flapped sleeve line Available in alt sizes aad a wide reage of colours Retail Price MRS COUTSOURIS Nazis contained her to die SIR ALEXANDER FLEMING Benefactor to mankind Danvers Street Chelsea He returned from a health congress in India a week aga His fiancee eame to England from Athens last week Everyone will -wish Sir Alexander' happiness No man who has done so much 20-bottle 104 haV-bottle AT ALL THE LEADING FASHION SHOES Phene or write to-'dey for address of nearest stockist LEWOOLIN CLOTHES LTD ph GERrard 3 22 GT MARLBOROUGH ST Wl i1 o- STj-mt 4.