WHEELS of INDUSTRY
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The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it rans."—John Beattie Crozier.
T.S.M.—Karrier Merger Dropped.
It is stated that the directors of Karrier Motors, Ltd., Huddersfield, have withdiawn from the negotiations which have been proceeding with the directors of T.S. Motors, Ltd., Maid-stone, for the amalgamation of the businesses of the two companies.
MICA. Extremely Active.
A council meeting of the Road Haulage Association, Ltd., was arranged for yesterday to consider the statement to the Minister of Transport in regard to the report of the Rail and Road Conference. This will probably be ready early next week. Meetings are being held to-day at Newcastle and Plymouth.
The meeting organized by the acting local secretary for the Lincoln area, Mr. Jesse Hind, St. Benedict Square, Lincoln, and held on September Vrth, was most successful. Mr. W. Donaldson Wright, of the RICA. council, explained the position in which the industry finds itself, and expressed con fidence as to the future. It was decided to form a committee for the county. This will comprise Messrs. Barlow (Lincoln), Peatfield (Uleeby), Forman (Branton), Dodson (Spaldjug), Bell (Horncastle), Carey (Scunthorpe), Todd (Grimsby), Bates (Pointon), Thompson (Boston), and Fox (Lincoln). The Derby meeting on September 12th was well attended:
I.M.T. Examination Date.
The West Lancashire and Cheshire division of the Institute of the Motor Trade announces that the next examinations will be held on October 7th. At the previous examinations, this division had the largest number of local candidates, and the largest number of successes. Entries close on September 21st and full information can be obtained from the secretary, Mr. S. W. Phillpott, F.I.M.T., 1, Oakdale Road, Mossley Hill, Liverpool. The institute's annual dinner will be held on November 7th.
Police Activity in South Wales.
Police in all South Wales centres are active in the prosecution of speedlimit offenders. Magistrates there are making strong comments on the moral responsibility of vehicle owners who do not provide speedometers on vehicles.
This Week's Institute of Metals Meeting.
At the joint autumn meeting of the Iron and -Steel Institute and the Institute of Metals, which has been held in Louden this week, a number of papers was read by members of the staff of the National Physical Laboratory, at Teddington, Middlesex.
A paper on the improvement of aluminium alloys was read by Messrs. J. D. Grogan and T. H. Scofield, and Mr. H. A. Sloman was the author of a paper on beryllium ; this metal resembles steel in colour and is lighter than aluminium, but possesses a much
higher melting point. Dr. Hankins n24 and Dr. Becker gave the results of some further work relating to ummichined heat-treated forgings. The results suggest that, in the ease of axles and steering arms, which are made of unmachined alloy-steel forg,ings, the strength could he nearly doubled by removing the surface layer.
Standing joint Committee's Big Meeting.
An important meeting of the Standing Joint Committee of Mechanical Road Transport, including the CommercialMotor Users' Association and 22 other bodies, was arranged to be held on September 14th to discuss the Rail and Road Conference Report and the committee's policy in regard to it. At the time of goihg to press we ate unable to give a repozt of the proceedings, which, however, are likely to have an important bearing on events of the next few days, especially as regards the action to be taken by other associations.
Power Harvesting in Scotland.
A power harvester-thresher combine, probably the first to be seen in Scotland, is now working on the estates of Lord Traprain at Cairdinnes, near Haddington. Large numbers of East Lothian farmers have already inspected the machine, a Clayton and Shuttieworth drawn by a Caterpillar Fifteen tractor.
Petrol Up 3d.: Another Favour for Oil Engines.
National petrol companies announced a rise of 3d. per gallon in prices of all grades of petrol, benzole and benzole mixture, as from September 14th. The increase is considerable and may favourably affect oil-engine manufacturers.
Meeting of Oldham Motor Users.
Addressing a meeting at Oldham of member of the .Amalgamated Horse and Motor Owners Association and Commercial Motor Users Association (joint organization). Mr. R, W. Boyle, chairman of the North-western Division of the Commercial Motor Users Association, said thz.‘, road-transport taxation worked out at almost 1(.1. per ton per mile. There were, he asserted, considerably more employees engaged in road transport than on the whole of the railways, tha figures being 975,000 in road transport, and 7'27,000 on the railways, including coal miners.
Still Lower Railway Returns.
The Ministry of Transport statistics show that, in the month of June, the total number of passenger journeys (excluding season-ticket holders) on all standard-gauge railways in Great Britain was 96,339,595, a decrease compared with June, 1931, of 2,547,662, or 2.6 pe2 cent. The journeys at reduced fares increased by 610,565, whilst those at ordinary fares decreased by 3,158,227. Receipts from passengers showed a decrease of 5.7 per cent.
The total tonnage of freight conveyed in the four weeks ended June 18th was 18,877,224, a decrease of 700,575 tons, or 2.6 per cent., against the 1931 period.
Hop Season Opens in the West.
Hop-picking having commenced in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, many thousands of pickers have been transported by road from Birmingham and the Black Country during the past week. The business should be more Profitable this year.
Baico Conversion Made Under Licence.
We are asked by Baico Patents, Ltd., Chiswick, London, W.4, to state that the new Baico articulated semi-trailer, as described in our issue of September 9th, is manufactured under licence of the Harrow Industrial Co., Ltd.
New Transport Plans for Blackpool Corporation.
The minutes of Blackpool General Purposes Committee, containing a recommendation that the transport and electricity departments be separated, and that a new transport manager be advertised for, have, after some discussion, been approved by the town council. The recommendation provides for Mr. Furness, the present electrical and transport manager, to be borough eketrical engineer.
The prevailing opinion appears to be that the added efficiency resulting from separation of the two posts will more than outweigh the inevitable extra cost.
Personal Pars.
When Sir John Maxwell, the chairman of the Northern Traffic Commissioners, sat in Carlisle recently, he was accompanied by Dr. Cibbs, President of the No. 7 Transport Board of New Zealand, who is at present paying a visit to this country.
A union of two influential families of motor-parts , manufacturers was established when Miss M. E. Thompson, only daughter of Mr. James Thompson, a governing director of John Thompson Motor Pressings, Ltd., chassis and frame maker, of Wolverhampton, was married a few days ago to Mr. George R. Sankey, a director of Joseph Sankey and Sons, Ltd., motor and cycle-wheel manufacturer, and motor-pressings stamper, of Bilston and Wellington.
Singer's 6 per Cent. on Ordinary Shares.
At the 24th ordinary general meeting of Singer and Co., Ltd., held in Coventry a few days ago, the directors were stated to be confident that the company's financial position was strong .enough to warrant a reasonable distribution of unappropriated profits. Dividends of 5 per cent, on ordinary shares and 7 per cent, on preference shares were agreed to, these being taken from the carry-forward from last year. A sum of 1100,000 has. been transferred from reserve to profit-and-loss account, ensuring that the directors will be able to consider the payment of dividends for at least the next two years. Reserves amounting to £197,553 still remain. Mr. W. E. Bullock, managing director, says that Singer 1933 models have been well received by the trade.
Russian Oil for Japan.
A few days ago two Japanese representatives arrived in Moscow, and it is understood that their intention is to negotiate for the purchase of Russian petroleum products for Japan, there having been talk in the latter country of the establishment of a RussoJapanese oil company for this purpose. At present Japan's oil supplies are furnished, in the main, by British, American and Dutch companies, Ford Wage Readjustments.
News is received from Detroit that important readjustments of wage schedules are -being made by the Ford Motor Co. These are likely to affect prectically all the employees.
The Rouge and Lincoln plants have been re-opened after a lapse of three weeks, and a few thousand workmen, all old employees, were taken on. It cannot be said when all branches will to in operation again.
Tilling's 71 per Cent. Interim Dividend.
It is announced that Thomas Tilling, Ltd., will pay an interim dividend of 71 per cent, on the ordinary shares. The fact must not be lost sight of, however, that the 527,350 shares issued on bonus terms in November last, partly to repay a bank loan, rank for distribution, calling for an additional 140,000.
Profits for 1931 showed an improvement of more than 152,000, the figure being 1324,865, and a final dividend of 10 per cent, brought the total dividend
for the year on ordinary capital up to 20 per cent. There was no cash bonus (against a 5-per=cent. bonus in 1930), but then distribution was on a larger amount of capital, because a share bonns of 50 per cent. had been allotted out of reserve to ordinary shareholders.
An interim dividend of 4 per cent. is being maintained on the 11,600,000 ordinary capital of Tilling and British Automobile Traction, Ltd., which, of course, is controlled by Thomas Tilling, Ltd., and the British Electrical Traction Co., Ltd. The final 1931 dividend was 6 per cent., making the total 10 per Cent., as in past years.
The Late Mr. S. C. S. Hickson.
With the passing of Mr. Samuel C. S. Hickson last week the motor industry has lost an outstanding personality, Mr. Eicksou had had a long association with the motor and allied engineering industries. In conjunction with M. Derihon he did much to popularize the famous Firth Derihon steels and stampings. In later years he was a director of the Automotive Engineering Co., Ltd., London, .and took an active part in this concern's development, particularly in connection with the wellknown B.H.B. pistons. We extend our sympathies to Mr. Hickson's relatives. An Important Point Regarding Certificates of Insurance.
A memorandum has been issued by The London Assurance to its agents, giving special instructions in regard to motor-vehicle insurance. These have become necessary because, under Part II of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, and the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act (Northern Ireland), 1930, a policy is of no effect for the purposes of these Acts unless -and until the insurer has delivered to the insured a certificate of insurance.
The aim of the corporation is that the date upon which a certificate is delivered must be readily accessible to the police authorities, and the new system provides for the date to be shown on every certificate.
Accident Returns Lower.
The National "Safety First" Association announces that the returns which it has received from nearly all chief constables in Great Britain disclose that the reduction in the number of street accidents during the. second quarter of the year, which was shown in the recently issued official figures for London, has been general throughout the rest of the country.
During April, May and June of this year there• was a reduction of 91 per cent, in the number of persons killed on the roads, and 2 per cent. in the number injured, as compared with the corresponding figures for last year. During the first quarter of this year there was, however, a 20-per-cent. increase in the number of persons killed, as compared with the same period in 1.931, so that the total number of persons killed for the half-year is 4 per cent, more than in January-June, 1931.
Haulage Company Registered.
On September 5th, the company, T. and S. Element, Ltd., Salford Bridge, Gravelly Hill, Birmingham, was registered with a capital of £20,000, to carry on the business of haulage.
Diesel-engined Road Rollers.
The outstanding features of Aveling Diesel rollers are given in a catalogue recently produced by Aveling and Porter, Ltd„ of Rochester. The company's rollers of this class were introduced in 1923, and since that date over 700 machines have been supplied.
Bolivian Company to Construct £15,000,000 Pipe-line in Chile.
A decree will probably be signed in the near future by the president of Chile authorizing a Bolivian oil company to construct a pipe-line through Chilean territory. The pipe-line will run from Santa Cruz, in the north, and Jaciilba (Argentine), in the south, traversing 120 miles of Chilean territory, as far as Antofagasta or Iquique. The cost of construction is estimated at £15,000,000. The work will give employment to 10,000 Chileans.
The concessionnaires will undertake to transport by this new line all the petrol necessary to Chile, at a tariff rate to be fixed later by the Government, and will undertake to supply the Chilean petrol monopoly with petrol at 10 per cent. below the current market prices.
Useful Morris-Commercial Orders.
The War Department has just ordered 33 Morris-Commercial sixwheelers.
In a recent week Morris Commercial Cars, Ltd., received a number of orders from overseas, including one from Antwerp for 18 2-tonners, another from Denmark for eight 15-cwt. and one-tonners, and a third from Holland for 14 30-cwt. and 2-tonners, these being in addition to other orders received for the shipment of vehicles to Hong Kong, Cape Town, Sierra Leone, Malta, Ceylon, Bermuda, Blantyre and Melbourne.
Cheap Travel With a Gas Producer.
A rather interesting controlled road test of the Sabaticr gazogene has recently been made in France over a long and varied route, including mountains.
The vehicle employed was an old Chenard-Walcker 20 h.p. touring car and the trial started from Moulins, in the centre of France. The route taken was Moulins-Paris-Vichy-Avignon-Nice, Marseille-Lyon-Moulin, a total distance of 2,000 kiloms. (1,240 miles). An average speed of 50 k.p.h. (31 m.p.h.) was maintained and the consumption of charcoal fuel, checked by official observers of the Automobile Club du Centre, under the authority of the A.C.F., worked out . 75 kilos. (cost 13s. 21d.) per 1,000 kiloms,
Concours d'Elegance Results.
The results in the commercial-vehicle classes of the Eastbourne Concours d'Elegance, which was held under excellent weather conditions on September 7th, were as follow:— Class 33, delivery vans : First, Southern Publishing Co. (Ford van) ; second, G. E. Maynard, Ltd. (Bedford van).
Class 34, lorries: First, Trinidad Leaseholds, Ltd. (Leyland) ; second, Eastbourne Gas Co. (Vulcan).
Class 35, motor coaches (closed type) : First, Farnban Blue Coaches, Ltd. (Gifford).
nie awards were made for the smartest and best-kept vehicles.
The Motor Ball.
The sixth annual motor ball and carnival in aid of the Motor and Cycle Trades Benevolent Fund will be held at the Royal Opera Honse, Covent Garden, on Wednesday, October 19th, starting at 9.30 p.m. Tickets cost ±1 5s. (gentlemen) and ft (ladies), the prices having been reduced as compared with previous years.
Motor Lorries Wanted for Egypt.
Tenders are being invited by the Egyptian Ministry of the Interior (Municipalities and Local Commissions Section) for the supply of two motor lorries for the transport of gravel, sand and refuse by the municipalities of Bardis and Akhmin.
Steel bodies of the tipping type, having a capacity of 2-2i Metric tons, are required, and a speed of at least 19 m.p.h. is desirable.
Tenders will be received at the "Sec tion des Municipalities et Commissions
Locales, Ministere de l'Interieur," Kasr el Doubara, Cairo, up to October 6th, and a deposit Of 2 per eent, of the valne of the offer •is required. Local representation is essential, and the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, London, S.W.1, will assist manufacturers with tlike names of British merchant houses vatich may be able to represent them. A copy of the specification and conditions of tender is obtainable from the D.O.T.
Reducing Smoke Emission.
Stretford Urban District Council has been in communication with the National Smoke Abatement Society with reference to the emission of exhaust fumes by motor vehicles, to which subject the society is to give closer attention. • Mr. R. Stuart Filcher, general manager of Manchester's passenger services, has explained that smoke emission by the civic buses is being reduced, partly by using purer fuel.