Death of Mr. Henry McLaren.
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We learnt last week with deep regret' of the death of Mr. Henry McLaren, the well-known Leads engineer, chairman of J. H. McLaren, Ltd., Jack Lane, •Hunslet, and co-founder of the company with his brother, the late Sir
J. McLaren. The company is well known as a maker of ploughing machinery, road rollers, traction engines and. tractors.
Mr. 'McLaren was 75 years of age and tad been making a tour of the coast of Africa, from which he was returning.
He was the son of a. farmer and bad studied the mechanical requirements of different localities on the spot. He took a deep interest in the engineering side of the University of Leeds and was a life member of the Court of the University, from which he received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.
Important Absorption by Railway Company.
It is stated that the well-known Tyneside motorbus and coaching 'business of Wakefield's Motors, Ltd., North Shields, has been acquired by the London and North Eastern Railway Co. as part of an extensive roadpassenger programme in the north country.
A Ministry Inquiry at Middlesbrough.
The right of a corporation to refuse bus licences unless a condition he attached compelling the company to use a definite route formed the subject of a recent Ministry of Transport inquiry, when Mr. C. B. Ramage conducted an investigation into _appeals lodged by the Redwing Motor Services and Smith's Safeway Services against a decision of the Middlesbrough Corporation.
The Redwing concern stated that the corporation objected to buses travelling along certain thoroughfares at Linthorpe, on the ground of danger to pedestrians, but pointed out that there had been no accident, and no prosecution or action for damages in reference to the section of road to which the corporation made objection. The firm mentioned that it was essential to their success and to the convenience of the service to the public that the vehicles should run through the thickly peopled district and submitted that such a
B22 change of route would mean a loss of revenue of 33 per cent. to the firm.
The town clerk said that when licences were granted to the two operators the watch committee reserved the right to review the position in three mouths. The corporation had now offered an alternative route, so as to avoid the dangers which had been exposed.
Smith's Safeway Services suggested an alternative route which would still touch the heavily populated area, but pleaded that they should not be forced to use the route through the sparsely peopled district, which!, furthermore, entailed the negotiation of many dangerous corners and crossings.
The decision of the Ministry in the matter is awaited.
Uniform Colour for Petrol Pumps.
• Surrey County Council is considering the question of making a condition of the granting of licences for the erection • of petrol pumps in the county that they should be of a uniform colour to be prescribed by the council.
Thomas Tilling Report.
The report of Thomas Tilling, Ltd., for the year ended December 31st last, shows a profit of £228,678, after providing for debenture stock and other interest. This sum is increased to £289,663 after adding the balance brought in from the previous year.
Interim dividends were declared during the year on the preference shares and ordinary shares, the total absorbed in this connection being £60,985. A dividend on the preference shares for the half-year ended December 31st last absorbed £8,250, and it is now recommended that this be confirmed, and that on April 8th next a final dividend of 2s. per share, less tax, shall be paid on the ordinary shares for the year, making 4s. per share, or 20 per cent ; this dividend will account
for £52,735. • e`,• In addition, it is proposed to allocate £50,000 to the general reserve fund and a similar sum to the special reserve fund for properties. investments, etc. After these deductions have• been made a sum of 167,693 remains to be carried forward.
Worcester Bus Profits. .
It is announced that the total net profit from the Worcester municipal bus serviees for the first eight months or the current financial year amount to 16,150. The figure is regarded as very satisfactory, being a little more than the anticipated profit for the whole year, so that the receipts for the remaining four months will contribute towards the reduction of the loan which is outstanding on the undertaking.
Dunlop's Latest Garage.
One of the most up-to-date and selfcontained private garages has just been completed at Fort Dunlop to accommodate the test fleet of the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., and the cars of members of the company's staff. The roof of the building is carried on long-span lattice girders, so that the floor area is practically unobstructed, there being only five stanchions in the whole m ace —it measures 200 ft. by 140 ft. The garage accommodates 130 vehicles, endthe floor is.conereted and Eloped for swilling, no trenches, pits or gutters being allowed. Two rotating lifts have been installed to take the place of pits for cleaning and repairing the undergear of chassis, whilst there are also portable elevators, floor cranes and an elevated track.