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WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.

"The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all diplcuities of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.

The Import Duty on Tyres.

Discussion in the committee stage of the House of Commons on the Finance Bill was devoted to the proposal to bring tyres within the 331 per cent. McKenna import duties. An amendment to exclude tyres for cycles and motorcycles was rejected and then the usual arguments relating to protection and free trade were advanced. Mr. Crawford remarked that if the tax were protective few industries in the country were less in need of protection than the tyre industry. Mr, Hilton approached the subject from the point of view of encouraging home employment in the engineering, cotton-spinning and rubber trades.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer declared that there was no protective intention behind the imposition of the duty, It was imposed for revenue purposes and it produced £700,000. This was to a large extent a luxury commodity. Incidentally, Protectionists might derive some satisfaction from the workings of the duty, because it had had the effect of bringing certain ,foreign firms inside the ambit of the duty and they had started wOrks in, this country, which would provide much employment. He ultderstood there had been no increase in prices of British tyres during the three months the duty had been imposed. Mr. Snowden, in the course of his speech against the duty, observed that Dunlop shares were standing at 34s. 6d., or five times the actual paid-up capital, and yet this was an industry which as getting protection from the Government. The clause was carried by 236 votes to 119.

New Bus Regulations at Preston.

On July. 11th Preston motorbus owners will be required to -conform with the new, regulations, governing stands, routes and stopping-places, framed by the Preston Watch Committee. For several weeks now there have been meetings of representatives of the motorbus companies with the watch committee, and, as a result, the town council, at its meeting on June 29th, was recommended to rescind the previous decisions of the committee, which were strenuously opposed by the local vehicle owners. The -new regulations propose that all buses—with the exception of those of the Ribble Motor Services, Ltd.—going south over Penwortham Bridge shall stand in Corporation Street, and that all other buses, except those of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., shall start from Starchhouse Square. The Ribble services are to run from the company's own• garage in Tithebarn Street. The avoidance of the congestion that occurs in the main streets of the town is aimed at.

Routeg from Preston to the various outside towns, Blackpool, Lytham St. Annes, Bolton, Blackburn, Liverpool, Garstang, etc., are defined, and the town's stopping-places, but it is made clear that vehicles, after leaving the last stopping place on the outward journey, may halt anywhere to pick up passengers. On the inward journey, buses may also stop anywhere prior to the first stopping-place in the town to set down passengers.

Collisions with Telegraph Poles.

A suggestion was made the other day that owing to the number of accidents due to collisions with telephone and telegraph poles alongside 'public highways the posts should be fixed on the inside rather than the outside of the fences. Colonel Ashley, although unable to give statistics of such accidents, said he knew that a number did Occur. In North Wales there were several cases in which the local authorities, with the concurrence of the owners of the land and the Post Office, had moved the posts from the pathway between the roadway and the fence and placed them inside the fence, thus minimizing the chance of accidents. Another suggestion was That the poles should be painted white. Colonel Ashley promised to considers this suggestion, but thought the difficulty was the presence of the posts rather than the question of their visibility, therefore, a new position would be better.

Cheap Sunday Bus Trips.

Two new once-a-week long-distance motorbus services have just been inaugurated from Preston by Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., to Windermere and Harrogatr respectively, and they provide travel at just over id. per passenger per mile. The plans which have been drawn 'up by the cotariany provide for the Windermere service to start from Blackburn at 9.5 a.m.; picking up passengers at Preston at 9.50 a.tn., the return fare's being Os. 6d. and 5s. 6d. respectively. The Harrogate service starts from Preston at 9 a.m. and passengers are. picked up at Blackburn at 9.50 amt., the fares being 6s. lid, from Preston and 5s. 9d. from Blackburn. Passengers are not due to rejoin the coaches at their respective destinations until 7.30 p.m. It will be seen that these tours, which are made in up-todata Leyland coaches, offer distinet17 good value. India's Imports.

A survey Of the import trade of India during the fiscal year to March 31st last shows that the total imports of motorbuses, motor vans and motor lorries were 6,843, valued at Rs. 120 lakhs, as against 4,840 vehicles, valued at Rs. 88 lakhs, in the previous year. The British share advanced by only three vehicles to 341, but their value advanced from Rs. 14 lakhs to Rs. 19 lakhs. The Canadian share of the trade advanced from 2,878 vehicles in 1925-1926 to 3,529 vehicles in 192t11927, whilst the American shipment increased from 2,01.4 to 2,322 vehicles respectively. The upward trend of India's imports of commercial motors is due to the rapidly increasing number of bus services being established in up-country districts and to the greater use now made of mechanical transport vehicles at the ports. Of the 6,343 vehicles imported during the year, 998 were complete machines and 5,345 chassis.

Coach Owners' Request.

Blackpool and District Motor Charsh-bancs Owners' Association has suggested an amendment of the by-laws governing the routes for motor vehicle through Lytham St. Armes, by opening Warton Street and Church Road. at Lytham and Woodlands Road at Ansdell to such traffic. The council decided on June 27th to include Warton Street in the authorized routes, but declined to open Woodlands Road or Church Road. The • alteration will be effected by applying to the Ministry of Health for an amended .by-law.

Postal and Passenger Services in Austria.

According to a recent report the Austrian pOstal authorities had, at the end of 1926, 200 motor vehicles at work in the country on the transport of both mails and passengers, there being altogether about 100 routes, covering a distance of roughly 2,150 miles. in operation. It is proposed to open up from 15 to 20 new routes during the present year in parts of Austria -which are poorly supplied with railway services.

The Agrirnotor in Canada.

From information received through the medium of a questionnaire sent to 385 tractor owners in the Prairie Provinces of Canada, of which number 115 replied, it is stated by the Canadian Department of Agriculture that the tractor is found profitable. Whilst this type of machine is profitable for field work alone, it shows best results when combined with belt work.

Coach Tours in Skye.

In no part of Great Britain has commercial motoring made more rapid progress than in the Hebrides, considering their limited area and sparseness of Population. In Skye, for example, not only is almost every fair-sized shopkeep:ng business provided with motor vans, but motor-hiring establishments are numerous and have, in several cases, attained to goodly proportions.

Foam is the capital of the island and, this summer, the visitor to this centre of beauty and romance has at hs disposal, every forenoon, a choice 0 seven or eight coach tourS, extending to from 50 to 100 miles in length and embracing scenery of exquisite loveliness and frequently of stupendous grandeur. Landscapes an-d seascapes

are of infinite variety, and, in some parts, the mountains which rise on every hand remind the stranger of the most rugged sections of mainland Scotland or even Norway and Switzerland. The coaches, as a rule, are large and comfortable, conforming in every respect with the best modern standards, and the roads are, throughout most of the island, very greatly improved and well calculated to bear heavy motor traffic.

Electric Portable Tools.

One of the most useful articles of equipment for the workshop is the electrically ,driven portable drilling machine, which can also be used in connection with a sensitive drilling stand. Polishing, huffing and grinding machines of this pattern are also highly efficient.

We refer to these because we have received from the Consolidated Pneumatic Tool Co., Egyptian House, 1t0, Piccadilly, London, W.1, a catalogue, No. 11, dealing with these tools.

R.I.A. Activities.

Great Britain was represented. by Mr. Rees Jeffreys, chairman of the Roads Improvement Association, at the meeting of the Permanent International Association of Road Congresses, which assembled at Fontainebleau, near Paris, a few days ago. One of the subjects discussed concerned the venue and date of the Sixth International Roads Congress. Mr. Rees

Jeffreys is proceeding to Germany to obtain an impression of the progress which has been made in the layout of streets in that country to meet modern traffic conditions. The Roads improvement Association has asked Mr. Jeffreys to ascertain whether German practice in the newly planned areas is applicable in any way to British-. requirements.

M.A.B. Matters.

The Metropolitan Asylums Board recommends acceptance of the following tenders for the supply of motor tyres for six months :—Messrs. S. T. Davies and Co. 1805; Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., 19e; and British Goodrich Rubber Co., Ltd., 165.

The Board has decided to provide a small motor omnihus for the Leavesden mental hospital.

Live Stock Transport by Road in America.

The motor lorry is undertaking a great share of the transportation of live stock in America. It is estimated that during 1926 nearly a million head of cattle, sheep, pigs and calves were carried by motor lorry into Omaha market alone, nearly three-quarters of a million into Indianapolis, and, similarly, arg-e numbers were transported into the

markets of Sioux City, St. Louis, Denver, St. Paul, Kansas City, Chicago and other centres. The growth in the use of the motor vehicle for this purpose has been rapid and enormous.

Stoke's Transport Problem.

At a meeting of the joint committee of the Stoke-on-Trent Corporation in connection with bus and tramway services, Mr. E. B. Sharpley, the town clerk, submitted a letter from the Ministry of Transport dealing with the question of passenger transport in the town, and stating that the Minister would be pleased to place the services of Sir Henry Mayhury at the disposal of the corporation if it was considered that

he could be of any assistance. The joint committee considered the matter at length and agreed -that the Ministry of Transport be requested to ask Sir Henry Maybury to visit the town with a view to meeting members of the committee and discussing the subject with them.

Ingenious.

When driving a saloon motorbus through an archway at Clitheroe to park the vehicle, a Manchester driver found the passage too low and the vehicle became wedged. He extricated the bus from a difficult position by deflating the balloon tyres, thus giving several inches clearance.

A Lancia Appointment.

Following the resignation of Mr. W. Buddell, as commercial sales manager of the Curtis Automobile Co., Ltd., which is the sole concessionnaire in this country for La.ncia passengek-carrying chassis, we understand that the position has been filled by the appointment of Mr. Harold C. Cock.

On Brewery Service.

We reproduce on this page a picture of a fleet of Karrier vehicles which is owned by Joshua Tetley and Son, Ltd., the well-known brewers of Leeds. The fleet shown in the illustration comprises six 6-tormers and one each of 4-ton, 3-ton and 30-cwt. capacity. Lorry bodies of the type usually employed by brewers are used, these having double hardwood floors, deep rim sides and galvanized stanchions and chains. The company purchased its first Karrier vehicle in May, 1920, and six mouths later purchased five lorries of a similar type. The company's 14th Karrier vehicle was delivered in March of this year.

The Petrol Pumps Bill.

Surrey County Council has considered a report from the solicitor with regard to the Roadside Petrol Pumps Bill, the object of which is to enable highways authorities, under certain conditions, to permit the erection of petrol-supply pumps on the edge of the highway. The council has asked the law and parliamentary committee to take whatever action is possible to prevent the Bill from passing into law.

A Thornycroft Six-wheeler Abroad-.

From news items 'which have appeared in our columns at "various times many of our readers will be aware that a number of subsidy-type six-wheeled vehicles of Thornycroft . manufacture have been at work for some time in the Sudan as well as in South Africa. Ilarly this year Mr. Roger Thornycroft took out a. machine of this type to Kenya, and we have received details of the demonstration which this vehicle undertook recently.

It left Nairobi for Kampala on March 31st last, returning to its starting point a fortnight later. The outward run was via Nakuru, Eldoret, Malikisi, Busia and Jinja, and the return journey via jinja, Tororo, Malikisa, Eldoret, Londiani, Mum Forest and Naknku. The average speed maintained throughout the whole trip was 15 m.p.h., and it is interesting to note that the mileage run per gallon of fuel used was very little less than that secured on good roads in this country, actually being 10 m.p.g.

A total mileage of 1,200 was accomplished without any mechanical or other trouble being experienced. High speeds were attained down the long, steep gradients in spite of bad surfaces. On the whole run only six pints of engine oil were consumed. We reproduce on this page a picture of the machine which actually put up this good performance.

Archaic Bridges.

It was stated at a meeting of the Preston and _District Chamber of Commerce a few days ago that railway companies are giving notice to roadtransport vehicle drivers of their intention to exercise their statutory rights regarding traffic passing over bridges scheduled to carry limited weights, There are, it was pointed out, hundreds of these archaic bridges throughout the country over which road-transport vehicles cannot cross without serious risk of accident. In order to bring these bridges up to the same state. of efficiency as the roads,. and fit them to carry modern traffic, it is most desirable that the Ministry of Transport and local authorities should take immediate steps to deal with the problem. The Chamber is in communicatien with the Association of :British Chambers of Commerce on the matter.

New Morris-Cornmercial Brochures.

Two interesting and comprehensive brochures have -just 'Reit , issued by Morris Commercial Cars, Ltd., Foundry Lane Works, Soho, Birmingham. One is entitled "The World's Greatest Truck Value," and the other "A Body for Every Trade and Purpose."

The first deals with the various chassis and what may be termed standard types of body, together with details of the hire-purchase systein.

The other, as its name implies, gives interesting and important details of some of the many types of body built for specific classes of work, and includes illustrations of refuse collectors, ambulances, farmers' wagons, shooting brakes, oil tankers on the six-wheeled chassis, and the Morris-Commercial fireengine.. Space is also given to descriptions and illustrations of buses and coaches.

A Hub-cap Odometer.

The Little Giant recorder is an odometer of the hub-cap variety, which is sold by iVlarkt and Co. (London), Ltd., 98-100, Clerkenwell Road, London, E.0.1. It is a simple device made for recording mileage accurately and is embodied in a neat and sturdy hub-cap, which replaces the existing fitting.

The figures an the Little Giant odometer can be read quite easily, and there is no likelihood of their being obliterated, because an improved type of packing box is used which effectively prevents grease leakage. The dial is stationary, so that the figures are always in the same position.

Different types of Instrument are available, so that whatever the make of vehicle the Little Giant odometer is obtainable for fitting to it. The company supplies a model for Fords at £3, another for the Morris at £3 10s., whilst heavier types are listed at £4 4s.

Recent Garner Deliveries.

We reproduce on this page two illustrations of recent deliveries which have been .made by Garner Motors, Ltd., of Tyseley,. Birmingham. One picture shows a„ platform lorry built for a company of iron and steel merchants of Birmingham. It is a 2/-tonner with a wheelbase of 12 ft., and is fitted with DeinlOp giant • pneumatics. The length of the body, including the tailboard, is 17 ft. 6 ins. and its width 6 ft. 4 ins. Lengths of material ,exceeding 18 ft. can be accommodated on the }Aster, which is built-in with the driver's cab, and support for the load is provided by a removable bearer at the rear, This vehicle is similar to another already in the service of the company.

In the other picture is shown a 2itonner for a milk 'contractor. In this . case the body is 11 ft. long and -7 ft. 1. in. wide, its sides being'] ft. 4 ins. deep. Stanchionsand cratch chains are provided. When the cratch is down the vehicle can accommodate 28 milk

churns. •

Liverpool Bus Extensions.

The tramways department of the Liverpool Corporation has decided to run a number of motorbuses from the Pier Thad to the outskirts of the city., It hr also probable that, some of the tram routes may be linked up with the new areas by means of supplementary motor services. The corporation has just accepted delivery of several Karrier sixwheeled chassis to carry saloon and double-deck bodies, which are being constructed at the tramway works.

Bus Results at Burton.

The annual report of the tramways and motors department of the Burtonupon-Trent Corporation for the year ended March 31st last shows that the total income from the buses amounted to £10,354, of which sum £10,238 represented' traffic receipts. The total working expenses amounted to £7,407,• so that the sum to be carried to the net revenue account was #2,947.

The corporation uses Guy bilks, and during the year with which we are dealing had nine vehicles in service for the whole year and five others in use for shorter periods.

So far as expenses are concerned, £954 was disbursed in connection with maintenance and repairs and £1,935 for the purchase of petrol, whilst traffic expenses accounted for 13,944 and general expenses for 064.

The number of passengers carried by the base's was 1,324,599, and the aver-' ago fare paid per passenger was 1.835d1: In connection with the running of the vehicles, 37,398 gallons of petrol were consumed, the mileage per gallon return being 6.14. The average total income per bus-mile was 10.81d., and the average working expenses per busmile 7.740.

On the debit side of the net revenue account loan charges 'amounted to £2,486, so that the surplus was /461. To this sum has to be added £1,519, the balance brought forward "from the previous year, thus giving a total. -Of £1,980. During the year the purchase of three hoses entailed an outlay of £3,455, and other expenses increased this sum to £4,353. It will thus be seen that at March 31st last the deficiency amounted to £2,373.

Motors in Mexico.

A return .lately. to hand shows that 184 nesv commercial motor vehicles were registered in the city of Mexico during the three months ended March last. With the single exception of a French (Berliet) vehicle, the machines were all of .American manufacture. Ten makes shared the trade, Fords, however, being responsible for 130 machines of the total. Piymax for Coachbuilding.

We have had occasion in the past to refer to the material known as Plymax, which is extensively used for the panelling of commercial bodies of _all types, and the properties of this material and the uses to which it can be put are clearly set out in an interesting little booklet which Venesta, Ltd., 1, Great Tower Street, London, E.C.3, has just issued.

As many of our readers will be aware, Plymax is a Venesta plywood faced with various types of metal, those mostly in use in the coachbuilding industry being steel and aluminium. The booklet is divided into four sections, one of which contains interesting technical data.Some idea of the extensive use now being made of Plyinax can be gathered from the fact that over 600 coachbuilders are now using it regularly. A copy of the booklet can be obtained from the company at the address we have given.

Traffic Prohibition in Surrey.

Surrey County Council reports that in September, 1922, the Ministry of Transport made an Order for a period of five years from October let, 1922, prohibiting, except on days on which public race meetings are being held on Epsom Downs, the use by all mechanically propelled vehicles of that portion of Chalk Lane that lies between its northern end of Woodcote End and its

junction with Ashley Road on Epsom Downs, with the exception of vehicles being used for the conveyance of passengers or goods to or from any house on the road. The above Order expires in September next, and the EPsom Urban District Council has asked that the county council will apply to the Ministry of Transport for an extension of the Order. The county .council has accordingly decided to make an application to the Ministry for an extension of the Order for a further period of live years.

A Forbidden Bridge.

Tile Ministry of Transport made an Order in June, 1924, forbidding the use of Hampton Court Bridge by heavy motor vehicles, owing to damage caused to the structure by vibration, and it has now renewed the Order for a further period of three years.

Spare-part Stockists.

Auto Wreckers, Ltd., advises us that, although it has been at its address at Victoria Wharf, Wandsworth Bridge, S.W.6, for less than four years, and has over half an acre of covered storage, it has found it necessary, on account of increasing business, to take over larger premises. It has, accordingly, purchased new premises at Summerstown Garage, 068-678, Garrett Lane, Tooting, London, S.W.17. As may be well known, the company carries large stocks of spare parts for different makes of vehicle.

Origin of Tyres.

• The . Standing Committee (General Merchandise) appointed by the Board of Trade to hold, an inquiry as to whether imported rubber tyre covers and tubes and solid and semi-solid tyres, amongst other commodities, should bear an indication of their origin, will meet to consider this question on July 11th and 12th, at 11.30 a.m. and 10.30 nisi. respectively. The inquiries will be held in Room 76, First Floor, New Public Offices, Great George Street, London, SAVA. Any communication on the subject should be addressed to the secretary, Mr. E. W. Reardon.

Agents for Industrial Tractors.

international Industrial Tractor Transport, Ltd., 73, Victoria Street, Bristol, informs us that it acts as the sales headquarters in the West of England (Somerset, Devonshire, Cornwall and Dersetshire) for the International Harvester Co., of Great Britain, Ltd. rt is in a position to give demonstrations with any of the range of International models.

Atkinson-Walker Rail Tractors.

The design and construction of the Atkinson-Walker rail tractor are referred to at length in a booklet which Atkinson Walker Wagons, Ltd., Frenchwood Works, Preston, has just issued. Attention is drawn to its outstanding features, and illustrations of the complete tractor and of certain of its components are reproduced.