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News from "Down Under.

1st August 1912, Page 19
1st August 1912
Page 19
Page 19, 1st August 1912 — News from "Down Under.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The Lesson of the Drought. The Necessity for the Big Wheel in Australia. Carriers' Collapse in Sydney. Taxing the Steamer.

For the past few weeks Australia has been feeling the effect of a more or less serious drought, and business of all kinds has been seriously depressed. At the time, one rarely realizes the full force of such a situation such as that caused by a general drought, and it was only after it had broken that one realized the general feeling of relief culminating in a general thanksgiving last Sunday by order of the Governor. During the last weeks one had more and more cause to feel that the commercialvehicle industry would be, at any rate, amongst the last to feel the effect of the depression. That probably would seem peculiar to most people, but when one remembers that the cost of feed for horses increases amazingly and that water for washing one's person is almost unobtainable in many districts, what there is being carefully preserved for drinking purposes, it will be easily realized that anything that would supplant the horse would be bound to receive serious consideration at the hands of most people. When one adds to that the fact that the country is dry, including the creeks and rivers, so that motors are able to cross at any time without getting stuck or without encountering the horrors of black soil during the wet, it will be realized that the commercial motor appeals to neople in a way that. it has probably never done before. 'Under such conditions it is certain that farmers and nastoralists will enreflully consider the advisability of including amongst. their plant one or two such vehicles for use durincs times of drought when the question of rapid transport is of even greater importance to them than at. other times, as the °nick transport of a few hundred gallons if water may save them thousands of pounds in loss of stock and in other ways.

During the last few weeks the question of wheel diameters has come before me again in several ways, and in more or less serious forms. Notwithstanding all that has been said in the past and all the experience that has been gained too, it is noticeable that one or two manufacturers prefer to stick pig-headedly to the smallestdiameter wheel that they can possibly put on their vehicles. I know full well that the question of the height of the loading platform from the ground is sometimes regarded as a serious one, but it is far better to grapple with this difficulty and to endeavour to counteract it by dropping the platform as far as possible between the driving wheels, than to continue to fit 30 in. and 32 in. wheels where 40 in. wheels are a necessity. One case which came before my notice not long ago dealt with a vehicle required for a hilly district where the road was liberally provided with transverse water courses. They were of such formation that it was obvious that a car fitted with a small diameter wheel would never be able to cover the road, on account of the fact that the wheels would find the bottom of each of these courses and damage other parts of the car. One or two firms who were anxious to supply vehicles wasted their own time and that of the purchasers by expressing the utmost confidence that their vehicles would accomplish the work quite easily, and when they were informed that careful tests had been made and that it had been proved that large-diameter wheels were a necessity, they solemnly proposed giving a trial run with the ears as they stood, and, if they obtained the order, having bigger diameter wheels fitted in their place. As the proposal was to increase the wheel diameter by 10 in. and no corresponding suggestion was forthcoming for reducing the gear of the car to enable it under those conditions to meet the heavy gradients, the order was regretably placed in another channel. From the foregoing one can draw two morals ; the one that it is ridiculous to endeavour to foist baby wheels on the Australian market, and the other that. it is well for manufacturers to prime their agents fully with the effect and needs of the case where it is proposed to make some material alteration in the diameter of the wheels supplied. A week ago it was decided, on account of its liabilities, to liquidate by the Court the largest carrying concern in Sydney. Two years ago the three leading carriers combined their light-parcels delivery business under a joint name, and a limited liability company. The concern had as good a sendoil on its career as any in the State. and the shares rose rapidly, whilst to-day they are bankrupt. At the commencement of the period named it was confidently asserted that they intended largely to use motors in the course of their business, and for this purpose one or two 4-5 ton vehicles were purchased. To readers of THE Comantitcrai, MOTOR it is necessary to add nothing, and I only refer to the matter at all as a means of emphasizing the manner in which commercial vehicles are sometimes bought in the Colonies. Can one imagine any firm engaged in lightnarcels conveyance only, purchasing 4 and 5 ton vehicles for use in connection therewith. It is a pity, but. it, has not been the fault of the motors nor the way in which they did their work.

Some months ago for some reason best known to itself the Customs Department suddenly decided that steam lorries and steam vans were steam engines and subject to a duty of 20 per cent. and 25 per cent.. and that is now being levied on all such machines. This duty affects all such machines as the Foden. Yorkshire, Tacker, etc., etc. It will be remembered that Petrol chassis of British manufacture are admitted duty free. The idea., of course, is a ridiculous one, as no steam lorries are being manufactured locally, and in view of the great importance of transport in Australia. it seems a. short-sighted policy and calculated to restrict, it.

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Organisations: Customs Department
Locations: Sydney

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