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The Commercial Motor Show and the Public Works Exhibition.

17th April 1923, Page 1
17th April 1923
Page 1
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Page 1, 17th April 1923 — The Commercial Motor Show and the Public Works Exhibition.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

NOW THAT the management committee of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has announced a change in the date of the Commercial Motor Show (originally proposed to be held from October 11th to 20th) to November 22nd to December 1st, and also the inclusion of Road Development as a feature of the Exhibition, a difficult situation has been brought about.

It will be remembered that, in 1915, the Municipal Agency, Ltd., who act in a variety of directions for the County Councils, the County Councils Association, and dilferent organizations of public officials, promoted, under the mgis of the County Councils Association, the Institution of Municipal and County Engineers and the Institution of Cleansing Superintendents of Public Works, Roads and Transport Congress and Exhibition. It was an undoubted success, being materially helped thereto by the factthat the Ministry of Health has given permission for the expenses of local officials attending the congress to be a charge upon the rates, the Ministry being actually represented on the organizing committee.

We draw attention to these facts because the result was that surveyors, engineers, superintendents, and other important officials representing local authorities from all over the country, were thus enabled to travel to and stop in London, and were brought into touch with exhibitors of plant, machinery, and materials in a manner which would not otherwise have been possible. The Congress and Exhibition were repeated iie-.1919 and 1921, and, being a biennial event, will be held,again next autumn, the date proposed being November 22nd to 29th, and the venue the Agricultural Hall.

It will thus be seen that the S.M.M. and T. has deliberately changed the date of the Commercial Motor Show, and has added road development to the purposes of the Show, so that there is a definite clash with the date and purpose of the Public Works Congress and Exhibition. It is not a wise move, because we quite anticipate that, when the date of the latter affair is announced, it will be found to be other than at the end of November.

The S.M.M. and T. has, we know, made an offer to the organizers of the Public Works Congress and Exhibition which would permit a combination of forces, but, unfortunately, the organizations of the local authorities and their Officials do not favour relations with any trade organization which seeks to control all exhibitions or demonstrations of mechanically propelled vehicles, and the prices of such vehicles, and which uses the profits of exhibitions for trade purposes. That is their attitude, and they are entitled to adopt it, and to favour, as they do, an organization which is entirely independent. It must not be forgotten that motor vehicles and their use play only a small part in the Public Works Congress and Exhibition, which are devoted to 'nat ters relating to public works of every description, appealing not only to road engineers, but to gas, sew age, water, and electrical engineers, and the com mittees and departments of the municipal bodies controlling their activities. As the Exhibition will eon gist of the plant, machinery, appliances and materials for all these important works, as well as for road construction, and as the right type of "gate " will be drawn to it, the loss, if motor and steam vehicles are prevented from being shown at it, will be that of the vehicle manufacture, and a recompense for

this loss will not be provided by exhibition at the S.M.M. and T. Show' because municipal officials could only attend that Show at their own expense.

The profits of the Public Works Congress and Exhibition are to be devoted to the provision of a fund for a chair of Highway Engineering at one of the Universities—a very desirable object, by the way. We think an opportunity is here presented for a strong man, who. approaohing the County Councils' Association and the other organizations of municipal officials, could show that benefit would accrue to both sides by some form of co-operation, the aims and objects of each being given due consideration. Other wise, We can foresee the S.M.M. and T, with an exhibition of vehicles unseen by the officials, and the Public Works Congress and Exhibition denuded of the vehicles of bond signers, but with a " gate" of great potential value to the motor induatry.

Beware of Bogus Partnerships !

THERE is a, certain fascination about road transport which appeals to many of those people who have a small amount of money to invest and who -wish to devote their time to a business which

in their opinion—sometimes prompted by specious advertisements—is at the same time a promotor of health and a source of large profits. It is only those actually engaged in the road transport industry who know that where profits are made they are only won by knowledge of the subject, business efficiency and a considerable amount of pertinacity. The newcomer:, unless he has gone into the matter very thoroughly and obtained the advice of men qualified to give it, stands a somewhat poor chance of any real success. In spite of this, one occasionally sees advertisements offering partnerships in haulage businesses and guaranteeing a comparatively large interest return on the capital invested, plus a commission on the businese done. Such advertisements should be treated with suspicion until a thorough investigation has been conducted. Many are probably quite genuine ente,rprises, but the road transport trade is no more free from the confidence trickster than are other kinds of business.

This is brought forcibly to mind by the recent appearance before the Westminster magistrates of a man who deseribed himself as a motor engineer and who pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and falsepretences, and was sentenced to imprisonment,

It appears that the prisoner advertised for a partner to invest money in a motor haulage business and indeeed several ex-service men each to give him fairly largo sums, on which they were to receive seven per cent. interest, £4 a week as drivers and 20 per cent. commission on the businessedone.

Commonsense should tell any reasonable individual that this is not a business proposition, but experience proves that the man with a little money usually shows little commonsense in its investment.

The important point is that, at the time this man• advertised, his sole fleet consisted of a broken-down lorry kept in a disused stable, and when arrested his only other possessions were six shillings and his clothing.. Apparently, he had previously had considerable success in trapping victims for he, at one time, possessed two motor lorries which were claimed by -former investors.


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