Road-Board Consultants.
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We congratulate the Road Board upon its latest move, in which diplomacy, expediency and sound utility are neatly linked. The first advisory committee has upon it names of men who have graduated from post to post as surveyors and engineers, and these are such as to assure whole-hearted support from all who are connected with their school of thought and training. The position of Col. Crompton, it seems to us, will be greatly strengthened by this accession of men according to his own heart—progressive men who favour prompt action where action is justified. He, presumably, will become effective chairman of this committee, as befits the one member who is at once the Board's engineer and an impartial authority upon both motor and road subjects. All who are versed in the intricaries of public affairs, both departmental and local, will detect in this departure evidences of a well-conceived policy of consideration for all interests concerned. We state the constitution of the committee on page 177, and we believe that the conjoint labour of these gentlemen will Imsten the most-necessary education of many roadsurveyors who are still ignorant of proved contemporary achievements in eronomical yet up-to-date pl.:Lefler.
The War Office and Registered Owners of Wagons and Tractors.
A rei,ort of t he proceedings at the London meeting of those registered owners who are located in certain southern counties, and who were also " on manoeuvres " last Septtenle.r. will be found on page 173. The meeting. which was oonvened by TIIE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, lout for its object the initiation of steps to secure, better terms and treatment from the War Office, and the hands of the Olives concerned are now considerably strengthened for imminent dealings with the Treasury. The obduracy of the latter Department is a commonplace: it has been one of our favourite themes. Now, with the dispersal of the existing subsidized nucleus threatening as a more-thanlikely contingency in the event of continued niggardliness, wo believe the Treasury will adopt a reasonable attitude. This instance of our activity in the interests of owners must not, of course, be confused with our recent severe eritivisms (issue of the 22nd September and earlier issues) upon the unsatisfactory condition of the Army Council's provisions generally in respect. of mechanical transport. There, too, more particularly in a leading article, entitled " False Economy at the War Department," on the 18th March of last year, we showed how great was the handicap imposed by Treasury limitations. Those owners whose vehicles and tractors are of service to the Aldershot coinmind, and who were alone invited to attend by the Editor, will shortly receive, by direct post from this office, a fuller private-and-confidential report upon the proceedings.
First Out—for the New Year : "The Dominion and Overseas" Special.
" First Out "is a great point in daily journalism; in weekly journalism, the words have varying degrees of application. The " Dominion and Overseas Special "is not a Christmas issue; its publication is timed to allow it to be " First Out " for the New Year in the Colonies and Abroad. Five weeks from to-day, this great number is to be ready. It will be a separate and distinct publication from our ordinary weekly issue—distinct as to its sections,. its title pages, its binding and its cover. We invite readers to note this fact, in order that. there may be no disappointment, and we suggest their close attention to the business announcement on page 173. Arrangements have now been made, as may be gathered from those particulars, under which, subject to the receipt of instructions in advance, a sufficiency of extra copies will be printed to enable us to meet the requirements of home supporters who may wish to undertake mailing themselves in particular cases. The issue will be copiously illustrated, and it will form a valuable hook of reference. Fuller details are to be given in a brochure, and the Editor will be happy to furnish a copy of that descriptive booklet—in response to any bona-fide written application—in due en use.
Next Year's Show.
The commercial-vehicle show, at Olympia, which tine S.M.M.T. has announced to be opened at the end of next March, will be the third all-motor display in connection with the heavy side of the industry. It should be a great success, unless a policy of vacillation be encouraged by the Council of the Society; any admission of uncertainty or weakness at this juncture must do irreparable harm to the reputation of Oreat Britain as the leading country in the production of utility machines. That general sense of preeminence, which is a real asset when competition in the world's markets has to be met, is not, we think, seriously threatened. According to cur information, the show will be duly organized and held. The arguments for and against such a show were discussed from all sides in our pages, following the close of the show of 1908, and we have no reasons to change the views then expressed in the name of this journal—that the next one at Olympia might well take place in 1911. Even in the unlikely event of the abstention of several steam-wagon and other constructors, there are enough newcomers in the van and smaller-vehiclebranches to justify—if not peremptorily to call for—adherence to the scheme for which the Commercial Vehicle Committee of the Society itself asked but a few months ago. Why should the opportunity to disclose and register the progress of these later branches before the public eye be smothered ? It concerns numerous members of the Society who have not yet shown what may be termed their commercial-motor hands, and we regard their claims as deserving of the utmost consideration from the Council. It is wrong to conclude, because such was the case in 1908, that the show will receive only meagre support from existing and intending owners.