Opinions from Others.
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Horse Users' Methods : a Tip from Horse Haulage. The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,380] Sir,—Generally, where motor haulage is adopted, reorganization of methods is necessary. Drastic changes are made, and, however good may have been some of the old arrangements, with the new type of vehicle all, good and bad, are swept away. Many new users of motor haulage do not realize the necessity for alteration. Journeys which were before confined to the railway can now be considered, and the possibility of a combination of a usual horse journey and railway journey can be profitably undertaken. There is one custom of the heavy horse-haulier that may be worthy of adoption. Whenever one sees horse lorries at work, one will notice the platform of the lorry sprinkled with straw. I do not think I have ever seen a steam-wagon or petrol-lorry driver protect the floor of the platform, or the goods carried, by this method. In wet weather, the straw keeps the damp from getting into the platform boarding, and breaks considerably the shock and jar conveyed to the load by the moving vehicle ; when loading, also, the straw forms a " fend-off" between the load and the platform. Count the number of horse lorries one may see adopting this method, and consider the reason of its adoption. It will certainly be found to protect and increase the life of the platform.—Yours faithfully, "Copy IF GOOD."
The Commercial Motor Users Association.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,381] Sir,—The Commercial Motor Users Association, now that it is associated to the Royal Automobile Club, deserves the support of all users of commercial motor vehicles. Comparing the number of the members of this Association with the daily increase in the number of new users of commercial motor vehicles, one is forced to conclude that the advantages provided by this association are stupidly ignored by those who might benefit. Daily, the increase on all sides of power for transport is going on, and I would like to see the Association permeating the Provinces in a similar way that, throughout London, it is at the present time supported. Has the committee considered the formation of local branches throughout the coun try, with headquarters in all the largest provincial towns ? Each old and new user of the commercial motor vehicle should have the advantages of the Association laid before him, and in the same way as he in sures his vehicle he should enrol himself as a member of the Association. There is no other: efforts to form them have been miserable failures.
By interesting the manufacturers of commercial motor vehicles, their services and interest might be obtained for promulgating the advantages of the Association to each and every client or inquirer to whom they send their catalogues. There is no doubt that the advantages of the Association are of the utmost benefit to users, the free legal defence being alone sufficient return for the amount of subscription to membership. Each provincial headquarters should have a local council, not necessarily active, but containing names of the most-important local users of commercial motor vehicles or their representatives. Until some such provincial organization as suggested above is introduced, the increase of membership will never be proportionate to the number of commercial motor owners. The scale of subscription should be varied according to the size of the commercial motor vehicle used.—Yours faithfully,
Birmingham. T. C. AVELINO.
Tramcar v. Motorbus in Western Australia.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,382] Sir,—The Perth City Council is contemplating running services of motor omnibuses in this town, and no doubt this information will be of service to some of your readers. The trams here are all singledeck pattern, and I think the most-suitable type of motorbus for this town would also be the singledecker--similar to those which were run by the Eastbourne Corporation. The length of line operated by the tramway people is 29 miles 12 chains ; in 1909, their traffic receipts were £74,587, the lowest faie being 3d. It is possible that the Council might be prepared to grant facilities to a company desirous of running motor services on its own account, and I see no n ason why it should not be remunerative to the shareholders. Perth is a growing place ; on all sidTs building operations are in progress, the population is increasing rapidly, and many thousands of people live in the different suburbs and come in daily to butiness by tram or train, there being no omnibus services at present. It would, I am afraid, not be possible to work with double-deck buses here, owing to the indifferent roads, and the hilly character of some of the routes, but single-deck cars ought to pay wed. If any firms care to write to me, I shall be very much pleased to give such further information as they may wish to have, and also to report as to low branch of the motor industry, or prospective openings for business in Western Australia.—Yours
STEPHEN SPOWORT. Care G.P.O., Perth, Western Australia.