The Wheels of Industry.
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Proposals and Purchases.
Sunbury U.D.C. is about to purchase a Dennis motor fire-engine, at 2650.
Bromley Guardians are to purchase a motor ambulance at a cost not exceeding 2550.
Chesterfield Corporation has ordered four Tilling-Stevens petrolelectric motorbuses.
Stoke Joint Hospital Board is purchasing a 12 h.p. Rover ambulance, at a cost of 2275.
Salford Corporation Watch Corn. mittee hasP approved the conversion of a 60 h.p. six-cylinder Napier chassis as a motor hose-tender.
Manchester Corporation Gas Committee will shortly take delivery of a coke-fired steam lorry from the National Steam Car Co., Ltd.
The ordering of a rubber-tired five-ton -Alban' wagon from Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Go., Ltd., .has been confirmed by the Walthamstow Sunderland Town Council, although asked to economize in respect of it, has allocated £500 in its estimates for the ensuing financial year towards payment for a motor fire-engine.
The Yorkshire Commercial Motor Co., Ltd., is supplying a steam wagon, for coal and coke conveyance, to the Leeds Corporation Gas Committee, at 2515, and Thomas Green and Son, Ltd., a motorvan, at 2449 12s. 6d.
Chester Town Council proposes that the use of its motor fire,eRgine by out-distrkt authorities shall be apportioned. on the basis of the respective rateable values of the authorities whicli join in. the scheme.
The Cleansing Committee of the Bradford Corporation is purchasing a rubber-tired three-ton steam wagon from the Yorkshire Commercial Motor Co, Ltd., for streetwatering, sand and carting purposes, at £640.
Ealing Town Council is to purchase from Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Co., Ltd., a fiveton steam lorry, with tipping wagon, adjustable 1000-gallon water tank, and three-ton non-tipping trailer, at a cost of 2655.
A Recent Registration.
International Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd. (25000), with its office at 1, Marsharn Street, Westminster, S.W. First directors : E. M. Reid and ff. A. Howard. Electric Charging Signs.
The General Electric Co. Ltd., of 67, Queen Vietoria Street,'E.C., hat been appointed the official manufacturer to the Electric Vehicle Committee for the standard design of illuminated box sign for charging stations and Other garages where charging facilities are provided.
Defective Tramlines.
The West Ham Corporation unsuccessfully defended an action, in the King's Bench Division, last week, brought by Herbert Spicer, a baker's assistant at Leyton, who was thrown out of his van in the Broadway, Stratford, last May, owing to the wrenching off from the vehicle of one of its wheels by a projecting trarnrail. The Corporation denied plaintiff's allegations and repudiated liability, but had to pay 2300 damages.
The L.G.B. Committee.
We deal, on the first page of this issue, with the important action of the President of the Local Government Board in appointing an Expert Committee. The Committee consists of Mesgrs. E. Shortt, K.O., M.P. (Chairman), A. G. G. Asher, W.S. (Secretary of the Association of County Councils in Scotland), P. M. CrosthWaite, M.T.C.E. an Engineering Inspector of the Local Government Board), H. Howard Humphreys, A.M.I.C.E. (Technical Adviser to the National Traction Engine Owners and Users Association, and to the War Office), E. J. Lovegrove, M.I.C.E. (Borough Surveyor of Hornsey), J. E. Thornycroft, A.M.I.C.E. (Managing Director of John I. Thornycroft and Co., LW), and J. WilImot, F.B.I. (County Surveyor of Warwick shire).
R.A.S.E. Show.
Intending exhibitors in the Implement Department of this year's R.A.S.E. Show, which will be held at Nottingham from the 29th June to 3rd July inclusive, are reminded that entries will close on Saturday next, the 20th inst.
Extraordinary-Traffic Claim We reported, in our issue of the 21st January. (page 391) the claim of the Ruglawton tr.D.C. against the Silver Springs Bleaching and Dyeing Co., Ltd:', to' recover the sum of £103 14s1 10d.; for alleged damage .to roads. His Honour Judge. Brown, K.C., in the Congleton County Court, last week, gave judgment for the plaintiff Council for one-ninth of. its claim, namely, 211 10s. 6d. The resiilt,is disappointing, as a complete victory for motor-vehicle interestswas antici pated., • Clearing the Highway.
One of the points which the new L.G;B. Committee will be asked to clear up, when C.M.U.A. witnesses. give evidence, is the anomalous State of the law in _respect of technical breaches when. a brokendown motor lorry is towed by another. -7; Sometimes, when .adhesion conditions are bad, as in.& recent case at Chelmsford, two power units may be needed to haul. one that is broken down. The clearing of the highway is more important than a technical infraction of the joint 6A-ton limit of. tare, or of the rule that only one trailer may be hauled by a heavy motorcar.
Work for Women.
Efforts are being made, as we reported last week, to leave more men free to join the Army by in-. creasing the.scepe for the employment . of. women. The woman motorvan driver and the woman motorbus conductor are two of the cases which concern readers of this journal. So long as a woman driver is accompanied by a porter, to deal with the re-starting of the engine, the changing of a tire or wheel, and the handling of loads, we consider that such employment on _light motorvans may well be done by many hurecirede,of women, and not only by those who are exceptionally strong or aualified ; the employment of women as bus conductors may possibly present difficulties Which are not apparent on first examination, but the demands upon their physiques would certainly seem to be less than in the matter of motorvan ; driving. The underlying motive„1 it:5,one; to .whiet -no exception can be taken:
Wheels of Industry.—con.•
A very progressive solid-tire firm is open to negotiate with a firstclass man to travel for their products in all the British Dominions ; this is a great opening for the right man. Arepresentative is also required by the same concern to travel in Lancashire and the North Wales district. Applicants should write in the first place to "Solid," care of this journal.
Colonial Honeys.
The Swan Brewery Co., of Perth, Western Australia, which company owns -two Halley lorries, and has additional ones on order, has to conduct its traffic over very rough roads' there. This user, in a recent letter, stated inter (dia.. "Our roads are rough and rutty, but your motors travel nicely, whereas the trailers jolt through and shake every bolt loose. We ran your three-ton lorry 10,000 miles before we :touched her, with the exception of 'Ordinary small running repairs, and she was never one day out of use.through any faults. We -claim this on our roads as a record."
Rural Licences.
The Stokesley R.D.C. has been in 'correspondence with the President of the Local Government Board with regard to local licences for. motorbuses. Mr. Herbert Samuel has intimated that urban sanitary authorities are empowered to license, within their own districts, such a number of motorbuses as they may think fit, and that there is a penalty against plying: for hire without such licences. The. powers (equivalent to those poss.essod by a U.D.C.) have to be conferred in the first instance upon any . R.D.C. by the Local Government Board, and Mr. Samuel has intimated that an application from the Stokesley R.D.C. will be carefully considered. We observe that Mr. Samuel added that, whilst the number of licences was left to the diScretion of the local authority, this descretion would have to be exercised reasonably, and that damage to the roads might or might not be considered a reasonable ground for restricting the number.
City of London (Volunteer) Mechanical Transport Column.
This Column has now been taken over as an integral part of the City of London National Guard Volunteer Corps, and will be treated as the M.T,C. of that Corps. All correspondence should be addressed to the Adjutant, Mr. F. G. Bristow,. at 83; Pall Mall, S.W. No appointinents as Company Or Convoy Com manders will be published by us With they have appeared• in the Corps Orders. The co-operation. which is so far assured is highly- satisfactory, and" individual owner" petrol convoys have beca A40 promised by important houses, in eluding Harrods Stores and Selfridge and Co., Ltd. A convoy of Allehin vehicles will be supplied by the Eastern Motor Wagon Co., Ltd., and a convoy Of Foster tractors by Dagnalls, Ltd. Important developments are in hand, and it is probable that convoys of vehicles of the same make will be known as No. I, No. 2 (et sequentes), convoy " consisting of vehicles of" such and such a make. Certain points connected with the organization remain under discussion. Caledon Chassis.
Scottish Commercial Cars Co., Ltd., has issued its catalogue of Caledon commercial chassis. Thisis the company of which Mr. B. Barry Cole is a director. The models, which are of the chaindrive type, vary in load capacitY • between three tons and four tons, whilst the special passenger type is particularly designed for a 34-seated body. We referred to this company's designs in our issue of the nth ult.
Wheels of Industry—con.
No. 2 of " The Electric Vehicle," which is the quarterly official organ of the Electric Vehicle Committee, has now appeared.
It appears that an Austin 24 h.p. car took a very large share in the capture of De Wet duripg the recent South African Rebellion, and it was this machine which actually carried Be Wet 200 miles. We should like to have found room to reproduce a long and interesting letter, which has come to hand concerning this machine's exploits in the course of the chase, but this is now ancient history.
Dublin Impressment.
We learn that the impressment officer has during the last week or two descended upon Dublin and the surrounding district, with the re
suit that a number of fine Commercars, which had hitherto appeared to he enjoying immunity in the Irish capital, were commandeered for Government service.
Thompson's Motorcar Co., JAI, which handles the Comrnercar in Dublin, it will be recalled, informs us that amongst the first of these machines to be impressed were one of its own five-tormers, another belonging to Brooks Thomas and Co., Ltd., and a further one, which has been doing service for Messrs. Nicholl and Sons, coal merchants. Further captures appear to be imminent.
Ambulance for Greek Government.
A rather unusual type of ambulance is that illustrated in one of our pictures on this page. It comes from the Dennis shops, and has recently been supplied to the order of the Ministry of the Interior of the Greek Government.
The body is arranged either to carry two stretche s and attendants or to give seat mg accommodation for four perscns inside, all facing forward on scparate seats. The vehicle is intended not only for the transportation of patients, but also for officers of the medical staff when necessary.
Our illustration shows the two arrangements.
The first meeting of creditors of Mr. Stuart A. Curzon was held at the London Bankruptcy Court on the 9th inst., when the Senior Official Receiver reported that the debtor had acquired, in August, 1912, the sole right to sell old motor vehicles discarded by the L.G.O.C. In 1914, he ?sold his business for £17,000 in cash and shares to General Omnibus Supply, Ltd. This company promoted Greater Omnibus Services, Ltd.. and the 'debtor was appointed joint managing director at a salary of £750 per annum. In March, 1913, he became interested in the General Motor Services of Russia, Ltd., Which was supposed to have obtained the sole ooneesdion for running motorbusesin the Crimea. Theedebtor put nearly £4000 into this, company, and went to Russia to look into the matter, but he then found that the concession was of no value, and dropped the business. This company for Russia had ceased to exist. Later, the debtor had promoted Stuart A. Curson (Russia), Ltd., to take up the running of motorbuses in the Crimea, but owing to the war things came to a standstill. Accounts had been lodged showing debts £8600. against assets value £10,065, and the debtor did not admit insolvency.
In the absence of an offer, Mr. R. F. W. Fincham, chartered accountant, was elected trustee to wind up the estate in bankruptcy, with the assistance of a committee of inspection.