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Page 17
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By "The Extractor."
Abstruse.
It was a genuine pleasure to greet that genial giant Mr. Percy Frost Smith, of Tilling-Stevens, Ltd., in London recently, thoroughly recovered. by now from the indispositiom which kept him low for a good while. Someone asked him in my presence to define the word coincidence, and hi. fired off in response an abstruse yarn about a cuckoo cloak which, judging by the peals of laughter, seemed subtly to illustrate that word if it was not exactly a definition.
Berna Developments.
An accidental encounter with Mr. 3", A. Hill reminded me of the fact that he has recently taken over the management of British Berna Motor Lorries,. Ltd:, and that the directors have consolidated their various premises and are now situate at Short Street, New Cut, Lambeth, S.E. 1, quite a central address. Mr. Hill is not a newcomer to the Berna administration, having been connected with the company for over six years.. It. is of interest to know that he produced the firsf. British Berna in t. h i s country, and personally sold it He lecognised in the early days of the war that womenkind would eventually be utilized for driving vans and lorries. He thereupon fitted what he eonsiiders was almost equivalent to a selfstarter, naniey, dual ignition so arranged that only a• light pull up, instead of swinging, w a s necessary to start the engine. Mr. Hill is both an engineer and a business man ; he knows how to handle men and to get the best work out of them, which is, to my mind, a great qualification, The postwar prospects are not being forgotten, and Mr. Hill has some sound ideas for the inodel that will be required after the war, the weight distribution having been well thought out.
British Berna.
Taking Up References.
Employees of all kinds are in some demand at this time, and it goes without saying that would-be employers cannot he 'pernickety. In -some businesses, however, matters have reached a point which borders on the grotesque. A waitrese having left the Motor Club and applied to a hotel for a similar position to that which she had occupied there, the club manager was quickly 'phoned to and inquiries were made as to her capability, etc., eth. The answer was unfavourable. "Well," asked the hotel man '" has she, to your knowledge, committed house breaking or murder by any chance?" The reply was in the negative. "Then she comes on for me," said he.
6000 "Con." Rods.
Released from Admiralty, works. a Birmingham firm placed an advertisement in this journal that they were in a position to undertake the making of spare parts for vans and lorries (obviously they had American vehicles in their minds. Within a week or two they -were fixed up with work for the "duration," one order alone being ftsr 0000 connecting rods.
A New Chairman.
An important change has to be recorded in connection with the Solid Tyre Committee of the British Rubber Tyre Manufacturers Association. This eminently useful body has been most ably presided over for some years by Mr. W. H. Paull, of the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd. He has now relinquished this post, and his successor in the chair is Mr. Walter Bond, of the St. Helens Cable and Rubber Co., Ltd., a gentleman who has shown both enthusiasm and the possession of .a fund of valuable knowledge in his work for the association. He has been up to now the honorary technical secretary, and lie is succeeded in that position by Mr. Arnold Redfern, of Redfern's Rubber Works Ltd., Hyde.
Lyons Fair.
It is doubtful if the average business man in this country realizes the international importance and growth of the Lyons Fair, established since the commencement of the war, to take the place, in future of the world-famed Leipzig Fair. It is impossible in a small space to do justice to thissubject, but from the official figures I glean the amount of business transacted in 1916, the opening year, was a little over £2,000,000. In 1917 this increased to £15,000,000, and in the present year of grace the total went up to 230,000,000. British exhibitors increased from 14 in 1916 to 130 in 1913, but, although there is a commercial motor and agricultural machinery section, in which the French makers are well represented, the British makers have up to the present kept entirely aloof In. our view the British maker has probably not considered the matter, because of the apparent difficulties of transport and of immediate manufacture, but the scheme is worth examination. The date of the next Lyons Fair is 1st to 15th March, 1919, and the head office for the -United Kingdom is at 14, St. -Peter's Square, Manchester.
• 011a Podrida.
Mr. George Heath told me that the letters of condolence in connection with his son's fatal mishap revealed friends on all sides.
Many have said that the motor agent is not the man to handle farm tractors; he is not supposed to understand farming conditions or the ways of farmers, but all the same Henry Garner has 100 orders waiting, and his only trouble is that deliveries are so slow.
Mr. Rowan, of Gaston, Williams and Wigrnore, Ltd., is still over on the "other side."
Mr. Colin Mather has gone over to Paris to take up an important appointment in connection with aero engines. He has been up to recently at the Caledon Works, Glasgow, and still retains an interest in the Reliance Radiator Co., of Manchester. .
Again one of the best brochures is sent to me by Kamer Cars, Ltd., Huddersfield. It is entitled "Many witnesses one verdict," and the arity of testimonials from satisfied users with wonderful illustrations of the various models speaks volumes for Karrier ascendency. We could net have done the printing bettsr ourselves.