Loose Leaves.
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THE speed of motor coaches has, we all know, agitated the nervous observer and urged him to utter his protests .both in and out of season, but it would appear that at last the Home Secretary (who in his time has defended many a commercialvehicle owner) has been compelled to do more than listen to the complaints and has asked for police action. Certainly the police have suddenly become unduly active in many parts, and particularly against motor coaches. Well, the railways always were "daddy's dear boy" with the present Government.
THE discussion between Lt.-Col. J. C. Moore Brabazon and Mr. .J. H. Thomas, broadcast from London, was rather " stagey." Prior submission to the management of the B.B.C. must destroy spontaneity and the impression was given that somewhat 016 careful rehearsal has had to be undergone. We thought that Col. aloore-larabazon had the more logical case and was able to offer sounder arguments than his opponent, and we particularly liked his summarizing remark: "the railways have the right to travel fast and don't; the motor vehicle hasn't that right but does." It is very true .and the railways will find that they must speed up if they want to get back some of the lost traffic.
A_ ISIOST enjoyable day was given to us recently when the directors of John I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., included us in a company invited to Woolston, Southampton, to witness the launch of the Chilean torpedo boat destroyer " Hyatt "named after a former Chilean naval hero.. The Thornycrofts make perfect hosts, everything being so nicely and gracefully done in the simplest manner. More than 150 sat down to lunch and we should think that Chile-in-London was there in full force. The launch was faultless, for the "Hyatt' moved off quietly down the ways the moment the dog shores had been released. ONE of the guests at the launch was Mr. J. R.
Maidens, the transport manager for Schweppes, Ltd. We were glibly congratulating him upon the fact that the heat wave must have quadrupled the mineral water business, but he took the wind out of our quip by saying that the deliveries had been ten times above normal and, in fact, in the week nearly enough mineral waters and soft drinks had been distributed to float the "Hyatt." One interesting fact that Mr. Tom Thornycroft gave us was that the Basingstoke Works, which are devoted solely to commercial motor vehicles, have rn the past twelve months turned, for the first time, the million sterling in vehicles, quite apart from spare parts. We notice Thornycroft shares are rising.
THE fact that the two men have been committed for trial who were in charge of the timber tractor on the Oxford to Faringdon road on July 5th, when a taut hawser stretched across the road was the cause of the deaths of three people in a passing motorcar, prevents us from making certain remarks which the incident would appear to justify. Correspondence in the Press subsequent to the mishap goes to show that the occurrence is not an isolated matter.