Digest of stories from The Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: December 30th, 1916.

The general public of Luton will welcome the assurance given by Alderman Wilkinson, Chairman of the Tramways Committee, to our representative yesterday that, so far as that committee and the Corporation are concerned, the fullest investigation will be made as to the causes of the terrible tram smash on Thursday and "do all that it is humanly possible to prevent a recurrence".

Said Alderman Wilkinson: "The Committee will thoroughly investigate the whole affair, will deal with it most comprehensively from every standpoint, and, so far as the management is concerned, do all that is humanly possible to prevent a recurrence.

"My Committee are deeply distressed by the accident, and immediate steps will be taken to ensure that there is as little delay as possible in meeting to consider the case as fully as circumstances demand."

Said the Telegraph: "We do not know how far such an inquiry - a private committee inquiry, we presume - can go, but one thing is certain and that is that the public will require in due course from the committee the fullest explanation of the occurrence and a satisfactory assurance that so far as is 'humanly possible' everything has been done to ensure no recurrence.

"Although nominally and legally the lessees are responsible for the tramway service in the town and its safe and efficient running, there is a moral responsibility resting on the Corporation both for the well-being of the service and of the townspeople, and from this point of view we welcome the timely assurance of the Chairman that the Committee will deal with it 'most comprehensively from every standpoint'."

The Telegraph gave an update on the condition of the seven people injured, including driver Lloyd, stories by some of them of the accident and eye-witness accounts. One witness was a visitor from Birmingham who said he had intended to get on the tram at Dudley Street "but as it passed me I noticed that it was quite out of the driver's control. He was struggling with the steering gear...he was working with might and main to stop it, but he couldn't manage it. In my judgement he could not get his brakes to act,and so it went away, gathering speed as it went, until it crashed into the wall at the bottom.

"Nothing could be braver than the way the driver clung to the steering gear and tried to right things when he must have known that it was too late. He stuck to it like a brick, and I have never seen anything braver in my life."

• News has arrived of the wedding in Shanghai of Miss Ida Fraser, the well-known Luton vocalist, and Mr Joseph Bateman, a gentleman who was engaged for some time in Luton in the counting house of Messrs Dearbergh Bros. Miss Fraser, who was engaged with Messrs J. Sanders and Co, Cheapside, Luton, had sailed from Tilbury in early August. The ship arrived a day late, on October 30th, and Miss Fraser at once proceeded to the Cathedral attired in a travelling costume. Mr and Mrs Bateman afterwards left for Tsingtau, where the honeymoon was spent.

• It is evident that many of the Artillerymen at Biscot Camp are gifted entertainers. A male voice choir has only recently been formed and gave its first public performance last night at the High Town Primitive Methodist School, where there was a large attendance. The concert was organised by a small committee from the Signalling School - Sgt Miller, Bombardiers Taylor and Davis and one representative from each of the three batteries. Lieut F. J. Miles presided, as the officer commanding the Signalling School. All the items were thoroughly enjoyed, and the male voice choir will undoubtedly be as much in request as the camp's Pierrot Troupe.

• From Second Lieut C. E. Franklin we have this morning received a letter on behalf of the East Anglian Field Coy, Royal Engineers, as follows: "Christmas puddings were delivered to this unit through the Army Christmas Pudding Fund together with the intimation that they were subscribed for by readers of your papers. It is my pleasure to ask you to convey to the donors the hearty thanks of the NCOs and men of the Company, who highly appreciated the gift and good wishes, especially as coming from what is the native town of many of them."

• We regret to announce the death of Mr Thomas Fenwick Harrison, who passed away early yesterday morning at his residence, King's Walden Bury, Hitchin. It was not many months since that he loaned the famous Kitchener letter to Mr Arthur Powdrill for exhibition purposes in Luton, and we reproduce the photograph which our own representative [Frederick Thurston] secured of him at that time, holding the historic autograph communication. Mr Harrison was also at Wardown Park on the occasion of Lord French's visit of inspection of the Volunteers recently.

• About 75 men of the Artillery cookhouse and messing staff sat down to a splendid dinner on Thursday evening which consisted of six courses. The dinner was arranged by Lieut Lane, officer in charge of messing, and, knowing how enthusiastically the cooking staff worked to give Biscot Camp a really good Christmas dinner, he organised the meal for the cooks themselves.

• The many friends of Cpl E. Cook, of the North Midland R.F.A. and son of Mr and Mrs Cook, of 226 High Town Road, will learn with pleasure of a unique distinction which has been conferred upon him. He had gained the Meritorious Service Medal after 22 months in France. The old boy of Hitchin Road School went into the Education Office at Luton and joined the North Midland R.F.A. when it came to Luton for training in September 1914. He was in training in Luton for three months, and then at Bishops Stortford, before going to France. He is in the same office with the General Commanding and is just behind the artillery, and easily within shell fire at times.

• There were about 4,000 spectators at the Stamford Bridge enclosure this afternoon for the visit of Luton Town for the Football Combination match against Chelsea. After a goal-less first half, Luton swamped the Chelsea defence in the final 20 minutes of the second period, Tempest, Simms (2) and debutant Lieut Meyler making the score 4-0 before Chelsea got a consolation goal just before the final whistle, described by the Telegraph as "a flagrant case of offside".