News of the Week.
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The third annual general meeting oi the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders takes place at the Hotel Cecil at three o'clock to-day (Thursday).
We understand that no copies of the regulations for the A.C. light delivery van trials have yet been circulated to the general l'ress of the country. It is to be hoped that this important means of securing publicity will not be delayed much longer.
There were 1, too entries for the London cart-horse parade in Regent's Park on Whit Monday. It will be remembered that the Motor Van and Wagon Users' Association vetoed the motor parade proposed for last May Day.
Basaltic lava setts have been adopted at Scarborough as a dustless, impervious, and non-slipping pavement. It is claimed, further, that iron-shod wheels give rise to little noise, even in the case of heavy traffic.
The list of exhibitors at the forthcoming Royal Agricultural Show, which is to open on the 27(h inst., includes :— William Allchin, Ltd., Globe Works, Northampton ; Aveling and Porter, Ltd., Rochester; Messrs. Barford and Perkins, Queen Street Iron Works, Peterborough; Clayton and Shuttleworth, Ltd., Stamp End Works, Lincoln; Fodens, Ltd., Elworth Works, Sandbach; Messrs. Foster and Sons, Wisbech; R. Garrett and Sons, Ltd., Leiston Works, Leiston, R.S.O. Suffolk; T. Green and Sons, Ltd., Smithfield Iron Works, Leeds ; Gwynnes, Ltd., 81, Cannon Street, London, E.C.; Messrs. Hayes and Son, Scotgate Works, Stamford; Messrs. J. and F. Howard, Britannia Iron Works, Bedford; Ivel Agricultural Motors, Ltd., 45, Great Marlborough Street, London, W.; Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Co., Ltd., Hunslet, Leeds; Mulliners, Ltd., 300, Broad Street, Birmingham ; Ransomes, Sims, and Jefferies, Ltd., The Orwell Works, Ipswich; Ruston, Proctor and Co., Ltd., Lincoln ; St. Pancras Iron Work Co., St. Pancras Road, London, N.W. ; H. P. Saunderson and Co., Ltd., Elstow Works, Bedford ; Shrewsbury and Challiner Tyre Co., Ltd., Kay Street, Ardwick Green, Manchester; Simms Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Kimberley Road, Willesden Lane, London, N.W.; Smith, Parfrey and Co., Ltd., Rannoch Street, Fulham Palace Road; London, S.W.; Messrs. F. C. Southwell and Co., 75, Southwark Street, London, S.E. ; and Wallis and Steevens, Ltd., North Hants Iron Works, Basingstoke.
Our next special issue will be published on July 6th, and will contain an illustrated, statistical section devoted to motor omnibus services.
The Brighton mail service, which was begun on the ist instant, is now' settling down under the care of the contractors, Thomas Tilting, 1,m We publish this week particulars of the Regent commercial motors, in which S. F. Edge, Ltd., is now doing a large business.
Mr. J. W. Bradley, the City engineer of Westminster, should either repudiate or substantiate the report attributed to
him that motorcar tyres suck the creosote out of wood paving. His alleged effect has been widely copied in the Press.
statement to this Mr. Herbert Austin, of the Wolseley Tool and Motor Co., Ltd., has been elected chairman of the permanent Committee of the British Empire Motor Trades' Alliance.
The Selby Rural District Council has adopted a resolution that the present law with respect to extraordinary traffic should be so amended as to give local authorities power to control such traffic within their own districts and to enter into contracts with owners of heavy engines for use of the raads.
The Lacre Motor Car Co., Ltd., of t, Poland Street, W., has received an order from Messrs. Jas. Shoolbred and Co. (the well-known house furnishers of Tottenham Court Road) for two Lacre one-ton vans. This order is the result of an extensive trial in regular daily work extending over some six weeks, without the slightest hitch.
A medical officer of health who drives a pony trap in one of the London suburbs has been querulously complaining that his pony shies at motors and steam wagons and claims prior right to the highway for horsed vehicles. The legislature has decided long years ago that all vehicles, however propelled, possess equal highway rights.
The Sawbridgeworth Urban District Council has asked its Highways Committee to endeavour to keep an account for extra road watering caused by motor traffic. It is proposed that all county councils should collect statistics on such a subject for presentation to Parliament. The Sawbridgeworth Urban District Council is on the wrong tack ; if it makes up and repairs its roads with proper materials, dust will be annihilated, watering will be needless, and ratepayers will find greater economies. The Simms Manufacturing Company, Ltd., has appointed Messrs. Murie, of the Phcenix Motor Works, Invercargill, New Zealand, as its sole agents for South Island, N.Z,, for Simms motors, Sinuns-Welbeck cars, and SimmsBosch ignition apparatus.
The special committee of the City of London Corporation has now decided to withdraw its opposition to the London County Council's scheme for trams over Blackfriars Bridge, This withdrawal appears to be a benighted effort to cover up the fact that the City Corporation's action is really at the bottom of a virtual rejection which will now be attributed to the House of Commons committee presided over by Mr. Kearley.
Rugby Rural District Council is making representations to the Warwickshire County Council as to damage by motors. The Surveyor says he is satisfied that damage is done, but we would point out that the progressive surveyors of the country generally hold quite contrary opinions. We suggest that the surveyor to the Rugby Rural District Council get into communication with Mr. Hooley, the Nottingham county surveyor, or Mr. E. George Mawbey, of Leicester, in order to learn how roads ought to be constructed.
Lewisham has been notorious for many years as possessing the worst road surfaces 'in the south of London. We had the sad infliction of being driven in a motor van over most of the roads in this district a few weeks ago, and are not anxious to repeat the experiment. The surveyor is asking for a motorcar to enable him to keep better in touch with every corner of the neighbourhood, so an improvement can be looked for when he obtains the vehicle and breaks a few body springs down the Lewisham High Road.
The hon. secretary of the Irish Roads Improvement Association has been calling attention to the drag upon road construction reform entailed by the prevailing system of allowing contractors to repair the roads. Those who have driven over the majority of Irish roads will agree that the results are woeful both for ratepayers and users. No measure of reform will be possible until the roads are entirely under the control of the various surveyors with their' own staff of men directly employed by the various counties.
Our pro-train friend" Ratepayer" has turned up at Nottingham, but adopts a title of "Old Sne.intonian " to suit local circumstances. The usual weird arguments appear,
tacked on to an absolute reds-statement of fact. Says " O.S." :—" Motor buses in London are a complete failure. It is common knowledge that the passengers never know whether they will get to their journey's end. They are always in fear of a breakdown, while the running fire of chaff from the horse bus drivers is common knowledge, on account of the many stoppages." What say the managers of the various London motor bus companies, who are waiting on the doorsteps of makers and agents to secure early deliveries? Do average takings of A.,9 per day spell failure? We travel constantly on the different routes, and during the past month, out of a total of 62 vehicles in service, have only seen or heard of one breakdown, and this was due to the driver's want of knowledge rather than to faulty mechanism.
Mr. E. Shrapnel' Smith has been re-elected a member of the council of the Liverpool Self-Propelled Traffic Association.
Mr. H. C. Wilson (late of the Western Road Carrying Co., Ltd., of Bristol) has been appointed manager of the Motor Transport and Cartage Company, Ltd.
The North-Eastern Railway has inaugurated a service of motor vans for local parcels delivery in Newcastle, It is hoped that the public will now have prompt delivery, an almost unlooked for possibility hitherto with horses.
The Yarmouth T.C. is considering the question of the purchase of a motor fire engine at an approximate cost of Z1,000. It is estimated that a saving of '200 per annum will result as against the existing horse-drawn engine.
The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company (which includes the Birmingham Motor Express Co.) has been purchased as a going concern by the City of Birmingham Tramway Co., Ltd., the stock taken over comprising some 20 motor buses. A new company is to be formed with a capital of -/-_,2oo,000 (of which Ziso,000 has been issued) to work the whole of the bus services of Birmingham and its district. There will be no public issue, and the company will be controlled by the British Electric Traction Co., Ltd., which already controls many electric tramways.
Romsey R.D.C. is asking for an amendment of the law relating to the passage of heavy motor wagons over the roads, so as to empower local bodies (such as Ramsey) to control the use of roads in this respect. A nice sort of control it would be if such little wayside spots were dressed in authority, for the resolution, as sent up to the Battle R.C., specifically excluded traction engines used for agriculture. Perhaps the bucolic councillors imagine that the main road through their district is maintained by the county for their sole benefit and use, and that all other users are trespassers.
Argyll Motors, Limited, had its statutory general meeting on the 9th inst. Mr. W. A. Smith, the chairman, announced that applications for ordinary shares amounted to £300,179, j:',166,000 being offered. Preference shares to the extent of ,4:118,630 were applied for, ,:66,000 being offered. In his speech to the shareholders, Mr. Smith stated that they would be able to put down manufacturing plant in the new works of the most up-to-date description, and would be in a position absolutely to defy competition. Up to March 3rst, the sales showed an increase of 49 per cent, compared with the previous year, but the increase of horse-power was 67 per cent., and would probably more accurately represent the profit earned. In the months of April and May the increase had been even more startling, being 85 per cent, over the corresponding period in 1904. Al the moment they had in hand orders for over .;200,000 worth of vehicles for next year, and expected to secure at least double that amount in contracts for that time.