The Wheels of Industry.
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The wheel of wealth will be slowed by all di fficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is
by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
If agricultural tractors are taxed, there will be a big protest in the House of Commons.
'Proposals and Purchases by Local Authorities.
The Gosport U.D.C. has de'cided, on a division, against the immediate purchase of a motor fire-engine at an estimated cost of 1880.
The Metropolitan Asylums Board is dividing its solid-tire contracts for the ensuing year between the Avon, St. Helen's, Shrewsbury-Challiner and Di—op makes.
The General Purposes Corn_ 'iliac° of the Willesden U.D. C. has decided not to proceed at the moment to give effect to a recommendation for the purchase of steani wagons.
The Bromley .R.D.C. has passed a resolution objecting to the reestablishment of Sunday motorbus services between Mottingham and Chislehurst, on the ground that these are " perpetual joy rides."
• The Erith U.D.C. has resolved not to proceed with its application to the L.G.B. for a Provisional Order sanctioning the running of motorbuses within its administrative area : the L.G'.0.0. in part at the initiative of the kinistry of Munitions, is to provide the necessary services, and at the same time to restrict other services which, in a measure, compete with the tramway system of the Erith U.D.C.
Recent Registrations.
Albert Wood (St. Anne's Garage), Ltd. (23000), with its office at 5, Wood Street, St. Anne's-on-Sea, Lancs.
Copplestone, Unsworth and Co., Ltd. (16000), to take over an existing furniture-removal business, with its registered office at 149, Duke Street, Liverpool.
Rock, Thorpe and Co., Ltd. (120,000) with its office at 62, Grosvenor Street, Tunbridge Wells, to take over a business as carriage builders and motor engineers.
Gazette.
Following the distribution of shares in the Southdown Motor Services, Ltd., to the shareholders inter alict in the London and South Coast Haulage Co., Ltd., the latter company is to be formally wound up. Liquidation will, of course, be voluntary, and Mr. C. Larking, Bank Chambers, Maidstone, has been' appointed liquidator The A.S.C., M.T. Fund.
Supporters of this Fund, in common with those who benefit by the receipt of comforts from it, will no doubt peruse with interest the leading article on the first page of this issue.
Hurricane Lamps on Steam Lorries..
The practice of using swinging hurricane lamps on. steam lorries, which practice was recently chatlenged before the St. Helens (Lancs.) magistrates, has been condemned by that Bench. The use of such lights is not necessarily prohibited, but the lamp must, in these days of possible &ppelin raids, be so secured that it does not swing. Major B. W. Shilson will read a, paper entitled "From Engine to Axle" before the Institute of Automobile Engineers on Wednesday, 12th April, at the Surveyors' Institute, 12, Great George Street, S.W.
S., Smith and Sons, Ltd.
The directors of S. Smith and Sons (Motor Accessories), Ltd., have declared an interim dividend on the ordinary shares of the company, at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, for the half year ended the 31st January last.
G.M.C. Lorries.
The Anzac Motor Co.' Ltd., of 78-82, Brompton Road, S.W. inform us that owners of a.iNt.c. lorries which are fitted with the Marvel carburetter should have these carburetters adjusted, in order to yield the maximum mileage, on making written application to the Service Department.
' Commerear Staff Loss.
The manager of the Manchester branch of Commercial Cars, Ltd., Mr. 0. 0. Futvoye, who joined the .A.S.C., M.T., at the .beginning of March, has unfortunately fallen a victim to pneumonia, which he contracted at the Curragh Camp. Mr. Futvoye, who had acted as manager in Manchester for Commerear interests for nearly two years, was. extremely popular amongst local users and others with whom he came in contact. Messrs. S. Newton and Co.' 60, Haymarket, W., advise us that they have recently delivered a 30 cwt. Vulcan to The Columbia Graphophone Co., Earlsfield, and another to The Woodford Laundries, Ltd., South Woodford.
R.A.S.E.
The Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England has resolved not to allow entries of agricultural tractors and ploughs as "new implements" in connection with the forthcoming Manchester Show. This show, we may remind readers, will be held from the 27th June to the 1st July, inclusive..
Institute of Industry.
A meeting of the Institute of Industry was held at the Savoy Hotel, London, on the 30th ult., under the chairmanship of Mr. F. J. Nettlefold (Chairman of Courtaulds, Ltd.). The Court of Directors of the Institute include Sir William Beardmore, Bart, Mr. Arthur Du Oros, M.P., Mr. Godfrey C. Isaacs, and Mr. H. C. B. Underdown. The annual subscriptions for companies range from 10 guineas upwards, according to subscribed capital. Full information can be obtained from the secretary of the Institute, Exhibition Buildings, Aldwych Site, Strand, W.C.
Discharged Army Motor Drivers.
The C.M.U.A. Employment Bureau for discharged Army motor drivers, which has now been established several months, enjoys the co-operation of the War Office, the National Association for employment of ex-soldiers, and the Board of Trade Labour Exchanges. It has already been the means of placing not inconsiderable numbers of discharged drivers in direct contact with owners needing their services. Men who will shortly be free to take employment as drivers are invited to register their names with the Secretary of the C.M.U.A., Mr. F. G. Bristow, 83, Pall Mall, S.W.
Motorbus Profits.
A case concerning the nondelivery of a Leyland chassis, purchased second-hand through a firm of dealers, occupied the King's Bench Division, before Mr. Justice Darling and a special jury, on the 24th ult., when the Northern Counties Motor Services, Ltd., Stafford, sued Messrs. Atkinson and Pearce, London, to recover £275 which they had paid for a Leyland chassis not delivered, and damages for non-delivery.
It was stated for the plaintiffs that, following the purchase of the chassis, in August, 1014, a dispute arose as to the execution of certain repairs, and it transpired later. that the defendants had sold and delivered the chassis to somebody else. The managing director of the C36 plaintiff company stated that the gross average weekly takings were £30 per motorbus, and the running expenditure £13. After providing for depreciation, etc., he estimated that they lost £15 a week through the non-delivery of the chassis. The claim was £180 in. this connection-12 weeks at £15 a week.
The jury returned a verdict in favour of the plaintiffs, for the £275, and for £50 extra damages.
We are interested to learn that Messrs. J. Blake and. Co.,' of 22, Rodney Street, Liverpool have established a well-equipped school of motoring. We are satisfied to recommend this school to the attention of any readers in the North of England who may desire to take a course themselves, or to arrange a course for their employees. The charges vary from £4 4s. (Ford-van course) to 212 12s. for a complete private course.
Taxicabs in Leeds.
Owners of taxicabs in Leeds are experiencing considerable difficulty in "making both ends meet." The existing rate is Is. a mile, and local owners have asked the Watch Committee to sanction an advance to Is. 6d. per mile. We quite agree that, with the high incidence of empty running on return journeys, such as must occur in even the largest provincial cities, it is extremely hard to work at a profit under war conditions on the shilling-a-mile basis.
An Interesting Defence.
Owners of commercial motors may be interested to know of a successful defence which was advanced recently, at Bolton, by the N elson Transport Co., of Valley Mills, Nelson, Lancs. These owners were charged with " permitting" an excess load of 1 ton 2 cwt. 2 qrs. en the rear axle of one of their vehicles. They advanced the plea, through counsel, that they had sent out a wagon with a registered weight of less than five tons, to bring in a load which they knew to be less than five tons, and they had not therefore unlawfully permitted their driver to put too much weight on the back axle.
We are -sorry to gather that summonses are still relatively more numerous at Bolton than in any other part of the country.
• The Budget.
We shall next week deal at length with the effects of any changes in motor taxation.
Palladium Orders.
We are advised that amongst recent orders booked by Palladium Autocars, Ltd., for its new model four-ton chaisis, are instructions from: Messrs. Stainton and Sons, Ltd., Furniture Removers, Weybridge ; Messrs. A. Barney, of Mortlake ; Messrs. R. H. Carlisle, of Manchester ; the Lancashire Motor and Engineering Co., Preston; and the Scottish Motor Trae. tion Co., of Edinburgh ; and a repeat from Messrs. Barrett and Sons, Haulage Contractors, of Luton.
Liverpool Volunteer Transport.
Mr. J. Graham Reece, of Messrs. J. Blake and Go, Liverpool, is second-in-charge of a new squadron of the National Motor Volunteers, which squadron is in course of formation as the Port of Liverpool Centre. The squadron is under:the leadership of Mr. Rex D. Cohen. Mr. Graham Reece tells us that 24 motor wagons, eight motorcars and 12 motorcycles are wanted to form the squadron, and he will be pleased to furnish particulars to anybody who applies to him concerning the organization, drills, turnouts, and route assemblies.
Tires and Tire-linings.
The latest price list for St. Helen's solid-band tires, issued by the St: Helen's Cable and Rubber Co., Ltd., of Warrington, has reached us. The company now has branches in London, Newcastle-onTyne, Birmingham, Bristol and Glasgow, with agents and representatives in all the principal centres. We are asked to announce that, owing to the considerable advance in cost of raw material and labour, the directors of Rubberine, Ltd., have been reluctantly compelled to increase their prices as from the 31st ult.
G.M.C. Trucks.
The Anzac Motor Co., Ltd., of 78-82, Brompton Road, London, S.W., notifies a recent adjustment of itsselling lists and prices. The company's three-ton chassis is now offered at 2675.
New Agency in Newcastle.
Messrs. Leach, Poland, Sons and Co., of 2-8, Pilgrim Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, advise us that they have been appointed sole agents in Northumberland and Durham for both Clayton and Shuttieworth's steam wagons and Hallford petrol vehicles. Very convenient and desirable premises wild be available in Newcastle, in the heart of the city.
New French Army Regulation as to Drivers.
A serious blow has been struck at French motor schools, and not a few would-be motor-lorry drivers have been disappointed, by a rie,,v regulation issued by the French War Department. The new law states that only soldiers of the Territorial and Reserve Forces who held a Government driving licence before the outbreak of war are eligible for positions as lorry drivers in the Army. It has become a practice for men to take driving lessons while on leave, and when in possession of the Government certificate to make application for admission into the motor service. The great majority of these men knew nothing more than how to hold the steering wheel, and were positively dangerous when working cai the road in convoys. The schools, scores of which have sprung into existence during the past twelve months, will lose most of their customers', now that men realize that the mere holding of a driving licence, without real road experience, will not be sufficient to get them into the motor service. Nothing is changed as regards the military schools in which selected men are taught to drive.