ROAD TRANSPORT IN OTHER LANDS.
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Items of News Intended to Stimulate the Interest of British Makers in Overseas Markets.
Canadian Production Statistics.
IN November last 11,769 motor vehicles were produced in Canada, this -figure being 37 per cent, below the total for the previous month, but almost double the number manufactured in November, 1927. Of the total, only 347 were complete comniercial vehicles, 274 of them having a capacity of under 1 ton, whilst of the 5,344 chassis manufactured 3,268 were built for goods carrying. For the 11 months ending November last the total number of motor vehicles produced in. Canada was 232,357, the correspond. log total for the previous year being
175,948..
Australia's Trade with America. '
DURING the month of September last 4,968 unassembled chassis and 366 assembled chassis were imported into Australia, 4,111 of the former and 811 of the latter having the United States as their country of origin: Of the nnassembled chassis, 415 were shipped from the United Kingdom and of the assembled chassis 18 were received from the same source. The total value of unassembled chassis imported into Australia during September was #423,995 and of assembled chassis £51,142.
The Scope for Tractors in Victoria. IN the Malice district of Victoria, one of the leading wheatlands in Australia, it is estimated that there is a tractor in use on one in every five farms throughout the area, or between SOO and 1,000 tractor owners. In some of the districts, associations of tractor owners have been started. At liVarrackaaheal, in north-western Victoria, for instance a central council has been formed for the benefit of owners, Passenger Transport Progress in Italy. PASSENGER transport by road motor is making considerable headway in Italy, and the number of services in operation is increasing to a marked extent. In 1017 there were 9,804 miles of route over which regular passengercoach services were run, .and by 1928 the mileage had increased to 38,428, the region beat served in proportion to its population being, rather strangely, the island of Sardinia.
We are told that, according to recently published Government statisp28 'ties, very large imbibers of the Italian buses and coaches in service are of either Fiat or S.P.A. construction. The concerns responsible for the manufacture of these two makes have created a network of directly controlled motor routes, the principal centres being Piedmont, Tuscany, Emilia and Sicily. Some of the routes are of an internationalcharacter, having their terminal points in France, Switzerland and Austria.
Canal-boat Tractors in Belgium and • France.
CONSIDERABLE progress is being made with the adoption of motor tractors for the haulage of the barges along the canals in Belgium. The work it in the hands of the Societe. Belge pour l'Exploitatioix d'Auto-Cheuilles, of Brussels, which is using the Citran.: Kegresse-Hinstin chain-track tractor. The first service wasinstituted froth Liege to Grand Lanaye, nine tractors being brought into use between Grand Lanaye and Maastricht. The tractors are supplemented by horses, but later mechanical traction will be adopted. over the whole distance. The second service was established between Havre and Conde, in France, where 26 tractors have been placed in service during the • past 12 months. •
As the programme provides for 300 tractors being in service by 1931, the company is urging the Belgian Government to speed up the possing.nf barges through canal locks, to provide electric equipment for opening and closing some of the locks, and to provide better-towpaths. some of the . existing ones-notably those under bridges—being' too narrow for the passage of tractors.
Six-wheeled Coaches in Saxony.
THE State authorities in charge of
'• the inotor-co,ach line operating between Dresden and Zinnwald have Placed in service a ..six-;mbeeled coach containing a buffet where cold food is served. It also contains smoking and non-smoking compartments, a luggageroom and a lavatory. Several of the .Maybach. motor coaches now in service over different routes in Saxony are capable of a speed of 43 m.p.h.
Another French Gas-producer Trial. IT is announced that, under the auspices of the French military authoritieS, another reliability trial of motor lorries fitted with gas-producers is to be held in France in May next. The competition will be restricted to 24-ton, 34-ton and 5-ton lorries, and purchasers of the types passing the tests satisfactorily will be entitled to. a Government subsidy of 4,000 francs (approximately £32 5s.) on purchase, and about £20 per annum for three years in the case of 24-ton vehicles ; £32 Sc. and £24 4s. respectively for 34-tonners, and 140 6s. 6d. and £.24 4s. respectively for 5-tonners.
The tare weight of the three sizes of .vehicle is not to exceed 34 tons, 44 tons and 54 tons respectively, the gas-producer plant included in this weight not to be more than 8 cwt., 9 cwt. and 10 cwt. in the respective categories. The 24-ton vehicles must be shod with pneumatic tyres, and be able to maintain an average speed of 14 m.p.h., the 34-tonners may have either • pneumatics or solids and are asked to travel at respective average speeds of 124 m.p.h. and 10 m.p.h., whilst the 5-ton nets must be equipped with solid tyres and will be required to maintain an average of 7i m.p.h.
All the lorries must be capable of hauling a trailer with a load corresponding in weight to that on the prime mover, whilst other requirements inchide a 10-in. to 12-in, road clearance, chain or propeller-shaft transmission, an engine with either detach-able cylinder heads or with a removable crankcase enabling big-ends to _be attended to in situ, arid the power unit must be fitted with a governor preventing it Frani being run at more than 40 per cent. above normal speed. The design and construction of gas-pro&leers must be such as to enable vehicles to be run On producer-gas within 21) minutes of firing-up.
More Six-wheeled Buses for Berlin. THE Berlin Traffic Co.. have, it is announced, recently placed orders for 60 new six-wheeled bus chassis, 35 of which will be supplied by the N.A.G. Co., of Berlin, and the remainder by the Bfissing Co., of Brunswick.