New Carriers Cars. Out and Home.— Unwanted Taxidrivers.--•By "T he he Extractor."
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Some months ago a new • club was formed in London which was to be essentially a business club, and excellent facilities were to be provided in the way of small rooms for business appointments ; further, typists.,were to be at call, if not, actually on hand. It has been suggested to me by more than one that as many provincial men make the Motor Club their headquarters when in London one or two typists might, with advantage, be installed as is the case in the main hotels. If it does not appear expedient immediately to engage a typist for constant service, arrangements could easily be made with some adjacent bureau for a. stenographer to be summoned by telephone, and a typewriting machine could be placed at their service, as is done when extra aid is required in important offices. I think the scheme is worth the attention of those responsible at the Motor Club.
If there be a possessor of a motor lorry near London, at the moment, who has no work for it, although I very much doubt such a passibility, but in that unlikely event, I have a suggestion for him. Let him announce that the vehicle in question will leave some stated place in Central London, at a certain time, for Aldershot, on the principle of the old Carrier's carts, and he will have a full daily load. Great cargoes of motor accessories and the like arc being sent to Aldershot and to. similar centres, the railway goods service is practically suspended, makers and factors are at their wits end to get goods delivered. They have probably not sufficient individually to fill a vehicle, so they must needs -Wait until they have a load and then they cannot find a lorry or a van. There is, of course, the difficulty of the return load, but there are always plenty of 'empties to be eonveyed. should be interested to see a trial made.
The luncheon hour had struck in Cottonopolis, and my friend, Leo Swain, one of Manchester's most active and popular men, observed casually, "You shall come to my Rotary club for lunch, this is the day." And as I plied him with questions, he went on to make disparaging remarks about Pressmen and London people, inferring as those Manchester people do, in their genial way, that the ignorance of Londoners is positively abysmal. However, I had to learn that the Rotary Club, very briefly explained, is a circle of men engaged in various professions and businesses who lunch together on a stated day each week, and dine together once each month, the object being, partly to promote the business interests of its members, partly to inaugurate progressive and successful business methods and, it follows naturally, to engender good fellowship amongst its members. Only one of a trade or profession is eligible. I gather that the idea is of American origin, and 15,000 Rotarians, as they term themselves, already i
exist there. Already, n our country, clubs are
Formed in eight of the principal cities, includinF 7:■ondon, and a strong feature of their programme is that members visiting towns, in which clubs are formed, are heartily welcomed at the weekly luncheon tables. I have only space to sa,y that my visit was a delightful one, that I brought away with me a copy of a breezy monthly club journal, and a recollection of a, most cheerful luncheon hour and ;la too prolonged. My gratitude goes out to friend Swain, and my feeling is that he has made another Rotarian.
01! a Pod rid a.
Paris is full of American "truck" manufacturers and representatives, now that the Government is established there.
The ice-breakers on the Archangel route to Russia' have proved extraordinarily successful, so much so that the sea route is likely to be kept open most of this winter, but the regularity of the service is doubt
ful, of course Mr. C. S. Challiner is on his way to Australia. He goes to open a branch and further develop the great business of Shrewsbury and Challiner tires in Australasia,. No one could he better equipped ; he possesses the tire knowledge, the business instinct and capabilities, and he has youth and a pleasant personality to aid him
One great difficulty in the Russian war campaign is the scarcity of experienced drivers for the many motor transport wagons drivers can be had in plenty of the bus and taxieab type, but men capable of dealing with breakdowns are naturally required. I gather that batches of 24 each are being sent out from England, and the extra payment for Russia works out at 4:a. per day; this commences from the day of
departure. It takes 10 days to reach that country