OUT AND HOME.
Page 26
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
By "The
Extractor."
A Change Over.
If I was asked to amount on the fingers of one hand for the most popular members of the motor trade, I should certainly include in that digital classification the name of Albert E. Newton, for 26 years with Vacuum Oil, and now on the board of directors of the British Motor Trading Corporation, Ltd. His place in his old company must be a difficult one for any man to fill, because Newton's qualifications are so varied. He has the priceless gift of organization, he has more, he possesses that magnetism which impels others to do things for him ; on the other hand, he never spares himself in his pereistence on behalf of his friends, Then be has a smile and a general breeziness that endears him to his associates. This is, 'after all, a rare gift. Others may, at times, feel cheerful enough at heart, but they can't exude it and radiate it in the Newton manner.
But, there, pure vacant cheerfulness is as nothing; too often it is tiring, but, when blended with real capacity and a keen business instinct, there is usually something doing. Newton is tremendously in earnest over everything he takes up, and his reputation for square dealing is already proving an invaluable asset in his new surroundings. The British Motor Trading Cdrporation, Ltd., has an ambitious programme, and the more the scheme is examined the more certain seems its ultimate chance of success. The directors are out to encourage mass production ; they are prepared to arrange to take over total or partial outputs, believing strongly in the principle that it is the business of the manufacturers to make, and of the selling organizations to sell. The Corporation are fortueate in possessing special ,facilities for dealing with the Colonies and South America. I understand commercial vehicles of all kinds, together with farm tractors, excesseries and specialities are being taken up. A firm endeavour will be made to represent, as the name and constitution implies, only British manuNctures.
Me. Albert Newton takes on the dirt'es of " Director of Supplies," it being his province to make purchases. Already he is greatly encouraged by personal visits from all parts of the country, and by requests from manufacturers to take up the sale of their commodities. So, with directors including Brig.-Gen. Conway Jenkins and Mr. J. Whitcomb. this will be a. live concern, and one to be reckoned with. • The subject of our sketch is very well known to us ; • he is, like his co-directors, on the young side ; his experience with Vacuum Oil has brought him in close touch with motoring in all its phases ; and fie is one of the active members of the new Motor Club committee, who are building up a fine new social circle, which will make itself a centre of a.utomo-' bislism, and will shed some lustre on it, too.
ThePrince's Choice.
The sporting proclivities. of Mr. H. G. Olden, a the Dreadnought Motor Policies at Lloyds, always fires my imagination. It is not long since he left off playing football, representing "Insurance" against "Banking!' Not long ago he had a Hispano-Suiza, which used to occasionally touch over 70. He is on the scratch mark at golf. I saw him quite recently in the final of a Motor Club Russian Pool handicap, when his opponent was only 16 from home, and Olden was over .200 behind, but the great little man , waltzed in, amid great excitement, and annexed the Cup. He is just, the same with other varieties of billiards. His last purchase in-the motorcar way is a fast Lancia., which he has just loaned for a period, at the suggestionof Mr. Stewart, of the Lancia Co., to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales.
Back Again.
An important recent appointment is that of Mr. Jackson Miller, Junr., who takes the post of commercial manager at Halley's Industrial Motors, Ltd., Glasgow. As a matter of fact, he comes back to Halley's after absence during the war, and brings new ideas and a fresh outlook, is young, full of energy, and strikes me as likely to "make good," to use an American expression.
Austin Developments.
Along with many others, I have suffered disappointment in not securing deheery of an Austin Twenty, which would have been invaluable for many business journeys at this period. Mr. E. Herbert Morris tells me that Austins are definitely dropping the 2-3 tell lorry, and are now concentrating on a li-tonner.
Newcomers at Cardiff.
Once more we are in the throes of preparation for the
Royal Agricultural Show at Cardiff, which has been year by year increasing in interest to our readers. The last display was at Manchester in 1916, when at the eleventh hour, steam wagolts were excluded, because they were playing such an important part in the war zone ; it was then useless to bid for increased orders at home. Now fortunately, that both petrol and steam vehicles aro released, commercial vehicle entries have grown, and. a very comprehensive Show will be the result. I do not remember Albions at" a previous "Royal" A.E:C. is of course a newcomer, Henry Garner ie another, and Harris and Resell Ltd., the enterprising West of England agents for Karrier and Austins. yet another. Maui:Islay is, again, a new one, and there are, of course, many new names to the" Royal on the Ferna Tractor side, including Alldays and Ori ens, Ancona, Burford, D.L. Motors, Morris Russell,. Sum/eel-scales and others; these being in addition to the, regular exhibitors. We regard the development with a lively interest, so much so that we are erecting our own tent, and shall.bo delighted to receive the visits of our friends, and those who desire information or assIstance.