Road Transport
Page 69
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
in
Other Lands
Items of News Intended to Stimulate the Interest of British Makers in Overseas Markets
Popularity of the Tractor in Manchuria. THE exploitation of newly reclaimed land by tractors in the special zone of the Chinese Eastern Railway was started in 1927, when one machine was used On the experimental farm in Poltotu, along the western section of the railway. The experiment was conducted under the auspices of the Land Department of the Chinese Eastern Railway, and proved a great success. Afterwards many applications were sent by landowners of the district for more tractors to be u.sed.in the fields. In the autumn of 1927 three machines were at work at Pokotu 011 a loan basis from the railway to the farmers. As these have proved insufficient arrangements are now being made with tractor importers in Harbin for hiring machines on short terms. There are from 200 to 250 tractors in North Manchuria.
Holland's Tractor Imports.
AN official return shows that 438 trac tors and road locomotives, valued at £98,583, were imported into Holland in 1929, as against 243 and £61,500 respectively in 1928. Of the total the Irish tree State is credited with 178 machines, France 62, the United States and Germany 61 each, Belgium 46 and Britain 26, Road Construction in Chile.
IN an official Government report upon economic conditions in Chile, which has come to our hands, some reference is made to the subject of roads in that country, motor roads for internal transport being regarded as of vital importance to the development of Chile's trade. Roads are difficult to construct and maintain in the volcanic desert provinces of the north, but fair progress has been made in the past two years. Of the new road between Antofagasta and Tocopillar (202 Idioms.); only 30 kilems. remained to be constructed at the close of last year. The read from Antofagasta to Calama (216 kilams.) should be finished by the end of 1930. Progress with a road from Taltal to Antofagasta is slow. Another road from Tocopillar to Iquique is being built by private enterprise.
India's Imports Still Increasing.
THE survey of India's import trade for the year ended March 31st, 1930, has come to hand, and shows that imports of motorbuses, vans and lorries have advanced from the total of 12,790 vehicles in the previous year to 15,305. The British. share has fallen from 473 to 399 units and the American share from 5,809 to 4,770 units. On the other hand, imports from Canada have risen from 6,373 to 10,044 vehicles. Of the total imports 10,340 were chassis and 4,965 were complete with bodies. Portuguese East Africa a Fluctuating Market.
AMERICAN commercial-vehicle ex, ports to Portuguese East Africa have been very irregular since the war. Unit prices have been equally fluctuating, mainly because, in some years, consignments of biw-capacity vehicles have been a feature, whilst in other years more powerful vehicles have been purchased. Of the 500 commercial vehicles in the colony, 350 are claimed to be of American origin, all seven buses in use Coming from the United States. Tanners fitted with six-c:vliudered engines are most in demand, but heavy vehicles have recently been introduced into Loreneo Marques for urban operation. On the other hand, converted 10-cwt. vehicles are largely used in up-country areas. Right-hand drive is compulsory.
Progress in the Philippines.
MOTORBUS services are rapidly developing in the Philippine Islands. Competition is, however, very keen and operators have been forced to transport goods and passengers at extremely low rates, particularly on the Island of Cebu. In several localities the Philippine railways are feeling the motorbus eompetition keenly, for only a few bus routes are being operated by the railway companies, these being in the nature of feeders to the railway system. The city of Manila is the centre of motor transportation facilities.
The Highways of the Argentine_ IT is learned from a reliable source that
the result of road improvement and construction in the province of idIntre Rios, in the Argentine, has been to reduce the cost of transporting goods by nearly 50 per cent. This is in spite of the fact that roads that have been built in the province are not of the modern cement type.
It is estimated that if road construction were carried out on a large scale throughout the Argentine, merchandise could be transported at a cost quite 40 per cent. less than at present prevails. Progress is being made and with it opens the field of -opportunity for British ehassis makers.