Passing Comments
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Out of the Mouths
THE saying, "The child is the man," is unfor
tunately not only accurate but far from flattering to the adult. Two new children's games which have been seen lately in the vicinity of our offices seem to emphasize this. The first is played by a number of very young children mounted on tricycles. They pedal rapidly 'along the pavement until one of their number calls "Stop! ", whereupon each child makes every effort to achieve the maximum retardation possible, using the braking equipment, if any, aided by dragging feet. When all have stopped, they line up, and on another word of command, this time, "Go! " they hurtle off, the first to build up a commanding lead being the winner. The game is called "Traffic Lights," and certainly no resident of London will require an explanation of the name.
The second•game, so far nameless, is less amusing. It can be played by one child alone with great satisfaction. The player lurks round the corner from a " zebra " crossing. At a suitable moment, he runs forward to the crossing, jumps off the kerb and waits. The winner. is the one who Can bring the largest
A:40 number of vehicles to a halt. Additional kudos is won if one or more vehicles are unable to pull up in time.
Reprehensible though these games may be, they are, in fact, far less so than certain adult activities on which they are based.
Welding Aluminium
ONE of the major drawbacks to the gas process of welding aluminium is the need for removing all traces of the flux which must be.used to. prevent oxidation in the area of the weld In the Argonarc welding process, developed by the British Oxygen Co., Ltd., the weld area is fully protected by the inert gas argon.
Last week, the B.O.C. gave the first showing of a colour film in which the whole process of Argonarc welding was dealt with clearly and cleverly, The slow-motion pictures showed the complex phenomena of both a.c. and dc, current supplies in a manner otherwise impossible. The Argonarc process of electrically welding aluminium ranks as one of the greatest advances in the joining Of metals by heat:
Road Transport Statistics Wanted
EFFORTS are being made by a working party of experts, under .the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, to obtain reliable statistics on all forms of transport At the opening of its sixth session at Geneva in November, particular emphasis was laid on statistics applying to road transport. In this comparatively recent field for goods traffic, they have been altogether lacking in many countries and, even where available, have not been comparable.
At the previous session, the group asked the European Governments concerned to make every possible effort to carry out sample surveys in order to obtain reliable figures for goods traffic by road. Some, such as Switzerland, have already done so, and others are planning to make the surveys in the near future.
Dealer Co-operation Plan
A T the present time many of the service stations
in this country are throwing in their lot with one or other of the big oil companies. This may mean that, in due course, there will be but few service stations handling several brands of motor fuel.
Out of 26,000 stations in this country,' 20,000 are said to have joined the scheme.
The Esso Petroleum Co.; Ltd., has a training centre at Esso House, AbingdOn, where service-station personnel are given a course embracing the principles of good service and selling. The company is also prepared to grant loans in suitable cases, so that those dealers who wish to do so can modernize their stations without financial embarrassment:
The scheme is aimed at providing better service, improved amenities for the public, and to rationalize motor-fuel reta iling.
Steer Clear of Giants
w/HAT was described as a strange accident recently VT caused the death of a foreman motor mechanic in Melbourne_ While pumping the tyre of a lorry, a locking ring blew off and struck his head.
To us, such an accident is not strange. We have seen one or two of this nature, although, fortunately, without such serious results. It emphasizes, however, the need for great care, in fitting large tyres, and, even so, those in the vicinity should stand clear
. while inflation is in progress. '