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The Wheels of Industry.

17th August 1916
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Page 9, 17th August 1916 — The Wheels of Industry.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

" wheel of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is

by the roughness of Me roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Grauer. '

Proposals and Purchases by Local Authorities.

The Barrow-in-Furness Town Council is about to purchase a battery-equipped vehicle.

The Cleansing Department of the Aberdeen Town Council has lately received delivery of a Leyland Wagon.

A special committee of the Royal Borough of Richmond is inquiring into the purchase of motorsweepers.

The Chester-le-Street R.D.C. has bought two three-ton, rubber-tired, end-tipping Foden steam-wagons, at 2660 each.

The Bradford Town Council is seeking to borrow 22700 for the purchase of three battery-equipped wagons.

The motorbus department of the Sheffield Corporation has, as a result of representations to the Ministry of Munitions, had its full petrol-supply restored.

The West Sussex County Council has approved the running of _motorbuses into Chichester, from Baslemere, via Midhurst, on the application of the Aldershot and_ District Traction Co., Ltd.

Mr. H. J Voisey, Borough Engineer and Surveyor, Dartmonth, is desirous to receive particulars of municipal motors, and references to the towns where the respective makes are already in use.

The Cleansing Superintendent of the Portsmouth Corporation, Mr. H. Hopkinson, finds that the cost of collecting and carting house and barrack refuse is cheaper by 91sd. per cubic yard when motors are used in place of horses.

Practically all the authorities in the Rhyniney Valley have decided to renew motorbus licences to a common date, the 1st November next, in order that joint and simultaneous. action may be taken thereafter in respect of conditions.

The Cheshire County Council has ordered three Forlen five-ton steamwagons, at £610 each, two four-ton trailers at 21_05 each, and one three-ton trailer at 290. The same council has ordered a Tasker tractor, at 2580, two trailers at 284 each, and one at 2110.

The Dover Town Council is finding a satisfactory performance to be yielded by its five batteryequipped Edison vehicles, which fleet of " electrica " has so far been used for house-refuse collection. The vehicles are to be applied in other directions, and one is to be fitted with a machine-broom.

Wounded Soldiers or Sailors as • Drivers.

A. special committee, appointed earlier in the year by the Home Secretary, has now reported m regard to the conditions under which

driving licences may be granted in the Metropolitan area to returned soldiers or sailors who wish to earn their living as motor cab, motor omnibus or tramway drivers, despite their suffering from some partial physical disability by the loss of a limb or other similar cause. The complete report takes the form of a Parliamentary white paper. Numerous witnesses were examined by the Committee, representing the Navy and Army medical serVices, the police, vehicle-owners, drivers, and insurance companies, whilst exhaustive details of the physical effort required in the driving of . various tynes of vehicles were secured.

The Committee considers that motor-driving is one of the least suitable trades to teach men who are incapable of following their previous occupations. They summarize their recommendations, " with considerable regret," as follows :—

"Were we not fully satisfied that the interest and safety of the piibbe are at stake, we woald gladly refrain from reels/nil-lending that the door should be shut on this avenue of employment for men who have suffered in their country's cause and possess a moral claim on their countrymen. But, being entirely convinced; we have no option, and can only record our considered opinion that—having regard to the normal conditions of trAffic in the Metropolis—licences to drive motorcabs, motor omnibuses, or tramway cars should not be granted to men who have suffered the loss of an arm, hand, leg, foot, or eye. In the case of injury to one eye, provided the other eye is sound and the injured eye retains fair vision, we think that a licence might be granted, each case being, of course, decided on its merits. As regards other minor disabilities, such as loss of one or more fingers, or other damage-to the hands, limitation of movements of joints of the upper or lower extremities, or shortening of the lower extremities, and the res salts. ofinjuries to nerves of limbs, we recommend that the existing practice continue to be followed, and that each ease be dealt with on its merits at the discretion of the Commissioner of Police with, in doubtful cases, a power of reference to a special medical referee." The A.S.C., M.T., 'Fund.

We shall publish in our next issue particulars of the additional receipts, to the 12th inst., from supporters of our Campaign Comforts Fund for the officers and men of the-A.S.C., M.T. We shall also publish an up-to-date summary of an interesting total.

Deliveries to Allies.

We are informed that Laurence Norris and Co., of Imperial Buildings, 56, Kingsway, W.C.,-have recently despatched a large consignment of ball-bearings to the order of the Italian Government. The firm customarily carry a large stock, and are able to execute repairs to ball and thrust bealings of all kinds.

Gazette.

The Sparkhill Motor Haulage Co. has hitherto been conducted under a deed of partnership between Messrs. Percy Tovey, Edward Marsh, and Thuringian Cox, at 5, Oakwood Road, Spaxkhill, Birmingham. Thia partnership has been dissolved, by mutual consent, as from the 24th ult. Debts due and owing will be respectively received and paid by Messrs. Tovey and Marsh, who will continue the business under the old designation.

Magnetic Cranes for Motor Vehicles.

A difficulty which often arises, especially when deliveries of somewhat heavy goods have to be made in districts where labour is scarce— and where is that happy neighbourhood which does not so suffer ?—is that the packages are frequently too heavy for the driver to move unaided. In the case of metal goods, and when the propulsive mechanism of the chassis includes electricity, the lifting magnet holds out hope of relief. The Ingranic Electric Co., of 147, Queen Victoria Street, E.C., are specialists in the production of these lifting magnets ; they are made in vaxious capacities' and consume very little current.

General Omnibus Supply.

Mr. H. E. Burgess, the official receiver, made some interesting remarks, at the London Bankruptcy Court, on the occasion of a meeting of the shareholders of the General Omnibus Supply (Manufacturing Co.), Ltd., which meeting took place on the 11th inst. The company was one of a series promoted by, or on behalf of, Mr. H. J. Lawson. He was a passenger on the torpedoed " Sussex," and is still in hospital.

The official receiver reported adversely on the operations of the• company, and pointed out that its independent directors appeared to have resigned at an early stage of the proceedings. There was no business and no assets, but he intended to continue the liquidation, B36 which was a compulsory one. A searching. investigation would be made, and the attention of the Public Prosecutor drawn' to the proceedings if necessary.

Re-arrangement of Steam-motcr. bus Services.

The National Steam Car Co., Ltd., has made various alterations and re-arrangements of its motorbus routes, in order to give the, public the hest possible service under existing conditions. An effort is being made to supplement the L.G.O.C. services in particular direction, following the difficulties which have arisen for the L.G.O.C, by reason of the curtailment of its petrol supply, Mechanical Aids to Agriculture.

A happy combination was effected, on a recent date, in connection with a sale near Spalding in aid of a British Red Cross Society. A demonstration of the Bull, Emerson, Martin and Overtime tractors was given, by permission of Mr. Thomas Hardy, of Cloob House, Postland, the organization being in the I hands of Mr. P. C. Smith of Deeping Bank. A large gathering of local farmers and estate-Owners watched the operations.

Rumours of New Fuels.

The London taxi-men, are reported to be in possession of a new fuel. We are extremely sceptical about the claims that are made, chiefly in respect of the extent of supplies, even though the new fuel, which admittedly contains a considerable percentage of paraffin, may prove to-be obtainable in very large quantities. Up to the point that paraffin can be derived from existing stocks in the country, it will be of use to harassed users,; . when those stocks are depleted, the shipment difficulty will be as acute in respect of fresh imports of paraffin as it is in respect of fresh imports of petrol. When the position is eased by the going-intoservice of more tank-steamers, .paraffin as such. and not under fancy names, will undoubtedly be widely used, by reason of its lower cost, its temporary exemption from duty, ind the fact that it falls outside the purview of the Petrol Control Committee. We know of a user who wants to buy or rent a good depot -near King's Cross.

Engineering Standards Committee.

At a special meeting of the Main Committee (Sir John Wolfe Barry, K.C.B., chairman) held on 27th July. last, Mr. Charles le Maistre, M.Inst.E.E., who has been in charge of the work of of the Electrical Section since 1903, was appointed secretary to the committee in succession to the late Leslie S. Robertson, M.Inst.C.E., who was lost with Lord Kitchener in H.M.S. "Hampshire.".

Popular Motorbuses in the County of Berks. •

We understand that the Berks. County Council is adopting a reasonable attitude towards the motorbus. services -which it is still ,found Possible to maintain in the county. The attitude of the Read'. Mg Town Council, which council is a tramway-owning authority, is also friendly. • The• head constable of the borough is of opinion that additional _, licences should be .granted; when they are sought, on the groundthat the rnotorbuses "are in daily -use conveying pas-. sengersto and from this, borough, from country and other districts, who would not otherwise have reached Reading, and who are, in consequence, a very great source of revenue to tradesmen in .the town generally." The head constable of the borough proceeds : "The motorbuses do not interfere with the working of the trams, and in my opinion do no harm to the roadswithin the borough."

Underground Railway Men Discuss Tickets. .

At a concluding meetingof a series of Operating Efficiency Meetings of the Underground Railways and L.G.O.C. an interesting paper on tickets was read, Mr. H. E. Blain, the operating manager, presiding over a good attendance. It was illustrated by a large number of slides, and amongst several interesting matters which were touched upon, thefollowing facts are worthy of note :—That hardly any change in railway tickets has taken place during the last eight,years ; the yearly issue of tickets on the London Underground railways amounts to about 300,000,000, against 80,000,000 during the same time on the whole of the London and North-Western Railway.

,As concerning omnibuses, road tickets were originally introduced by the London Road Car Co. in 1891. Their introduction by the L.G.O.C. •led to a strike in June of that year which lasted 10 days. In conclusion, the author stated that the ticket system was one calling for close attention in the hope of effecting some improvement Clydesdale Chassis.

R. Martens and Co., Ltd., sole concessionaire for the Clydesdale commercial chassis, has opened premises at 15a, Wilton Street, Grosvenor Place, London, S.W. With Mr. Charles Clark as manager, and Mr. R. Nash-Taylor as salesman and demonstrator, it is evident that the motor department of this old-established company is going to be well directed.

L.G.O.C. Rifle Club.

On Monday, the '7th inst., the fifth miniature rifle range which has been erected by the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., for the use of its employees,' was opened at the Training School Milrnan's Street, Chelsea, S.W. Colonel C. F. Colvile, director, presided, and the opening ceremony was performed by Lieut.-General Sir E. A. Codrington, K. 0.V.O., C.B., who fired the first shots, and, in declaring the range opened, said that it was probably the finest miniature range he had seen, and would have gratified the heart of the leader of the.m-ovemerit, Lord Roberts. General Codrington commended the miniature rifle range scheme to the attention of all those desirous of becorniag good shots, the use of such ranges having been found exceedingly effective in the Army.

A vote of thanks to General Codrington was proposed by Mr. IL E. Blain, the operating manager, who said that, in addition to the five ranges now open on the company's premises, arrangements had been made at twoother ranges for the L.G.O. C. employees to have facilities, so that range practice could now be obtained in practically every part-of London. There were 1800 members of the rifle club. Journal of Institute of Metals.

Corrosion matters dominate the latest issue of the "Journal of the Institute of Metals." Perhaps this is as it should be, for, since the last volume appeared, the Government have made a grant equivalent to 21000 per annum to the Institute to carry on research work on this vitally important subject. The volume, which is fully. illustrated, contains, as a frontispiece, an excellent portrait of Sir George . Beilhy,F.R.S., the new president of the Institute. It is issued under the editorship of Mr. G. Shaw Scott, M.Sc., and is published by the Institute of Metals, Caxton House, Westminster, S.W., from whom, or through any booksellers, copies can be obtained, price 21s. net.


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