ROAD TRANSPORT IN OTHER LANDS.
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Items of News Intended to Stimulate the Interest of British Makers in Overseas Markets.
This is a new feature which we hove to continue and to develop in the interests of British commercial-vehicle manufacturers. To a great extent it will serve to indicate potential markets overseas in which their products should find a sale.
Boosting British Six-wheelers.
B1 a recent New Zealand mail we
learn that, at the invitation of the New Zealand Association of British Manufacturers and Agents, a large audience was present a short time ago at one of the cinema theatres in Wellington to view an interesting film depicting a number of six-wheeled vehicles, all of British manufacture, being put through severe trials on Salisbury Plain, over very rough country and on gradients as steep as 1 in 3. The demonstration was an eye-opener to those accustomed to the idea that a motor vehicle was more or less useless except on roads with a solid foundation, and revealed the possibilities for such vehicles in rough and unroaded country.
Tenders Wanted for Belgian Bus Services.
TENDERS are being invited until November 3rd next by the Belgian Societe Nationale des Chemins de Fer Vicinaux for the establishment and working of motorbus services between (1) Antwerp and Hoboken; (2) Antwerp, l3oora and Willebroeck ; (3) Antwerp, Wilrijek $2..n.c1 Boom; (4) Malines, Willebroeck and Mariakerke and (5) Afalines'and Louvain. Particulars can be obtained from the companyut 14, Rue de la Science, Brussels, for one franc.
Thornyerofts in New Zealand.
DURING his recent tour of the
world, Lieut.-Commander J. W. Thornycroft, of John I. Thornycroft and Co.' Ltd., paid a flying visit to New Zealand at the end of June. Although he was only in the Dominion two weeks he spent the short time to good purpose and saw as much as possible of both the North and South Islands,
Mr. Thornycroft visited New Zealand with the object of making a rearrangement regarding the Thornycroft agency, with the result that the Canadian Knight and Whippet Motor Co., of Wellington, have been appointed as sole agents for the Dominion. The new company has taken over all the spare parts held by the previous agents and will shortly have a complete range of Thornycroft models in stock. The firm have depots in both Wellington and Auckland.
Germany's Tractor Industry.
IT is estimated that the output of
tractors in Germany now amounts to about 13,000 machines a year. They are being made by about fifteen different concerns, four of which, however— Lanz, Hanomag, Stock and Linke-Hofmann—are between them responsible , for 70 per cent, of the output.
Co-operative Rail and Road Transport in Paris Region.
THE contract awarded to the Joint Transport Co., of the Paris Region, for the maintenance of transport services became effective on October 1st. As a result, important improvements have been effected in the transport of passengers in the Department of Seine-et-Oise, as on several routes motorbuses have been substituted for steam trams. The railway time-tables have been adjusted so as to correspond with those of the new bus routes.
The most important improvement is the institution of a bus service which completes the journey between Poissy and F'ontoise in an hour ; passengers can now get to Pontoise from the Versailles and Saint-Germain-en-Laye districts without going through Paris.
British Six-wheelers for Nigeria and Russia.
A RECENT order placed by the Crown Agents for the Colonies for Thornycroft type-A3 rigid Six-wheeled vehicle for service in Nigeria is of particular interest in view of the large number of six-wheelers of this make already in service in South Africa, Rhodesia, Kenya Colony, the Sudan and Egypt. For some time past Thornycroft vehicles have been in use in the West Coast Colonies, but this will be the first six-wheeler of this make to be put into use in Nigeria, where it is hoped to open up trading in isolated districts in which roads, in their proper sense, do not exist.
Two Thornycroft six-wheelers have been purchased by Arcos, Ltd.' for service in Russia, where distinct possibilities should exist for this type, Persia as a Lorry Market.. HAVING, through the reorganization of the Army, established order and security throughout the country, the Shah of Persia is now devoting his energies to internal reform, and is fully alive to the need for modern means of communication. A large sum of money has been set aside for road development and before the end of the year a road through Luristan should be completed which will connect Northern Persia with the rich province of Khuzistau and the Persian Gulf.
There is thus every prospect of an increasing demand in the country for road transport vehicles. Already British manufacturers are doing business with Persia, for a return lately issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders shows that 36 British commercial vehicles and chassis
valued at £6,047 were exported to that country during the first quarter of the current year. During the same period 98 commercial vehicles (11,924) were, however, exported to Persia from the -United States and 46 (£3,433) from Canada.
The Proposed Free State Tariff on Motor Bodies.
A FEW days ago the Irish Free State
Tariff Commission resumed its hearing of evidence in connection with the application by the Irish Coachbuilders' Association for the imposition of a Customs duty on imported bodies of mechanically propelled or hauled vehicles. The application was for a tariff of 50 per cent. of the value of the body, or £40 per body, whichever is the greater, on the bodies of imported motor vehicles, and 50 per cent. of the value of component parts of bodies.
On behalf of the coachbuilders, it was stated that, if the application were granted, the price of motor bodies would not be increased beyond existing British prices, plus the existing 22 2-9 per cent. tariff.
Strong opposition to the application was offered by the Society of Irish Motor Traders, the witnesses of which pointed out that it would be impossible to have, the bodies required for motorcars made in Ireland, although they saw no reason why Irish concerns could not manufacture all the commercial bodies wanted in the country.