Out and H 0 tne,—By -" The ":Extractor."
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Another Lancashire Haulage Concern.". '' Brisk is the Business in Prowodnik Tires. A Correspondent Reads Between the Lines. An Evening With the Carriage Builders.
A Proposed Tire Disputes Arbitration Tribunal.
Rumours reach me of still another Preston haulage concern who are proposing to run 100 ve hicles. I hear of the tire companies having put in quotations, and one north-country firm has already quoted for bodies.
I just missed Mr. Gleich of the Prowodnik tires in Glasgow, at which place he was busy in the interests of the Russian Tyre and Rubber Co. He reports business as being very brisk. He has had so much to engage him that he has riot yet paid his intended visit to his company's headquarters at Riga. It transpires that at the International Motor Rally at Monaco a car fitted with Prowodniks fulfilled the conditions of the Rally and arrived after 2000 miles without a, puncture or even a scraleli on the tires.
Dear Extractor have be fore me your issue of the 2oth. I do not know whether the actual composition of your page is entirely controlled and arranged by you. Of course T fully realize your claims to the literary side of it, hut, did it strike you that the interposition of a quarter column, enclosed and separated from your particular writing, and labelled in large l et ters—" Facts "—coming as it did between two stories of yours, inust have been the amusing handiwork of one of your colleagues, probably in your absence.—Yours faith fully, A SYMPATHISER.'
I include the above letter in full, not with a view to excite more sympathy, but just to indicate the difficulties of an itinerant correspondent, who is seldom able to see proofs and thus to check sub. editorial machinations.
Last week I found myself, not for the first time, in the capacity of a private guest at the Thirtieth Annual Banquet of the Institute of British Carriage Manufacturers. I was one of many motor people at the gathering, The fusion between the old-established carriage manufacturers and the motor makers is complete. The former body will retain its individuality, as was pointed out more than once during the evening. The speeches, particularly that of the hon. sec., Mr. Wm. Hamlin Hamshaw, were quite good. but an ill-judged attempt to introduce party politics by Mr. C. E. Musgrave, of the London Chamber of Commerce, met with much disapproval. J. W. and T. Connolly and Wallington Westons were well represented there. These two concerns are still much interested in the business arising from horse-drawn traffic as well as from motors. Mr. E. Manville, president of the B.M.M.T., was down to reply for kindred associations, but he wired to say he was indisposed.
Attention is especially directed to the following letter, which is a confirmation, at my request, of a long talk with a leading tire manufacturer. I invite expression of opinion from other tire manufacturers on the same subject, and will deal with the matter further next week. My friend writes :— " I want to suggest to you the formation of an association of adjudicators to act between, and on behalf of tire manufacturers and users, for the sole purpose of dealing with claims for allowances for short mileage under the guaran tees issued by the various tire companies. The present system opens out so many points of contention and so much dissatisfaction that to my mind something of this description will have to be done sooner or later.
" It is a common occurrence for a tire to show, to the eye of an expert, evidence of abuse. When a manufacturer requests details, his inquiries are usually met in an unfriendly spirit. Information is given hesitatingly, the natural idea of the user being that it is the object of the manufacturer to avoid the claim on technical grounds. If, on the one hand, the tire manufacturer yield to a claim which he is satisfied he is not legally entitled to meet, the user is satisfied, but it is neither fair nor satisfactory from the point of view of the manufacturer. If, on the other hand, he take a firm stand and decline to meet the claim on the grounds of unfair wear and tear, the user considers himself aggrieved, believing himself to be victimized on technical points which he is unable to argue or understand. It is further an undisputed fact that the tire manufacturer is often victimized by the concealment of circumstances which have acted on the tires in a destructive manner. Overloading, for instance, is an exceedingly common form of abuse, and results in the early destruction of a tire. Excessive speed, rough use of the brakes, loose steering, non-parallel wheels, etc. : these are other bad cases. Where is the user or driver, who sufficiently concerns himself on these points to be able conscientiously to state that none of these abuses have occurred ? The practised eye of a tire manufacturer's examiner detects abuses of this kind, but if be approach the user on the subject it is a difficult matter (and often impossible) to obtain the facts.
"It is obvious that if a tire be perfect in quality, 1,111 can ization , and general structure, and yet fail to run the guaranteed distance, causes outside the control of the tire maker are accountable for the deficiency, but to place this fact before the user is merely a waste of time, the general idea of the user being that the sole cause of deficient mileage in all cases is
had rubber' and not bad treatment.
" The broad idea of the scheme is merely that there should be an amalgamation of the claims depart. merits of the various tire makers formed into an association, and that they should engage such experts as may be found necessary to deal impartially with all cases submitted to them. The judgment of the association should be equally binding to both the user and the manufacturer, to the extent of the unaccomplished mileage involved, such being made a condition of the guarantee. The financial side of the question could be met by a fixed annual subscription from members, plus a certain fee per tire dealt with.
"My principal point is that a committee appointed by the manufacturers collectively would be more impartial than an individual manufacturer adjudicating only on tires of his own make, as in the latter case the user does not consider himself fairly dealt with. Of course, I do not suggest that the committee should allow the claims or handle their adjustment in any shape or form ; they should merely issue a certificate as to whether it is a justifiable one or otherwise, and whether it shall be met in full, declined, or compromised.
"You will, of course, quite understand that I cannot give more than a general outline of the object and administration, as the idea is at present too much in the embryonic stage. " TENAXITY."