Cold facts about the electrictramcar situation are quoted in our third leading article (page 446).
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Stringent inquiries are made by Carter, Paterson and Co., Ltd., into the characters of all drivers employed. A good wage is paid, with an annual increase. The smart appearance and low upkeep cost of the company's vehicles, consisting of Leyland, Dennis and Lacre vans, certainly justify both the strict personal inquiries and the good wages paid to proved men.
A Road Scandal.
Mr. C. Le M. Gosselin, managing director of H. Viney and Co., Ltd., Preston, writes:—'' Under separate cover you will have received illustration of one of our machines being raised from a premature grave [We reproduce it.—ED] 1 have sent you this in the hope that it may come under the notice of road surveyors. I trust that it will be regarded by them as a serious tragedy which could easily be prevented by a little care on their part.
" In the present instance, the road had been dug up to a depth of from 12 ft. to 14 ft. for the purpose of laying a drain. The ground had then been loosely filled in, and some macadam and ashes placed on the top—apparently for the sake of tidiness. No warning of any kind had been issued to state that this part of the road was totally unfit for heavy motor traffic, or, indeed, heavy traffic of any description, and one can only presume that the gentleman in charge of the road thought that, if a heavy vehicle happened to get on this part of the road, it would assist the settling operations.
"The reason that the driver was driving on the off side of the road, as shown in the illustration, was that it was night time when the accident occurred, and the road was only lighted on that side.
" Unfortunately, the experience of sinking into road excavations is of more-frequent occurrence than is generally imagined, and during the past six months we have expen enceci about six similar catastrophes with a fleet of eight vehicles. Motor-wagon owners often hear the charge brought against them of wrongfully using the road, but this seems to be an example in the opposite direction."
We advise Mr. Gosselin to claim for damages. He would no doubt get the support of the C.M.U.A.
Manchester Show.
References on the first two pages of this issue give evidence of our appreciation of the importance of the forthcoming North of England Show at Manchester, and our preliminary notice of the intended exhibits will be found on pages 438 and 439. We shall next week make additional references to the exhibits, in advance of the Show, and particularly to some interesting features of "The Supply Department" stands.
Demurrage.
Our second leading article (page 445) and the diagrams and text which will be found on page 448 raise certain interesting points in connection with the important matter of terminal delays, whilst the article on nage 451, which is the first of a series, shows that the cost per hour of a 10-15-cwt. van already closely approaches that of a horse-drawn van of equal load capacity when engaged upon low mileage work. When the demand for performance increases, the economy of the motorvan begins to assert itself.