Algerian Trade.
Page 6
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Algerian trade, notwithstanding labour and transport difficulties, shows en couraging signs of development. The crop of the vineyards, which extend parallel to the coast, and occupy an area of about 400,000 acres, is usually a good one, bat, owing to the scarcity of railway wagons necessary for bringing the goods and produce to the cost, exports have dwindled in many directions. The increasing employment of motor lorries in the interior, however, is expected to relieve the railways, and it is hoped that this means of transport may revive the trade position. An unceasing demand exists for motor tractors and lorries, a fair proportion of those so fav landed being of British manufactureThe Fiat Co. appears to be making a successful bid for the trade in lorries, and recent steamers have landed about 180 vehicles of this make.
Leyland Recreation. • A very auecessful ball -and whist drive,. organized by the staff of Leyland Motors, Ltd., was held in the Company's new canteen a few days ago. It is fortunate tha ,the dining hall was built to aceorn
modate 1,500 people, for the guests present closely proximated this number, and the fact that some of those present came from Liverpool, Manchester, and even London, would appear to prove that Leylands have a reputation quite apart from the manufacture of their ordinary products. The proceedings were carried well
into the small hours of the morning, a well-organized fleet of motor char-kbanes being called into use for conveying guests to their homes.
Clayton and Shuttleworth Developments.
Clayton and Shuttleworth, Ltd., Stamp End Works, Lincoln, intimate that they have re-opened their London office at 118, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.G. 4.
During the last 12 months their three works at Lincoln have been greatly extended and thoroughly 'reorganized. Titanic works have been set aside for the nisse production of the Clayton .5-ton steam wagon and crude-oil engines. Abbey Works, erected during the war as an aircraft faetory, have been equipped for the manufacture of high-class railway passenger coaches and wagons. Stamp end Works wilt continue to manufacture their original products.
Oil from Devonshire.
in order to secure a cheap form of power for the proposed copper refinery to be laid down in Devonshire, it was at first proposed to harness the waters of Dartmoor, but the outcry agairist the desecration of one of England's few wild spate has brought forward a. counter proposal to open up -the lignite beds at Bovey Tracy. The Germans bad already got their hands on to the land and had spent £100,000 in preparatory work, arid during the war the Petroleum Research Department investigated the deposit, and subsequent work has proved the existence of an enormous bed of the highest-grade lignite. Lignite is a " young " or miniature coal, originating from the same sources as coal and formed by the action of heat or pressure on vegetable matter. It must be retorted to-become available for domestic and industrial purposes, when, after compression, the residue is equal to the hest Welsh coal or anthracite. In the retorting a crude oil is recovered, from which, by distillation, a motor spirit and paraffin are yielded, as well as an oil -suitable for Diesel and similar engines, wax, and montan wax (valuable because of its high. melting point)... The presence of a cheap residue fuel mast, besides assisting in the work of the copper refinery, have a great effect upon the pottery industry. Devonshire has the richestadepoaits of potter's and ball clay-, -but it has been more economical to take the pottery works close to the source of fuel, hence the location of the potteries in Staffordshire, but a reduction in clay costs from 2,3 per ton to 5s. would result from the establishment of pottery works along the valley of the Teign (for instance) if fuel can be tamed at Bovey Tracy. The advantages to oil users of such a development would be extremely great.
Dangerous Street Lamps, Leyton Urban District Courscil has considered a letter from the L.G.O. Co. drawing attention to some streetlamps in Whipps -Cross Road, which it is alleged overhang the roadway and are liable to cause damage or injury to passengers riding on the tops of motorbuses. Whilst not accepting any liability for• any aocident which might occur, the Council has instructed the electrical engineer to turn round the ornamental arms of the lamps so as to be parallel to the footpath where it is deemed advisable to do so.
Trams v. Buses in Manchester.
Referring to the suggestion which is 61 come before the Manchester City Council that a new by-law should he adopted with a view to balding up traffic when a tramcar .has stopped and passengers ale alighting, Mr. W. Geddes Reece, of Hale, Cheshire, points out. that the necessity for Such a proposal should bring to the minds. of the public the absurdity of any public passenger vehicle loading or unloading in the middle of the street. A petrol or steam motorists has none Of the obvious disadvantages of the eumbersome tramcar, and picks up and deposits its passengers onthe edge of the pavement, and, therefore, 'does not hold up other road traffic. Manchester traffic, both passenger and goods, is very complex, and is not going to 'become any easier 9)y the adoption of the suggested by-law. The present electric tramcar system is as unsuitable for_ existing conditions as it is uneconomical.
Midland Fire Appliances.
The extended use of motor fire-engines by Midland authorities has become very actable recently, by reason of the fact • 'that the adoption of modern means of rapid transport-, supplanting archaic • horse-drawn appliences, has not been limited to the larger municipalities. Most of the smaller boroughs have new recognized the importance of essential
• needs in this direction, and, coincidently, with their adoption of .up-to-date apparatus, further extensions are being wit. na,sed -upon the part of the corporations who were among the first to adopt the altered methods.
Thus. at Derby, increased efficiency of the brigade's work has now been rendered possible by the acquisition of a new motor tender, representing one of the latest types of fire-fighting machines. It has cost £1,073, and for this outlay the Watch Committee hope to recoup themselves to some extent by the sale of a steam fire-engine-and two horses.
At Nottingham, also, important additions to the already considerable resources of the fire-brigade, in the way of motor adjunct; is contemplated within the next few months.
Bournemouth Speed Limits.
Tea-mile motor speed liMits are pro. posed in parks and commons at Bourne. mouth. In regard to public highways, the Corporation Motors Cernmittee reports that it is unnecessary and nnclesirable in the interest of the public to : ask the Ministry to further restrict the epeoci of motorcars on the public, highways, as, under the Motor Car Act, 1903, if any person drives a car recklessly ornegligently or at a speed or in a manner which i,s dangerous to the public, an -offence is ocinunitted with which the police have full power to deal.
Board of Trade Reorganization.
The reorganization of the Board of Trade, which h-as been proceeding since June last, has now reached a et:age enabling a detailed announcement to be 'made. The duties of the Departments are organized under two joint perma. • nent secretaries, Sir Sydney Chapman, K.C.B., who deals with all, el-bastions affecting general policy, and -Mr. H. A. Payne, C.B. (Controller), who deals with administration and finance. It is not necessary for us to go into the principal permanent -departments established, but we observe that Mr. H. F. Cazlill has -been appointed assistant secretary to the Power, Transport, and Economic Department.
The Marking of Goods.
The Merchandise Marks Committee are completing their arrangements for taking evidence 'before proceeding to con sider their report. Associations and others who may wish to make representations on any of the matters which the committee are investigating should communicate with the secretary of the committee at the Patent Office, 25, Southampton Buildings, W.C. 2, not later than February 14th.
The committee, who were appointed by the Board of Trade, and sit under the chairmanship of Mr. Harry Greer, M.P., are dealing in particular with the follow. ing questions :— (1) Whether all imported goods, or particular classes of imported goods, should be required to bear on importation, or on sale in this country, a statement as to their origin ; whether the statement should :specify the actual country of origin, or should merely indicate that the goods are not of British or not of United Kingdom origin; and whether any such ree quirement should extend to goods trans.shipped in this country, or re-exported from this country, to British possessions and foreign countries; • .
(2) The 'advisability of encouraging the institution et an Empire mark to denote British origin; the utility ..ad effect of national trade marks and •othiicollective marks; and whether any such Mark or marles,-if used at all; ebould be, administered by the Government, oie.by municipalities; or by •associations traders. • : • (5) Whether any and -what inter-, national action is neeessary or desirable to prevent the false marking of goods: with indications of British origin, and to protect regional appellations of origin.
Thornycroft Dinner.
The annual dinner of the head office staff , of John I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd.„ was recently held at the Café Momeo, when well over 100 attended, presided over -by Sir John E. i'Therny croft, K.B.E., the managing director of the company. This year's gathering wed especially enjoyable, being in the nature of a reemion after the absence of many members of the staff on special service during the war.
The most interesting event during the -evening's festivities which followed the dinner was the presentation to Sir John. E. Thornycsoft, of a handsomely-bound volume containing a very large collection of letters and messages of congratulation of which he was the recipient, following the announcement of his knighthood in recognition of his and the ,company's efforts towards the successful termination of the war. masking the ChaIrman to accept this cat behalf of the staff, Mr,
M. Seabroohe, car sales manager, emphasized the very high esteem in which Sir John was regarded by them. • The speeches were interspetsed between an excellent entertainment, contributed entirely by members of the staff, which appears to include a considerable amount of artistic talent.
• Nottingham Buses:
Incidentally, in opposition to the appli, cation of the Nottingham Corporation, which is to form the subject of Government inquiry, that it should be allowed powers alternatively either to extend tramways or run motorbuses to outlying distriets which it is now proposed to annex, the Notts. County Council has raised .the point that in many quarter,e tramways are regarded as an olatiolete mode of traction, which, having -regard to the fixed nature of the track and equipment, eausen. seriousobstruction to the • rapidly-increasing 'arid faSt.nieiting traffic. The -view is one in which many residents in Nottingham itself have Manifested -their acquiescence, the present tramway system having latel come in also for a great dealof criticism on ac count of • the high fares involved under
the present local scale of charges. " • The .anatter was raised • at the last meeting of the Corporation, when, in reply to aluestion by one of the Labour representatives, the Mayor expressed his inability to state even an approximate 'date at which there would be a return to the former plan of penny stages, the minimum in Nottingham being now 10. ajourney. In. face.of increased cost of
materials, extra wages, and other, augmented charges, be declared it impossible to entertain the idea of a reduction, and the suggestion.. which has already been emphasized, findstemuch support locally in favour of buses; by which alone many parts of the city can be served.
Hertfordshire Bus Services.
The Highways Committee of the Hertferdslnee County Council suggests gitiing approval to the running of k a mcitor.omnibus service. by Messrs.. Pugh and Sons, of East. Barnet Read, New Baroet, on the .Main road from Hatfield toSt. Albans, and to the running c.i. motor-omnibus services by the London General Omnibus Co. on the main roads from Watford to St. Albans, Rickinansworth, Hemel Ilempet.ead, and Great Berkhametecl, subject to a charge of 2d. , per bus mile being imposed in respect of :. such services in accordance with . Section 20 ef " TheLfeeeal Government (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1916".