The inauguration of the first official show of the S.M.M.T.,
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at Manchester, for which show we last week published a guide and ground plan, marks a distinct stage in the history of the commercial-motor movement. A centre whose claims were solely advanced and supported by this journal but few years ago has thus been recognized by the industry. The needs of owners and likely owners will, as one consequence, be the better 1110.t. Few people will now elect to overlook a district at the financial heart of which the returns of the Bankers' Ole;] ring House exceed by some 14 millions sterling per annum the comparable joint returns for the four cities of Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield. That positive evidence of demand was one of the factors which influenced this horse in the establishment of a branch office at Mane lieecer • coincidently with the opening of the Show. The Earl of Derby, we were pleased to note, rightly emphasized the important place to which the commercial motor is entitled ; Mr. Manville, in a brief review, commented upon the value of the early work of development and experimental carrying with which the late Earl of Derby was identified; Mr. Harcourt Clare, the Clerk to the Lanes. County Council, had much to say upon the road problem, and gave both needed assurances and warnings. We agree that the sudden growth of commercialmotor traffic in the County Palatine has come upon the highways department as somewhat of a shock, but that growth is only the natural and spontaneous expression of The county's actual requirements in -competitive industry. There are we admit, some abuses of axle-weight arid speed limits, but the traffic is principally of normal incidence and intensity. It forebodes trade suicide, for the Lanes. C.C. to urge the exploded view that traffic must accommodate itself to weak roads or bridges for any indefinite or indeterminate future period. The time has come for the rapid strengthening of all trunk roads, in order that cotton manufacturers and others may hold their own in both home and world markets. Lessened friction, as Mr. Harcourt Clare justly remarked at the luncheon last week, is of advantage to horse owners, who can add a few cwt. more even to the loads which they _send behind a single horse. "We say that every ratepayer gains }Iv improved roads. With the :Road Board's first grant of E30,000 to encourage them, the Lancs. C.C. is /low preparing to spend money freely, and we confidently assert that a continuance of this far-seeing and enlightened policy is the only one that can commend itself to business men or lovers of progress. In the view that rubber tires must be more and more generally adopted, we concur most heartily. We have, too, on many occasions, advised makers of heavy, steel-tired wagons to do all they can to put their houses in order, so far as regards the best-possible dimensions for wheel-diameters and tire
widths, before it is ruthlessly done for them. The full text of Mr. Clare's speech is unavoidably held over for a week, but. we ask, in advance, that its every line shall be considered when we do have room for it, which will be a week hence. Lancashire roads will have another 300 vans and wagons upon them, before another winter has come and gone, and that rate of increase—approximately one per working day-will not be reduced thereafter. No county, unless it be the W.R. of Yorks., is more concerned to help motor traffic for its own good than is Lancashire.
The C.M.U.A. Parade in June.
Upwards of 100 vehicles arc now entered for the Commercial Altaor Users Association's fifth annual parade. It looks, at the moment, as if the total would reach 300 by the end of April. Ott this coming occasion, as befits the Coronation year, and as was stated in our pages 80 far back as the 22nd December last, the parade will be held in conjunction with the Festival of Empire, at the Crystal Palace. The organization and programme are to be on a correspondingly-enlarged scale. Already, before any formal invitations for support have been issued, the leading makers and owners have given evidence of their intention to back the parade generously, both in respect of special awards for the drivers and of personal assistance to insure a large muster. The drivers and their wives and families are to he afforded various special facilities in regard to admission, amusement, and entertainment. The feature of a free luncheon to some 700-.900 "guests " of the Association is one whieh has been introduced as some small measure of compensation for the giving-up of a holiday. Publicity, however, is the point to which we now have to make brief reference.
The Association, by reason of its experience and connections, is guaranteed a representative gathering of machines, and these from service. The owners have allowed them to parade before, and this year are promising to do so in much-augmented numbers. From the spectacular point of view, therefore, success is a foregone conclusion. Next, of course, there is the consideration of that appeal to a wider public than can possibly go out to the Crystal Palace on any day whatsoever. Here, as before, the Association's arrangements are sound, in that they are based upon past experience. An official luncheon, apart from the large provision for the drivers and their friends, will be held, and this will he attended by leading owners, Government officials, Colonial and other representatives, and not fewer than 40 members of the Press. The opportunities for photographic reproduction of the parade will he unique, and they will be utilized to the full. The parade, in short, will be so well run this year, will be on lines so effective, and will be conducted with the renewed assent and co-operation of established motoring bodies, that the only fear we have is this; how an anticlimax will be avoided in 1912. Naturally, however, our concern is to help to make the Coronation-year parade, on the 5th June, a huge success. The future can take
care of itself, and we are satisfied that the will not be responsible for any failure subsequently.