Out and Home. -By " The Extractor."
Page 14
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Amongst the Matacos. Agrimotors for Cannibals. Christening the Carrier.
Our sister paper, " The Motor Boat," finds interested readers in the most remote parts of the earth. I saw a letter the other day to an advertiser ; it. was from a missionary located, at the time of writing, some few months ago, in the Cannibal Islands. I will not stop to speculate on his exact location now. He was ordering a new Paragon propeller for his boat, so evidently he was looking with confidence to the future. I was reminded of this on receiving a postcard dated from Buenos Ayres, and emanating from Mr. A. Hoffmann, of the Ivel agrimotors. He has apparently been among some fearsome tribes, if the illustration of the Matacos Indians on his postcard is anything to go by. I hope Hoffmann will not get amongst the cannibals, because he is a hale, wholesome-looking chap. Anyhow he threatens to be back at his usual post at the Royal Agricultural Show at Doncaster. and I shall feel relieved to see him.
After a club house dinner recently, a most amusing person sang unctuously and admiringly the praises of bed. It was a sure rethedy for all troubles according to his light, and the more they left him the more exquisite, the more solid was his satisfaction. The last verse remains on my mind—" If your wife says she'll leave you, don't let that grieve you. As long as she'll leave you—the bed." The above sentiments were by no means shared by Mr. Raymond Dennis, of Dennis Bros., Ltd., Guildford, who has just endured three weeks in
bed as a result of what appeared a trifling accident. to his knee. 1 had a talk with him on the telephone at the tail-end of that 'period, about ten days ago, and if ever active man was sick of enforced rest, he was. He is now happily recovered and full of enthusiasm about their extensions to works and increased outputs.
On the last day of this month we shall definitely close the competition in connection with a name which we desire to find to express suitablythe commercial threewheeler, which is becoming so widely used and so popular. I
think it will interest many if 1 give a selection of the names sent in. I make one extract from a letter which is interesting.
C.B.writes :—" The article you wish to describe is a motor tricycle carrier, or autoporteur trois roues, in French, and to be precise, this cannot be rendered otherwise. But, for trade purposes a shorter designation might well be used, if those concerned will adopt same. As in many instanc.2s familiar to us all, the tendency is to shorten such words as (minibus. agricultural motor, taximeter, cabriolet, telephone, steamship, etc.
"If one short word could possibly
cover the ground, I. take it that this would have reached you already, but it cannot be done. Therefore, the question is—what 'fancy name' would be likely to
take on ' with the commercial motor trade ?
" It seems to me that they might do worse than call the type of machine a ' Triplex ' (' motor carrier' or light van' being understood). Though I may not be the first to suggest it, I will plump for triplex '—the main feature being its three wheels (only), which heavier vans cannot have."
I should like to have some of my readers' criticisms on this list, to start with.