Opinions from Others.
Page 19
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected wits the use of commer:ial motors. Letters shonlet be on OM side of the paper only, and type-wraten by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted. In the case of experiences, names of towns or localities may be withheld.
Booked Times Tor Deliveries.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[ltsiSij Sir,—Experiencing, as we do, much inconvehience and annoyance througn delays in dealing "%With motor traffic at the docks and railways depots in this city, we are naturally much interested in the suggestion regarding booked times, which was first broached in your issue of 13th February. Little or no effort has been made to provide facilities for dealing with the ever increasing volume of traffic, and, as your contributor rightly states, the prevailing lack of system results in a state of chaos and consequent heavy loss to all concerned in the handling of goods.
At one railway depot, at least, in this town, it is the custom toprovide only one man to deal with a load, whether of one or two tons on a one-horse lorry, or of 10 tons on a motor and trailer, although at the depot of another *company, which is itself an owner of motor vehicles, it is possible, by pre-arra.ngement, to ensure that. the load will be expeditiously dealt with. When taking delivery of goods at the dock or warehouse, it is necessary to fix, the previous day, for the quantity that it is proposed to take, but, unless a special gang be arranged for, this does not ensure that the wagons will not have to stand for a considerable portion of the day waiting for their turn, Surely it should not be an impossibility to organize matters so that when fixing for the quantity to be taken the time for the loading of each wagon could he fixed I Then, any wagon arriving late would lose its turn, and would have to wait to be dealt with by a gang kept for unhooked wagons.
Naturally, any sudden radical change is out of the question, hut, once a beginning has been made, it is certain that difficulties would be overcome, and the system would no doubt in time become general. Wishing you every success in your efforts to provide remedy for the present congestion, and resulting loss.—Yours faithfully,
THE LIVERPOOL -VESTA CAKE CO., R. L. HALL.
Blackstock Street, Liverpool From an Old Subscriber in Colombo.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1189] Sir,—You will remember me—[We do.—En.] —as the manager of the St. Pancras Ironworks Co.'s steam-wagon branch some years ago, and more recently as the manager of the St. Pancras Garage Co., Ltd., running the. De Dion cabs, I have recently joined Mr. Sherriff Mitchell, in partnership in his consulting practice, at this address. Although not primarily concerned with motor questions, the firm is frequently called in to advise on them. My experience in this business is, of course, of the greatest service in enabling us to answer these questions in a satisfactory manner.
The original business was established to advise estate agents and planters on factory construction and installation of machinery and motive power, and in the course of this business the partners travel all over the island, and of course have unique opportunities of studying the local road conditions.
At the present time, there are very few commercial vehicles ; these are confined to Colombo, hut this is more the fault of the machines than the roa.ds. By this is meant that no maker has as yet taken the trouble to produce machines suitable for the somewhat peculiar local conditions.
The present cost of bullock transport is very high, due to the great. mortality produced amongst the bullocks by the ravages of rinderpest, and in conversation with leaning planters the writer has been shown figures which prove conclusively that motor transport would be decidedly cheaper. Not only this., but many planters are already converted and are only wailing
tor the advent of a suitable mach;ne. • The writer would be happy to give any information he can for THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, and he would also be prepared to assist manufacturers to prepare a suitable design for this market, but for this he would of course require payment. Anything I can do for THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR will be a pleasure.—Yours
faithfully, H. A. NEAL. Darley Buildings, Colombo.
[We Khan avail ourselves of Mr. Neal'a otter—ED.) Old Straker-Squires.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[11901 Sir,-1 really must apologise for troubling you in the matter of old Straker-Squire chassis once more, but, as there is a letter appearing in your issue of the 13th March, it is incumbent upon me to do So.
I much regret to find that up to the moment of my previous letter appearing in your journal I was one of the undiscovered so far as Messrs. Straker and Squire were concerned, which, knowing as I do the little things that have passed between us at various times regarding second-hand chassis, is intensely amusing. 1 do certainly submit that Messrs. Straker and Squire's object is purely that of obtaining a gratuitous advertisement for their present, models, and suggest that the same advertisement should be given to me by informing your readers that if they want new models, instead of going to Messrs. Straker and Squire, they would be far better advised to come to me and purchase either " B " types or Daimlers.
But, to get back to our mutton, the spare parts for the second-hand Straker-Squire chassis that I am offering for sale have nothing whatever to do with Messrs. Straker and Squire, as we have in stock a vast number of Straker parts, as they must well know also, there is as much difference between the price of L.G.O.C. spares and Messrs. Straker and Squire's as there is in the case of the chassis. It must also be within their memory that it has happened when some of their own customers have required spare parts they have chosen to go to the L.G.O. Co. to get them. I am delighted to see that this very eminent firm disclaim all responsibility with regard to these chassis, and humbly suggest that as part of their refusal to accept such responsibility they should remove the fact that the omnibus companies purchaAed them from their catalogues. Anyway, they will, I am certain, join me in the round of congratulations that so many of the old type second-hand StrakerSquire chassis are being sold day by day.
I have to thank you for your previous courtesy, and to acknowledge with thanks the advertisement that I have received through yourselves and Messrs. Straker and Squire. If I had any further remark to make, it. would be to say " long may it continue."
—Yours faithfully, STUART lo CURZON. OS, Victoria Street, S.W.