PRESENTING THE " C.M." CUP AT MARLOW.
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Distinguished Local Gathering Witnesses the Presentation of the Cups and Prizes Won at London's Commercial Motor Parade.
" relHIS will probably be per last
1 parade for The Commercial Molor Cup. We feel that the time has come for us to retire on our laurels." These words' spcken by Mrs. le 0. Wethered, a director of Thos. Wethered and Sons, Ltd., of Marlow, had been written by Cal F. E. Stevens, the managing director, as one of the things he had intended to say at the presentation ceremony held at the brewery on May 3rd. He was confined to his house by a slight indisposition, and Mrs. Wethered presided over the gathering in his stead, and we are sure that she will not disagree with our assertion that the colonel's remark was not received with. any show of enthusiasm.
The company present represented many interests. On the platform supporting 'Mrs. Wethered were Sir Richard Garton, K.B.E. (a director of the company)' Lord Torrington, Lady Tarring. ton, Member of Parliament for the Marlow division of Bucks., Sir John E. Thornycroft, K.B.E., and Mr. Tom Thornycroft (managingdirector and director of -I. I. Thornvcroft and Co., Ltd.), Mr. Roland E. Dangerfield (director of Temple Press Ltd.), Mr. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith, C.B.E., president of the Commercial Motor Users Associa tion, Mr. F. E. Bristow, secretary of the 0.M.U.A., and Mr. P. D. Power. Mr. V. B. Butt, the chief engineer of the compaay, occupied a strategic position in the hotly of the hall, which was one of the cask shops of the 'brewery, Suitably decorated and equipped with a platform, this shop makes an excellent hall for such a meeting. Many of the company's employees and members of their families were present, whilst, of course, the transport staff WAS there in fult force, having lined up the fleet in the adjoining yard, eighths of an inch ,being considered worthy of study in the dressing ! The ruling passion was strong, for within a few moments of the company adjourning to the hall one of the drivers, with a polishing 'cloth, was .giving a surreptitious rub to a fan blade.
The occasion for this gathering was the presentation of The Commercial Motor Cup, the Shrapnell-Smith Cup, medals and prize-money in reselect of the awards gained at the recent London parade of the Commercial Motor Users Association. The prizes have always been distributed at the annual luncheon of the Association, and last year the distribution was repeated a week or two later at Marlow, so that a local cele bration of a second consecutive win' of the cup should be possible. This year there -was no official luncheon, its place being intended to be taken by a dinner in the autumn, to signalize the coming of age of the Association. The opportunity was thus afforded of transferring the official and orthodox presentation to Marlow, for which Marlow was pleased, particularly having in view the fact that the cup was coming there for good. Mrs. Wethered expressed her sorrow at the absence of Col. Stevens, and said that he and the board of directors took great interest in the transport section of the company's activities. They had done all that was reasonable to stimulate the pride and interest in their vehicles shown by the drivers and their mates, and there was no evidence that the transport of the company cost more than it should. The same men and the same lorries had engaged in the competition from the time of the first entry • for a trophy offered at the Beading parade. Aftertwice winning this letter cup some geographical obstruction ,hail arisen. Winning The Commercial Motor Cup outright this year had been a great achievement for the men, accomplished by herd work and deep enthusiasm for their job, and it had created
great interest throughout the locality. The fleet of motors and its spick-andspan appearance was often a matter of local comment.
Mrs. Wethered announced that, in addition to the money-prizes given by the C.M.U.A., Messrs. J. I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd. had given 21 for each driver, including the driver of the seventh lorry of the fleet, whilst the company was giving 21 to each driver and 10s. to each mate:
Sir. John E. Thornycroft congratulated the board of directors, the chief engineer and the men upon their win, saying that people who saw the vehicles on parade were amazed at what had been done. The vehicles were as good as new, whilst the economy of their maintenance was very great. He felt assured that; even if the two teams had not been entered for the competition, their condition would be quite as good as it is, and it would be hard, therefore, for others to excel upon Wethered's achievement.
Mr. Shrapnell-Smith echoed the feelings of everybody when be said that if the Wethered fleet had won one cup there was no need to lose heart or to expect that others would have lost heart. It had not originally been intended that the cup should be capable of being woa outright, and it was only by the generosity of the donors, the proprietors of Phe Commercial Motor, and their willingness to replace the cup that an outrightwin had become possible. It had not yet been considered Whether the rules should be stiffened up for future competitions, but he thought that it might be suggested that a winner shoeid stand down for 12 months. Speaking of the last parade, he said it was astonishing that a difference of only a few points between Wethered's first and seeond teams had placed the seeond
team fifth in the competition. The marking was very close indeed. With regard to the prizes, the National Council had thought that it would be a graceful act, in view of the generosity of the donors, to ask one of the directors of Temple Press Ltd., Mr. Roland E. Dangerfield, to make the actual presentation of the cup.
Mr. Danger&ld, in handing the cup to Mrs. Wethered, said he was honoured by flans being asked to carry out so pleasant a task. The donors had not expected to lose the cup so quickly, but, when he saw the Wethered teams on parade and had given Mr. Butt his opinion of them, he had been resigned to the inevitable; and, so far from regretting the result, he hoped that in three years' time he might be able to come to Marlow and do the same thing. He highly complimented Mr. Butt and the drivers and their mates on their ability to perform miracles in maintenance. In the junior service (the R.A.F.) he had learned the extreme value and importance of efficient transport, and he could see in the condition of the Wethered fleet the operation of the traditions of the senior service (the Royal Navy) for. efficiency and cleanliness.
Mrs. Wethered gracefully acknow
ledged the presentation, and Mr. Shrapnell-Smith then proceeded to present the Shrapnell-Smith Cup to the men, the engineer's medal to Mr. Butt and the medals and money prizes to those who had won them.
Mr. Butt was called upon to speak. He expressed his appreciation of the work of the C.M.U.A., of the initiative of the donors in putting up such a trophy and providing 60 powerful an incentive to good work, of the presence of so many distinguished visitors, and finally of the enthusiasm and thoroughness shown by his transport staff. He said that the men possess a trait of character which is all too rare in these days.
Lady Terrington congratulated the directors of the company upon their excellent vehicles and splendid workpeople, and said that it was wonderful that there could be such cleanliness outside a house. The cup had been won by the aid of pluck and elbow-grease, and she could not help wondering if the wives of the men had not helped them by encouragement and praise.
Sir Richard Garton said that the working and maintenance costs of the fleet proved, on careful comparison with the figures of other fleets of which he had cognizance, to be quite. favourable. Mr. F. G. Bristow,. in his proposal of a vote of thanks to Mrs. Wethered for her Occupancy of the chair, threw out a hint of the possibility of bringing London's best team into competition with Fairley' s fleet, which is a consistent prizewinner at the Liverpool parades.