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WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.

The wheel of wealth wild be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is bh • the roughness of the roads over which at runs."—John Beattie Crosser.

On Wednesday last a meeting of the National Council of the C.M.U.A.. was held at Bristol. Afterwards a public meeting of the Association was addressed by Sir Henry lka,vbury, K.C.M.Cr., Director-General RoadsDepartment, Ministry of Transport, after some introductory remarks by Mr. W. G. Verdon Smith, chairman of the West of Eng last Division of the and Mr. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith, C.B.E. -Sir Henry Alaybury, after acknowledging the whole-hearted co-operation which he had received from the C.M.U.A., and -esPecially from its president, drew attention to-some of the difficulties with .which his department had to -contend in holding the scales evenly between conflicting interests, which he tendeavoured always to do. Pointing out that aU forms of taxation were now very heavy, Sir Henry expressed the view that, the present motor taxation was not unduly so when it was remembered that, wheieas road maintenance cost £18,400,0G0 annually in pre-war clays, the figure was now upwards of £50,000,000. He asked Consideration of the fact of the ease of administration with which the new system had been introduced, largely due to the Wholehearted support and tolerance bf the C.M.U.A. He pointed out the heavy burden which 850,000 vehic'es plated on roads, and appealed for fair trial of new schemes which had only been in operation for less than one year: Road classification was proceeding, and 30,000 miles of roads had, already been classified.

Referring to the closing of roads, he said he wished to prevent it whenever passible, and every avenue would be explored before such a stop was taken. He would see that some -standard notice was erected in cases where -closing a road was unavoidable.

A dinner given by the West of England Division to the National Council was presided over, the same evening, by Mr. W. G. Verdon Smith. The toast of ." The Road Transport Industry" was proposed by Mr. Gerard Fox, president of the Bristol 'Chamber of 'Commerc-e, in the unavoidable, absence of the Lord Mayor. Mr. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith, C.B.E., in responding, referred to the great importance of road transpOrt to the aolintry. Independent road transport "made good" in the war, and would do so in the peace. He emphasized the importance of maintaining this independence in the • face of a situation in which Some road transport -concerns had the finger ofthe railways already on them.

Sir Henry Maybury responded to the toast of "The Ministry of Transport," and made a vigorous, defence of the Ministry and of its chief. .hir. HOWard Fish, Mr. Roger Ford and Mr. C. le M. Gosaelin also spoke.

A.E.C.,ChassiS Prices Down.

. The AsSociated Equipment Co., Ltd.,

• advise us that they have recently.. renamed their various types of chassis and effected a reduction in the prices for them. The following are the particulars for each type:—

30 h.p. model 3 chassis, previously known as the K type, is now being sold at £1,150, the _old, price having been £1,200; the 36 h.p. Model 4 chassis, previously known as the S type, is now priced at £1,150 as against £1,200; the 45 h.p. Model 5 chassis; fitted with the A.E.C. engine, is now offered at £900.

The company still have a stock of new and reconditioned Y type chassis fitted with Tyler engines, the new chassis being offered at £800 as against the old price of £1,300, and the reconditioned chassis for £450, which is a reduction of 2300.

Papers for Olympia.

In connection with the Commercial Motor Exhibition' at Olympia, congresses will take place on October 17th, 18th and 19th in the Conference Hall on the ground floor, to the leftof the main entrance in Addison Road, when the following papers, for which arranapments have been made by the Institute of Transport and the Institute of Automobile Engineers, will be read, and opportunities afforded for discussions on them.

The following are the final programmes for the congresses

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17m.

a.m.—" Highway Maintenance and Administration under Modern Traffic Conditions,," by tAlr. -A. E. Brookes, , 0.1B.E.; M.Inst. T., Engineer, Surveyor and Architect to the Durham County Council. Chairman—Mr. A. Dryland, Member. of Council, County Surveyor, Middlesex.

2.30 p.m.—" The. Evolution of the Motor Vehicle for Goods and Passenger Service," by Mr. Percy Frost Smith, M.Imst.T. Chairman—Sir Philip Nash, K.C.M.G. C.B., Member of Council, DirectorVeneral of Traffic and Mechanical Engineering, MiniStry of Transport.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER' l9xm

In view of the fact that the papers by Mr. E. H. Ariaott on "The Scope of the Motor Tractor Industry and Some Notes on Tractor Design," and the paper by Messrs. Scott Hall and Burford on "The Agrimotor-: Present -Failings and Future Prospects," are on such similar lines, it has been decided that they will both be read at the Morning session at Olympia on October 19th, beginning at -11 a.m.

TOURSDAY, OCTOBER 20T11.

' 11 a.m.—" Coke as a Fuel for Commercial Vehicles," by -Mr. Thos. Clarkson, M.I.C.E., M.I.M.E., M.I.A.E.

2.30 p.m.—" Loading Devices for Commercial Vehicles," by Mr. W. D. Williamson.

Mr. G. W. Watson, president of the Institution, will occupy the chair for each of the four papers.

A :New Electrical Manual.

The new -" Motor Electrical Manual " deals entirely with the various applications of the most interesting of the sciences, viz., electricity, to the modern motor vehicle. It endeavours to give a clear and concise explanation of the "why and wherefore,' aided by numerous illustrations, Of all the various electrical and electro-magnetic devices which are now used on a modern motorcar to increase its ease of management and comfort in driving. The book contains complete information on the care and maintenance of motor electrical appliances, and deals with the avoidance of trouble and the location and remedy of such faults as may occur in the ignition, lighting and starting equipment.

The book is written in simple language and entirely ifroin the point of View of meeting the non-technical

motorist's requirements. It does not assume previous technical-knowledge -of electricity andmagnetism. Road Postai Services.

Newcastle postal authorities areenot slow to recognize the facilities offered by the motor mail van as a means of accelerating the delivery of mails, and on Oct°. ber 1st they extended the existing service to Kirkwhelpington, a distance of some 25 miles from Neweastle, to include Otterburn, an isolated district some nine miles farther west. Railway facilities in that neighbourhood are by no means plentiful, and it is estimated that at least a delivery of one hour earlier will be effected. From Otterbum mails are isent to Rochester, and from that place they are distributed practically up to the Scottish Border. Two Ford mail vans are at present engaged, one collecting and delivering mails to the villages. en route to Hallington, -and the other on the extended Kirkwhe-epiugton route.

Very satisfactory accountsof the motor mail service are given, and we understand that, in the near future, it is intended further to increase the service by operating an additional van to Heaton a suburb of the Tyneside capital. The present method of conveyance is by tramcar, but it is hoped to speed up matters by the advent of the motor:. van.

Will Chester' Adopt Trackless Cars ?

"Will the Chester CorporationAecide upon the adoption of trackless cars?" This, is a local question upon which there is much speculation. The existing track is M a very bad,state of repair, and to snake it efficient will be a very costly undertaking. Some little time ago they consulted an expert adviser, who made an exhaustive study of the city's requirements, and his report, no 'doubt, will have considerable weight with the council, when it comes to determine the future of local passenger transit. The city streets are very narrow, and there is a strong body of opinion against the renewal of the worn-out track, not only because of the costliness, but because the trains hinder the movement of other road traffic. Chester is the. centre from which the successful Motor omnibus services of the Crosvitle Co. radiate, and at one time buses were mentioned as a way out of the present tramway difficulties. As the city is equipped with overhead electric cables, no doubt the claims of trackless vehicles to meet the city's needs will have engaged the Corporation's adviser.

Nottingham Motorbuses.

Although the arrangements for which the Nottingham Corporation has been responsible in regard to motorbuses cannot be said to have been marked by any great amount of enterprise, there is welcome evidence now forthcoming of wider desire to meet public 'needs. Hitherto an almost unvarying policy has been pursued of adherence.to rigid lines of tramway communication to the practical disregard of more flexible means of transport.

The desirability of alternative, plans was brought under consideration at a recent meeting of the County Council, when the advantage of the establishment • of a fleet of motorbuses was urged, in the interest of districts situated at a distance from tramway routes, and, the matter having been ' referred to the Tramways Committee for consideration, that body has now prepared a report em

bodying the qualified view that a plan shall be followed of serving with such buses areas within the city boundary as and when in the opinion of the committee such services become necessary or remunerative.

In pursuance of this policy it is recommended that a further experimental service shall be established forthwith for the Whitemoor and Bagnall Road district of the city, which includes an important industrial area, the running to., be commenced as soon as the necessary conveyances can be obtained. But for the present the committee has reported' against the. institution of similar bus services for districts outside the city, 'believing, having regard to existing economic conditions, that the time is not opportune..

Mersey Traffic Congestion.

To relieVe the congestion in vehicular traffic at the Liverpool Pier Head and at the other Mersey ferries two new goods ferry steamers have been built; and. at the launch of the second boat on Monday, October 3rd, the chairman of the Birkenhead Ferries Committee, Mr. R. F. Fletcher, said that the cross-river traffic would continue to grow with the development of mechanical transport, and, however splendid the ferry service might be, it could not fully keep pace with the growing demand of the commerce of the country. The time would come when the question of the congestion and the means of alleviating it should be explored by a joint committee, representative of. the Merseyside.

Brazil Buying from U.S.A.

The Brazilian Government recently placed an order with a Detroit firm for 505 ton trailers, while another firm has received an order for 47 lorries. These vehicles ado to be need for hauling cement 250 miles into the interior.

A York Inquiry.

. The Tramways Committee of the York City Council has asked a sub-committee to report as to the cost of running motorbuses and trackless trolley vehicles so that the whole subject can be considered before the City Council comes to a decision in regard to a proposed motor.

bus service to Clifton.

Personal Pars,

In June last Mr. Frank Shorlancl was approached by the directors of StrakerSquire, Ltd., of Angel Road Works, Edmonton, London, N., to join the board and to take over the whole of -their sales. Mr. Shorland has spent the intervening time at the works and offices, and has thoroughly satisfied himself as to the prospects of the company. On Wednesday of last week he notified the board of his intention to accept the invitation.

The Straker-Squire organization is now particularly active. The A type 3-5 ton lorry is an avowed success, and the sixcylinder touring car has long ago made its Mark. At an early date the directors are placing on the market a 2 ton commercial vehicle, and a new production on the touring car side is a fourcylinder vehicle, which will compete both with regard to power and price with any vehicle that is at present on the market.

Another instance of the go-ahead character of the concern is the fact that they are the first makers in this country to take up the manufacture of the 'trolley-bus chassis, with which particular branch of their work we deal elsewhere.

In our reference in last week's' issue to Mr. P. Ellison, M.I.M.E., the general manager and engineer of the motorbus department of the Eastbourne County Borough, exigencies of space prevented us from saying all that we could have said, as we would have liked to have mentioned the service which he rendered to the country in connection with the organization of the manufacture of munitions of war by the " Little Men " in the county of Sassex, and in connection with the road transport of the finished material.

The President of the. Institution of Automobile Engineers for the coming session is well known to at least two sections of our readers. He is as familiar to the commercial vehicle owner as the consulting engineer to the Commercial • Motor Users Association, in which capacity he has now served for over ten years, while latterly, the fanner and tractor owner have become acquainted with him in his capacity of technical adviser to" ther Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Ltd., for whom he acts in connection with the Society's annual trac tor trials. It will be recalled that this year's trials, just completed, were largely carried out by the aid of the drawbar dynamometer, which was Mr. Watson's own invention.

Mr. Watson served his apprenticeship with Sir James Kitson, of Leeds, then joining the late Leon Serpollet, and Subsequently • Sir John I. Thornycroft. Eventually he became chief designer of the motor vehicle section of Thornycrofts, and has now been in private practice: as a consulting automobile en.gineer for over ten years.

During the war he acted for a time as consulting engineer to the Mechanical Transport Department of the Ministry of 'Munitions, being, subsequently transferred to the Mechanical Warfare Department, where he had charge of the design and production of engines • and transmission gear for the Tanks: • In 1918 he was sent on a special mission to the U.S.A., as technical representative to the British War Mission, and was in the .States when the Armistice was signed. He is a Yorkshireman and has all the characteristics of the county of broad acres.

Alcohol from Straw.

In the course of a lecture, recently, given in Melbourne, on August 17th, , Dr. Hargreaves, Director of Chemistry in the South Australian Industrial Depertinent, said that Australia imported annually 25 million gallons of petrol and 15 million .gallons of kerosene, of which million gallons of petrol and two million gallons of kerosene came to South Australia. Most. of the oil was -used for fuel,

In the . study of vegetable materials from which South Australia might make

• alcohol, Dr. Hargreaves proceeded, he had come at last to straw. There was produced anamally, within et 100-mile radius. of Adelaide, upward of half a million tons of straw, practically all of which was allowed to go to waste. Incidentally, he said, Ian the paper wanted in Australia could be made in that State from straw if the people were enterprising enough. Eighty gallons of alcohol could be obtained from every ton of straw. A total of 40 million gallons of alcohol could be produced from the straw wasted, which would be fourteen times as much as all the petrol imported into

South Australia, Bed would be more than enough to supply the whole of Australia. Straw, Dr. Hargreaves added, was a valuable asset. He knew of no other proposition for producing motes spirit which was se promising.

Reduced Bus Fares.

The Cumberland Motor Services, Ltd., have displayed much enterprise in the inauguration of bus services, and their vehic.!es are very familiar in the West Cumberland area. Following the reduction in the price of petrol, the company decided on some important, changes, which came into operation on Octo ber 2nd.

In addition to the alterations in fares, some important , money-saving improve meats came into operation simul. teneously. Hitherto the tare from Carlisle to Wigton was is. 7d. ; it is DOW reduced to Is. Under the el(' an.angements no intermediate stages were scheduled, and passengers paid the fare for the full distance. Under the new •scheme this method of charging for fares has been modified, so that all between stages are split up into small ones, the fares being reduced to a minimum of 2d. and a maximum of 4d. This, it is anticipated, will encourage the people living in country districts between the stages previously scheduled to use the buses as a handy, convenient, and cheap

016 means of getting from place to place. The same improvements 'take effect throughout the-system from Carlisle to Whitehaven and Cockermouth.

The company have set themselves out to provide the populace of the districts which they serve with cheap travelling facilities, and their move will undoubtedly be reflected in the total nun).her of passengers carried.

Hauling Girders 104 ft. Long.

Those engaged in certain classes of road haulage, particularly those users employing steam tractors and traction engines, will readlly appreciate the difficult nature of the task of hauling girders 104 ft. long. The picture which we reproduce on this page shows a Foster tractor engaged in. hauling two roof principals of these dimensions, each rising to a maximum height of 11 ft. 6 ins, and weighing 3 tons. It will be seen that two two-wheeled wagons were used for supporting the load, the front one having a forecarriage. These wagons were bolted to the principals, the front one being connected up to the, hauling medium by means of a 25 ft. drawbar in order to clear the forepart of the structures.

Messrs. E. A. Foley, of Hereward Works, North Street and Meadow Gate, Bourne, Lincolnshire, who undertook the haulage of 16 structures of this description over a distance of 24 miles, tell us that the difficult task was carried out without a hitch of any sort. The Foster tractor stood up to the work in fine style and hauled the lengthy structures round several awkward corners with the utmost ease.

Holding Drivers Responsible.

A. sub-committee of the Layton District Council recommends, in connection with the collection and removal of house refuse by motor vehicles, that the drivers should be held responsible for the conduct and work of their crews, especially as the higher wages paid to the drivers warrants this authority.

The Proposed Traffic Authority.

The Metropolitan Municipal Tramways Council is urging on the Ministry of Transport the desirability of including representatives of the extra Metropolitan highways and tramways authorities in all conferences and bodies that may be set up as a preliminary to the introduction of legislation for the creation of a Traffic Control Authority for Greater London.

Electrics in the States.

According to a recent report from New York, there is no change in the condition of the electric vehicle, industry in the ' United States, and business during the past month continued generally dull, there being no immediate prospect of a revival of activity.

Leaders in the industry are devoting an increasing amount of attention to the der e'opment of commercial. vehi des, which, perhaps, indicates that the market for the latter presents the greatest field for expansion. Manufacturers of electrically operated passenger cars realize that the demand for their products will continue to be restricted until it is possible to compete with petrol-driven cars, which are much cheaper and far more convenient for long trips.

One of the most prominent electric vehicle engineers in the country recently stated that experiments are now being made with new types of electric taxicabs and buses are proving eminently satisfactory. He declined to go into details, but declared that the Vehicles, which 'are constructed on entirely original lines, are far superior to those now in use. According to statistics recently compiled there are more than 9,200 electric commercial vehicles in the United States, of which about 5,000, or approximately 52 per cent., are in the Metropolitan district.

Bus Route Levies.

The L.G.O. Co. proposes to extend a service front Wood Street to Highams Park, but, though it is now unnecessary to obtain the consent of the local authority, the General Purposes Committee of the Walthamstow Council suggests approaching the Ministry of Transport to secure a maintenance grant in respect of the route over which the extended service will run.

Muir-Hill Service.

The Muir-Hill Service Equipment Co., of .Lloyd's Bank Buildings, King Street, Hammersmith, advise us that they have been appointed sole distributors for Great Britain and Ireland for Dearborn and Hinckley-Myers service equipment, K.W. rubber-tread wheels for Fordson tractors, and Meehan steel tipping bodies and gears. The company are opening a new service depot at Trafford Park, and within the next few weeks will have a full stock of the nroducts which they are handling.

Peru's First Show.

Peru's centenary of independerice has been Celebrated by the holding of an initial motor show at Lima. The show proved a success, despite the industrial depression now prevailing. America was represented by Mack, Ford, and F.W.D. lorries, Troy trailers, and Wallis; Yuba, Cletrec, Ferdson, and Avery tractors. Italy had Fiat lorries andtractors on view. A German exhibit, a Hansa-Lloyd tractor, is stated to have appeared like a converted Tank, while& British Austin tractor created a good impression. The house of Ford now has 1,400 cars, 600 lorries, and 700 tractors operating in Peru, and it is estiraated that American vehicles outnumber the rest by 50 to 1. Nevertheless a sales campaign on the part of British manufacturersshould produce a good result.

Ingenious Steering.

The illustration on this page shows the ingenious, though rather risky, method by which an A.E.C. lorry (chassis No. Ye 12,958), having a badly damaged steering box was brought safely in tow from Bulford (Wilts) to the A.E.O. repair depot at North Road, Caledenian Road, London, N. 7.. As will be seen, the steering wheel and column were removed and the steering actuated by a cranked lever. The standard steering 'ball was fitted at the bottom of the lever and the side steering rod connected up. An existing hole in the frame that had been used for one of the bolts which positioned the steering box was used for the fulcrum pin. The journey—a' distance of approxif mately 80 miles—Was accomplished during the day-time, through considerable traffic, which necessitated very careful handling on the. part. of the driver.

The foregoing incident. substantiates, even in the most trying circumstances, the well-known proverb, " Whore there's a will there's a way."

Toll-bars Wanted at Steal ord.

Dealing with the great increase in road traffic and the, consequent cost, of maintenance) Mr. S. B. Dean told the Sloeford Rural Council at a recent meeting that he favoured a return to the old tollbar system, when those who used the roads had to pay for their upkeep. Owing to the war and the coal strike the increase in the number of motor vehicles had been enormous. It was possible the railways would endeavour to regain the traffie by reducing their charges and it must be remembered that they were large ratepayers. The charges upon motor vehicles must be adequate, and he wondered where the representatives of agriculture were to. allow the repeal of the toll-bar system, and to throw the expense of roads largely upon those who lived near them, and not. upon those who made the most use of them.

Lacre Municipal Orders.

The Lacre Motor Car Co., Ltd., have recently received a repeat order from the Glasgow Corporation for four L-type road-sweeping machines.

The. Glasgow Corporation had previously bought a considerable number of sweeping machines from this company, and it was one of the first authorities to recognize the advantages offered by the L-type, a contract for five of that type being placed when the vehicles were first introduced to the public, and delivered to the Corporation during 1920,

Of the orders for tipping wagons, on the municipal side the company have received recently an order from the Corporation of Stockport for three model 0 chassis fitted with Lacre gravity tipping gear, a,ed bodies for house-refuse collection. Three of this type of vehicle were delivered to the corporation early last year, and the repeat order has been placed entirely on the satisfactory results obtained from their use. and the _great economies effected thereby.

A Bridge that is Breaking Down.

Springfield Iron Bridge is to be reconstructed at a cost of £3,500. This castiron structure over the River Chelmer, near Chelmsford, carries the main road from London to Colchester and Ipswich, and is one of the most heavily trafficked roads out of London ; it. has caused

anxiety owing' to vibration under heavy loads. The Essex County Surveyor says that the ribs of the bridge are of castiron placed there 120 years ago, and having a. factor of safety of 4,' will stand a strain equal to 1.7 cwt per foot super, whereas modern requirements for steel bridges carrying such abnormal tfaffic is 5 cwt. per foot super and a total distributed load of 180 tons as against a calculated. distributed load of 43.5 tons as the bridge now stands.

Berliet in Britain.

The old-established motor firm, the Automobiles M. Berliet of Lyons, have now opened their. own showrooms and offices at, 40, Sackville Street, London, W.1, from whence they will control the general sales policy of the firm throughout the British Empire. Mr. Henneguy, who has been with the parent company in Lyons for many years, is at present attached to the London office with a particular view to keeping in close touch with Bernet agents, both home and over'seas. The Berliet Co. produces some of the finest vehicles made in France.

Highway Costs.

The county surveyor of the Worcestei County Council states in his annual report that the expenditure for the year was £245,183, approximately doub'es the amount incurred in the previous year. Motor omnibus and char-h-bancs traffic in the county increased considerably during the year, and from -en abstraction of the total mileage of main roads in the county which were tarrying motorbus traffic it has been found that this traffic was passing over some roads which have not been classified.

The surveyor repeated the necessity of making provision for widening the more important roads. to 60 ft. between the fences where developments were about to take place, so that the carriageway could be increased to the desired width when required without. incurring a very large expenditure in acquiring land which,had been built upon.

In connection with road work, 87,243 tons of material were purchased during the year, and the greater part of this was carried by County Council lorries,. which have effected a considerable reduction in the cost of the work as compared with contract, work.

MeXico Wants New Vehicles.

Distributed among Mexico's 15,000,000 population are only 20,000 motor vehicles. Many of these, too, are practically derelict, for in the past the country has been a dumping ground for many of America's second-hand vehicles. The vicissitudes of ownership, however, have created a demand for new lorries. Mexicans are quick to pick 'up the mechanical side of motoring, and make excellent. drivers. Two tyre plants have been established in Mexico, the tyres produced selling at 25 per cent. below American prices. This promises to be increased after November ls,t, when an import duty of 50 centavos per kilo. on rubber tyres for freight vehicles comes into force: It is to.lbe hoped that British makers will push their vehicles here.

Local' . Proceedings.

Chelmsford Watch. Committee has granted a licence for a motorcycle taxi-.

Bridlington borough. surveyor has been authorized to purchaSe a steam wagon and trailer.

Billinge Urban DiStrict Council is considering the-advisability of purchasing a motor wagon!'

Leeds Corporation 'has decided to inVac tenders for the supply of two motor wagons for the gas department.

Bolton Corporation Electricity Committee has decided to purchase an add'. tional motor vehicle for theidepartment.

Wallasey Corporation Gas Committee reports the purchase of a motor lorry, at a nest of £262 10s., from C. F. Rymer, Ltd.

No tenders were received by Ilford Urban District Council in response to invitations to supply a. motor ,mowing machine.

Manchester Corporation proposes to make a year's contract with Mr. 'Joseph Friesner, of Salford, for the hire at steam wagons and trailers.

Kendal Parks Committee has adjourned the question of the purchase of a motor lawn mower till February, when the annual estimates will be under review. Dewsbury Corporation has appointed Councillors Dyson, Wilcock and Young as a sub-committee to consider the best means of dealing with transport work.

Bournemouth Borough Engineer has reported on the first month's working of the three motor dust vans and declares that the; result shows a considerable Baiting over thee-Id method of collection.

Ilkeston Corporation has granted an application by the Clayton Transport and Motor Bus Co., Ltd., Nottingham, for a licence for an omnibus to ply between Ilkeston and .Nottingham, via Trowel'.

Application is being made by the Manchester "Corporation Tramways Committee to the district councils of Bucklow and Sale for licences to run motor omnibuses between Northenden and the tram terminus at Sale.

• Gloucestershire County Council has passed a resolution in favour of increased taxes on heavy vehicles on the ground that the present licence duties are by no means proportionate to the damage to roads by such vehicles.

CIS St. Helens Corporation proposes to establish a Motorbus service to Biliinge, and is negotiating with. the Urban Connell on the subject.

Manchester Corporation Baths Committee has accepted the tender of Messrs. J. Blake and Co., of Manchester, for the supply of a 1 ton Ford chassis.

South Shields Corporation has had tenders for the supply of new petrol motorbuses and referred them to the Tramways .Committee for consideration.

Ilford Urban Disrict Council has asked its Special Transport Committee to meet the Electricity Committee to go into the matter of the cost of charging the electric vehicles.

At a, meeting of the Wallasey Corporation Tramways Committee the manager reported as to a• service of motorbuses between Charing Cross, Birkenhead and Liscard Village, and that the Birkenhead Committee was willing to co-operate in such a service.

Discussionskare taking place between the Blond Urban Council, the Ministry of Transport, and the L.G:O.C. regarding the question of the proposed running of a service of express „buses between Ilford and the City. .

Lancaster Corporation has asked its Motorbus Committee to go carefully into the question of the present bus services with, a view to reoT:anizing them so as tocut out. any services which do not appear to be productive or are not likely to increase in value.

That it would be more economical and effective to use a petrol lorry for the collection of refuse is the opinion of the Islington Cleansing Committee, who, after having made arrangements for a number of firms to send lorries for the purpose of demonstration, has recommended the purchase of a 4 ton vehicle, fitted with steel body and hydraulic tipping gear, for £1,275 from Karrier Motors, Ltd.

Islington Cleansing Committee is of the opinion than the practice of hiring horses for the.department's work should be discontinued. In this connection it has considered a report from the Cleansing Department as to the work of electric vehicles, and on quotations for the supply of such vehicles from five firms. It recommends the purchase of four 21 ton Edison vehicles and batteries from ElseWears. Ltd., at £1,525 each. Ten Edison vehicles are now in service.

Colombia Waking Up.

Transport is Colbmbia's crying need, and in a country four times the size or the British Isles and traversed by three high ranges of mountains the problem is one difficult of solution to an impoverished world.

There are signs however, that-in the near future the Republic will commence to come into its own. Coal of high quality has been discovered, and in many parts of the country petroleum has been found. These discoveries possess particular significance, because of the .proximity of that .great ocean. highway, the Panama Canal.

• Road development is just now receiving considerable -attention in Colombia, and those, that are being built are de-signed to carry motor traffic. Barranquilla contemplates paving its streets, its suburbs ails being endowed with suitable roads, while a highway is being constructed to connect -the town with Cartagena. A motor road is projected between Sincelejo and Ayapel, while the,Department of Cauca is proceeding with the construction of new highways. A country with such a promising future should receive the serious attention of manufacturers seeking overseas business.

Dust Collection by PetrolElectric.

We illastrate'on this page a tipping. lorry whichTilling-Stevens Motors, Ltd., have -supplied to the Perth Corporation. This Vehicle is employed on house-tohouse dust collection work, and the fact that it is used for this purpose derhonstriites 'one of the great advantages of the petrol-electric over the gear-driven vehicle, that is, simplicity of control. To drive the vehicle, the only operations necessary are to depress the throttle pedal and attend to the steering. Thus, when it is required to move the vehicle onIy a few yards at a tithe, the driver need only to walk beside the vehicle, just nlacmg.his hand on the throttle pedal so obviating the necessity for climbing into his seat every time the vehicle. has to be moved.

The chassis is one of the company's 45-50 h.p. T54 type petrol-electrics, with a, fottr-cylinder engine, 5 ins, bore by 6 ins stroke. The body, built by the Eagle Engineering Co., Ltd., is a hand eperated end-tipper. It is protected with a. dust-proof cover equipped With this company's patent lightning fasteners, which are remarkably efficient.

Buses for Blackpool.

• Blackpool Corporation has appointed -a sob-committee, consisting of Messrs. Brooks, Lomb, Mitchell, Monk, and Taylor, to consider the proposed establishment of motorbus services in various parts of the borough.

Meanwhile the Watch Committee has been asked to take such action as it thinks proper in the application for licences to run motorbus services, pending the establishment of similar services contemplated by the Corporation.

Timken Axle Price Reduction,

A substantial reduction. in the price of Timken axles is announced by Automotive Products Co., .3, Berners Street., London, the sole representatives of the Timken Detroit Axle Co. in the British Isles. This new reduction makes the price of all models of Timken axles an attractive one. and should add to the popularity of Timken axles.