The emoluments attached to the driving of a taxicab must,
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in spite of all that is said to the contrary, be considerable, because, during the last few days, I caught sight of an erstwhile familiar figure in motor circles hailed to one of the hotels, and Mr. Oliver Stanton— for it was he—picked up a dainty fare with his incomparable grace and distinction of manner.
On this page may be found an excellent and recently-taken photograph of Mr. A. P. Coppinger, who has been appointed north of England manager for the Peter Union Tyre Co., with convenient offices situated at 21, Albion Street, Gathorn, Manchester. Mr. Cop. pinger. is widely known and respected in the districts in which he has been placed, and T have pleasure in making his features familiar to those users with whom he is at present unacquainted.
Celebrations too often take a humdrum form : we mark a special event or an epoch of progress by the pleasant popping sound of one or more corks, followed by a clinking of glasses, and it is over, "gone avav " as Hans Breitma.nn says " avay to the Evigkeit." In a motor company I wot of the chairman of the board held as his beacon light an output of 30 vehicles per week, but it seemed to his fellow directors to be "beyond the dreams of avarice;" however, he persistently urged them on, and from time to time 30 commercial and pleasure vehicles would be despatched in the one week, but when that rate of output had been sustained for close on three months he proposed to mark it, not in any ephemeral way, but so that it would constantly be before the eyes of his fellow directors and the chief officials. Hearty approval followed this decision, and pleasant speculation was probably indulged in as to the particular form it would take ; a silver tea service for the board-room table would be a happy thought, but the idea that found most favour was that of a charm or medal to be worn on individual watch chains. The disillusionment caused much laughter : on the wall of the board room, at the back of the presiding officer's
chair, a framed tablet has been placed inscribed as below
Practically in the midst of the strike area at Manchester stands the motor fire-engine works of John Morris and Sons, Ltd. Not Manchester really, but Salford. Outside Cottonopolis, the two towns rank as Manchester, and, no doubt, one of these days, they will be combined to make one mighty city. .1 was there on Monday last, the day the men restarted work, and Salford was still alive with imported soldiery and police ; even the hotel had an unfamiliar aspect, for Army officers in khaki permeated the place, and Salford streets were ringing with the clatter of the Army horses. Mr. John Morris made me realize vividly how Manchester trade had been completely paralyzed by the strike ; in their own place, the looms on which they manufacture webbing had been idle, and would remain RO for some days, because they could not get the yarn delivered; coal was brought up to their works on Friday last under an escort of Scots Greys. It seems to be the opinion that the presence of the military element has helped forward the settlement of the strike. In the Morris workshops I saw a fire-engine and escape practically ready for delivery to the Brighouse Corporation and a fire-engine for Singapore.
A gentleman whom I have known for some years will shortly be free to take up a post as secretary or some other responsible position in a motor company. He leaves his present post with the entire respect and goodwill of his directors ; he is thoroughly well up in motor work, is young, and of undoubted ability. I shall take personal pleasure in putting him into communication with any company requiring a responsible man. Address, " The Extractor," at the office of this journal.
The hills of South Yorkshire and Derbyshire take some negotiating with a public-service vehicle. Iretam a vivid recollection of a ride, on the occasion of the R.A.C. trials, on the Milnes-Daimler bus which this paper chartered for the occasion, and I am not sure it was altogether pleasant to look down descents to right or left, I forget if I chronicled a further thrilling incident—not quite to be wondered at when one takes a high vehicle through some of the lanes ; one of our party sitting on the top in front espied a wire stretched across the road just about the height of our necks as we sat, and his hurried gasp of suggestion that we should " duck " our heads probably avoided a catastrophe. These reflections are brought to mind by the sight, last week-end, down in Derbyshire, of sonic very business-like Dennis chars-à-ba,ncs of the latest type, low-built, with torpedo bodies, which were running between Sheffield, Buxton and Matlock, and others between the suburbs of Manchester and Matlock. I was, of course, interested _enough to have some talk with the men in charge and heard a general chorus of praise. I do not know a more hilly or more difficult country for such vehicles.