WHEELS of INDUSTRY "The wheels of wealth will be slowed
Page 42
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads °oar which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
Record Dennis Dividend.
, According to a preliminary statement, the past year's trading of Dennis Bros., Ltd., Guildford, has again been highly satisfactory. At the general meeting to be held on December 2nd the directors of the company propose to recommend to the shareholders a final dividend of 2s. 10d. per share, less tax, making, with the interim dividend of Sd. per share, a total of 3s. 6d. for the year. It is further proposed to add a sum of 175,000 to the reserve, leaving a sum substantially the same as that of last year to be carried forward (£97,739).
Retail Distributors in Conference.
The conferences held last week at Olympia opened with a convention under the joint auspices of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and the Incorporated Association of Retail Distributors.
The subject of "Remote Delivery" first came under discussion in a paper presented by Colonel A.Jerrett, of Lewis's, Ltd. Colonel Jerrett pointed out that remote delivery did not concern the delivery of goods to remote parts, but related to the handling of bulk goods at a, point remote from where they are sold. He dealt with the question at some length, and referred to a successful experiment which his company had carried out, under which a special building has been erected on a large area adjacent to a main line and five miles from the store.
Following this paper, Mr. E. J. B. Lloyd, secretary of the Incorporated Association of Retail Distributors, gave an explanation of the schedule prepared by his Association for the exchange of figures on costs of delivery. He explained the manner in which the schedule had been drawn up and referred to factors which had served as a basis of working.
Considerable interest was aroused by the points raised in a short paper by Mr. J. Wall, transport manager of Harrods, Ltd., entitled "New Cars for Old for the Retail Distributor." He suggested a method of " trading-in " whereby manufacturers took their vehicles back, either direct or through an agent, after a year's service, supplying a new machine for an agreed Sugar-beet on the Highway.
The chief constable of Lincolnshire has issued a warning calling the attention of beet growers and others " to the danger caused by putting dumps of sugar beet too close to the highway, so that roots fall on to the highway and cause danger to traffic. • The same danger is also caused by overloading, or loading on unsuitable vehicles, so that roots in considerable numbers fall off the load on to the carriage way."
It is requested by the chief constable that all dumps should be set well 'back from the highway ; that all precautions should be taken against littering the highway, and that dumps should be illuminated at night, if the edge of them comes within 3 ft. of the metalled part of the road, whilst he suggests that loading after dark should be avoided unless special precautions be taken to warn and protect the traffic using the road.
Indicating the Origin of Imported Vehicles.
The Board of Trade has referred to the Standing Committee applications for Orders in Council to require the marking with an indication of origin of imported motor vehicles, chassis and parts and batteries. The committee will consider whether these articles should be marked on sale or exposure for sale, and it may, at its discretion, also consider whether the articles should be marked on importation.
The dates of the committee's public inquiries into these applications will be announced later, and communications should be addressed to the secretary, Mr. E. W. Reardon: New Public Offices, Great George Street, London, S.W.1, as early as possible, and in any case not later than December 13th.
The references are published in full in the Board of Trade Journal of November 14th and in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes of November 15th.
B.A.T. Dinner.
In the middle of the Show week a very pleasant function was the first B.A.T. annual dinner held at the Holborn Restaurant, and organized by Harris and Hasell (1929), Ltd. Mr. C. C. Harris presided and, as usual, took the company's agents into his confidence. Evidently, a very satisfactory start had been made and, in the course of his speech, he referres: to the £100 award which the company had offered through the Press for the best suggestion regarding the B.A.T. Cruiser. Many replies had reached the concern and the decision was to be made by November 30th. Mr. Harris said he desired to extend this date somewhat, as he wanted to give the bodybuilders a little more time to get out a design.
Mr. W. Duck, who responded for the visitors, voiced the opinion of all present when he stated that the personnel of the Harris and Hasell con-. cern inspired both liking and confidence, and whatever the company undertook it was bound to succeed.