Impressions of South Africa.
Page 21
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By A. R. Atkey.
During the last ten or twelve years the eyes of the world have been turned with the greatest interest to South Africa, but although the Boer ‘Var undoubtedly brought us into closer contact with the country and welded its various units under one flag, the conditions of life and commerce are as yet imperfectly understood by many who desire to extend their business relationships to our great African colony. Nor is it difficult for one who has on several occasions visited centres of importance between Cape Town and the Zambesi to realise why this is so. South Africa is generally spoken of as we speak of London or Manchester and other self-contained cities where, whatever internal fluctuations may prevail, the external and general conditions are common to all. As a matter of fact, South Africa includes the widest differences in material, climatic and commercial conditions, and it is as difficult to answer the question; " What kind of motor is suitable for South Africa? " as it would be to answer the same question about America or Asia. It is obviously impossible to answer it generally, and we must, therefore, localise and specialise in order to arrive at any conclusion which shall guide the British manufacturer. I say advisedly the British manufacturer, for one of the most striking experiences to the untravelled Englishman on his first visit to South Africa is the loyalty our Colonial brethren show to Home manufacturers. It is not my purpose or, intention to touch on matters political, but I cannot refrain from recording the pleasure it affords when travelling in South Africa to be freed from the egotistic free trader who prides himself upon the soundness of his philosophy in buying German hosiery because it is "cheap," even if by so doing he throws British labour and capital idle. In England the free trader will, perhaps, buy English-made goods, other things being equal. In South Africa—and this is one of the rare instances where we can speak of South Africa as a whole—our cousins go one better, and say that the foreigner shall not be equal with the Homeland, and by giving a reduction of 25 per cent, on the duties in favour of English manufacturers they show in practical form how anxious they are to support I tome industries ; for England is always Home, even to the Colonial-born who has never crossed the waters.
After this digression let me proceed to localise. The first main division must be into—
(a) Motors for town use.
(b) Motors for country use.
(a) Motors for town use.—So far as some South African towns are concerned conditions do not differ materially from what we have at Home. In Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, and Durban there are made roads within the towns themselves, although the standard thereof is not particularly high, and manufacturers must provide a greater margin of safety in their vehicles than would be considered necessary at Home. For Light Delivery it is quite certain that a special vehicle must be designed, as the ordinary pleasure chassis fitted with special body to look like a commercial article is foredoomed to failure.
For Heavy Traction various experiments have been tried, but I have not yet heard of any conspicuous success being attained. The mule is our great competitor, and although he is exceedingly stupid and cannot " reverse " with his load, he. is well understood by the Kaffir and the Cape boy, Less than 360 members of the Automobile Club took the trouble to send in the ballot forms and to record their votes for the elections to the Club Committee. This represents an active interest on the part of about one-eighth of the members only.
Considerable interest has been aroused by the Parliamentary opposition which is threatened to the many services of motor omnibuses proposed to lie established by the NorthEastern Railway, the Midland Railway Co. and the Great Western Railway. At the request of the Municipal Tramways Conference, Mr. Whitley, M.P., has given notice of till following, when the various Railway Companies' Bills whose wages must be reckoned as against the costly skilled white labour in determining the success of the Commercial Motor, whether for Light or Heavy Traction.
(b) Motors for country use.—It is almost impossible to work out a standard specification for either the Light or Heavy Motor for country use in South Africa, in view of the widely differing conditions prevailing in the different parts of this great country.
Some general principles can, of course, be laid down, such as the necessity for clearance above ground, stronger springs all round, wider gauge, etc., etc. ; but local conditions must be actually studied before any certainty of success can be assured. For instance, in many districts the crossing of rivers need not be considered. In others it is the main thing to be reckoned with, for it must be remembered that bridges in South Africa are the exception and not the rule.
On some roads at certain times the grass is often oft. high, and as diversions from the ordinary track (facetiously described as" road ") are often necessary to avoid serious consequences, it is a fact to be reckoned with in studying local conditions.
It is obviously quite impossible in an article of this description to do much more than to give a few impressions as is indicated by my heading. There are, however, some general conclusions which may be stated as the result of my South African experiences. Of these the most important are
,. The necessity for Manufacturers to insist upon a full specification of focal conditions which their product is expected to comply with. 2. The advantage which would follow an attempt to deal with South Africa on other than present business terms.
I am afraid the attitude hitherto taken up by Manufacturers has been responsible in a great measure for the nonsuccess of the Commercial Motor. The ordinary and accepted conditions of the trade, viz., one-third deposit with order and balance against delivery, are difficult enough in England where the Manufacturer or Agent can be approached immediately by letter or wire with regard to any delays or difficulties with which an average purchaser is surrounded in taking his plunge into the more or less treacherous whirlpool of Automobilism; but when we consider the position of the purchaser separated from his soum. of supply by over six thousand miles of water and six weeks of time for" return of post," it must be recognised how difficult the situation becomes. The Colonial buyer, too, often has found out that, with his money in Europe and his motor "hors de combat," he has been very much " left "; for in many cases, sad to relate, the supplier's interest begins and ends with receipt of cash.
Finally, I would point out that there is no country in greater actual need of the Commercial Motor than our South African possession, but to make for success our Manufacturers must study it as a market apart from all others. There must be no " dumping " of obsolete or unsuitable stock, as has been too frequently the case in other lines of industry. Business done on the strength of Colonial loyalty only is doomed to failure and mutual loss. Business done on sound commercial lines, with Colonial loyalty as an additional asset, will serve to strengthen the bond of Empire and to increase our National and Imperial prosperity.
(containing clauses empowering the working of motor omnibuses as feeders to their lines) come up for second reading before the House of Commons : "That it be an instruction to the Committee to whom the bill is referred that they omit Clause 38 of the bill, or that they limit the provisions of that clause to omnibuses, coaches, cars, and other road vehicles conveying persons, luggage, parcels, and goods to and from the company's railway stations, and that they make applicable to any such vehicles used for the conveyance of persons the provisions of the Town Police Clauses Act, 1889, and that the local authority be empowered to prescribe, subject to appeal, the route along which such vehicles shall run."