Water for Steam Wagons.
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AT a meeting of the British Waterworks Association, Col. Davidson, Liverpool, at the request of the chairman, gave the conference some information in regard to water supplies for steam wagon and road engines. He said he was not in a position to report formally, because, although the joint committee had finished its work and was now preparing its report, that report had to go before a conference on which a number of other authorities, motor manufacturers and users, and the Ministry of Transport were represented; but he did not think he would be transgressing-if he gave some idea of the positibn. ,
There could be no question, lie continued, that. those water authorities that were situated in the thickly-populated industrial areas had, up to the present, every cause to regard the steam wagon as an unmitigated tmisance. • The. motor drivers were nothing more than highway B4.-0 pirates, who took water where and when they liked. Looking at the problem from their point of view, one must realize that if they were to get along they must have water, therefore this little committee of theirs had gone on this principle : "Let us see if we cannot give these motor users the facilities they want, and, at the same time, snake some profit out of it ourselves."
The speaker said that he was glad to be able to say that they had approved a scheme, in conference with motor users and manufacturers, whereby a supply would be obtained from special depots by the use of a standard key and the leaving of a standard disc. It was really a penny-in-the-slot scheme. They had adopted a design for a universal lock with an easy mechanism which was operated by a key, and these locks would be supplied by a licensed concern working under the association. Authori ties could buy the lock mechanisms, which would certainly not cost more than £5 each, probably considerably less; and could fit them to their own particular form of standpipe or service-box. The Commercial Motor Users Associa• tion had undertaken to supply, distribute and redeem the tokens. The waterworits authorities would have nothing to do with the tokens except to collect them from their standpipes.
Col. Davidson saia that they had agreed to pay the water authorities the sum of 80. for each of these discs. That, would work out at an average of 80. for, say, 70 gallons of water. The Commercial Motor Users Association had undertaken to sell these discs tp anybody who applied for them, and not to give any preference to their own members; and they had undertaken to charge not more•than gd. for them. They were en titled to make Let on each disc. •