News and Comment.
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This journal is extensively read by the heads of many wealthy commercial houses.
We have not room for all the Manceuvre reports in hand. The accounts will be continued.
The Paris Show.
Our own correspondent in Paris now writes :—" The Paris Salon, to be held in the Grand Palais from the 17th to 27th October, will not comprize a. commercial-motor section. Application to the municipal authorities for permission to erect a temporary building on the river banks has been finally refused. It has therefore become necessary to abolish this section: Negotiations have been opened with the committee responsible for the aero show, and it is quite possible that the nommereial-motdr 'section will be included with this show, also held in the Grand Palais, from the 5th to 25th December."
No 1914 Olympia Show.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traderall'has decided against a Commercial Vehicle Show at Olympia next year. This was generally anticipated, although the decision is not acceptable to newcomers in the industry -who wish to avail themselves of every possible opportunity for publicity. With show prospects removed, other than at the North of England Show in Manchester next January, at which Show the accommodation available is of .a limited description, apart from the fact that it is " farmed out" through agents in the district, these newcorners will have to seek other Methods of securing for their productions a better market Position without delay.
London Speed Limits.
A. speed limit of 10 m.p.h has been approved by the Local Government Board, in respect of part of St. john's Road, Battersea, whilst the same or lower limits are to be ieaposed in Church Street, Kensington, and Rye Lane, Peckham.
Army Transport.
Much of this issue is dexoted to the important and topical subject of " Marneuvre Transport." There has beeii considerable difficulty in securing a sufficient total of motor vehicles to meet all requirements, but hopes are still entertained by our self-satisfied military authorities that the commercial owner will yield to their parsimonious
terms in respect of subsidy models. We have contended from the outset for more-generous terms than have ever been offered. Proposals of the kind go 'back to the original submission of a registration scheme for motors, by our Editor, in the year 1902, when he was specially called to give evidence before a W.O. committee of which the present Earl,.ot 'Derby was, then as Lord Stanley, chairman.
The articles which we publish further demonstrate the reliant-2 which must nowadays be placed on the mechanical arm, and it threatens to become a national danger It, continue in force registratimr telans which are of no real interest to buyers for ordinary commercial uses. We may repeat, in this connection, our opinion, which is based upon information, that several of the makers who have apparently given their adhesion to the scheme, and who have either qualified or are on the point of essaying to qualify under the current subsidy regulations, took their decisions to compete solely with the abject of putting themselves in it potential position to build to the specification in the event of a considerable improvement an the present. meagre subsidy terms. They know how little the "pay ments in arrears" appeal to the average buyer.
The comparative absence of user-owned subsidy vehicles at the ma.nceuvres furnishes direct confirmation of the parlous state in which the War Office finds itself under the niggardly provisions which the Treasury has imposed upon A change is overdue. A committee of the Swansea Town Council has been appointed to consider a report of the Borough Surveyor in regard to the adoption of motor haulage.
A Motor Weighing Machine.
The Gregoire Co., of Neuilly (Seine), has recently supplied a novel 9 hp. friction-driven -car to the French police authorities, for use in preventing frauds in the sale of coal and other goods in bulk. The platform of the car is really a weighing machine; which is brought into operation by means4, of four collapsible legs. When the weight inspectors, in their travels, decide to stop a vehicle and test the weight of the sacks, the four legs are fixed on the ground, this at the same time slightly raising the weighingmachine platform off the chassis.
Growing Motor Transport.
Messrs. 'Downer and Co., carriers and haulage contractors, of Lower Canal Walk, Southampton, are amongst. the owners who have recently communicated with us in regard to their motor branch. This firm's London office, we may point out, is at 19, Cheapside, E.C. Its motor fleet now includes three " Little Giant" steam wagons, one /Wen, and one Mann ; on the petrol side, there is a 6!,-t-on Com • mercar, a three-ton Scout, and a five-ton Commercar. The firm gives frequent deliveries to Totton, Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Lymington, Eastleigh, Twyford, Winchester and Salisbury, and it arranges storage to suit customers. Writing to us on the subject, Mr. F. J_ Downer states : "We could not possibly do without motor transport. Apart from our own general haulage business, and our daily runs to towns situated from 20 to 35 miles from Southampton, we hire out both steam and petrol lorries to furni
tare removers. We shall naturally he pleased to give rates to prospective customers."
More Motor Mails.
Tenders for motor-mail services between Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield must be posted tb-day (Thursday). The distance to be travelled weekly is 255 miles, and the load capacity is 1:3 cwt. Tenders should be addressed to the G.P.O. Surveyor for the NorthMidland District, Leicester.
Gaulois Extensions.
Messrs. Bergougnan, of Clermont Ferrand, for which firm Gaulois Tyres (1909), Ltd., of 6, Bath Street, City Road, E.C., is the sole coneessionnairc in England, have opened a large tire and rubber factory in Riga. The extensive use of this tire by French owners of commercial motors is proving a considerable influence with English buyers.
R.I.A.
The Roads Improvement Association has shown considerable activity, both from headquarters and from its various centres, at recent L.G.B. inquiries into roadwidening and other schemes. For example, on the 9th inst., Messrs. F. B. Cawood and W. E. Cope represented the Association at Sheffield, with regard to a scheme for widening and improving an alternative route between Chesterfield and Sheffield, and for improving three dangerous corners in that district. whilst Mr. Sydney Ayres supported the Birmingham City Coulicil in its application for power to prepare a town-planning scheme to cover North Yardley and Stechford. Nearer the Metropolis, the Association supported the Ham U.D.C. in regard to a townplanning scheme to cover the majority of this area, and particularly in relation to the requirements of future traffic on the main road. Canal Bridges.
The Lancashire and Cheshire branch of the R.I.A. is organizing a special inquiry into the narrow and dangerous nature of many of the canal bridges in the two counties, many of which are at Tight angles across the canals, with the approach roads frequently joining at an angle of 45 degrees.
C.M.U.A. Centres.
We desire to draw special attention, at this time of the year, to the announcement of the Commercial Motor Users Association regarding its membership advantages and subscription terms. These will be found facing page 75.
It will be noticed, from the opening lines of the announcement to which we refer, that the addresses or the secretaries of the several centres of the Association are given prominence. So far, apparently, the two Lancashire centres are takiog the lead in respect of progress, butwe do not desire to write invidiously of the West Riding centre, and it is therefore expedient to add the explanation that the committee of that branch has been deprived of its first secretary, and is engaged in finding another one. The lion. Treasurer, Mr. B. N. Dadge, of the Bradford Transport Co., is very kindly filling the gap temporarily, but he is a busy man.
There must, surely, amongst all who have given attention to heavytraffic problems in the West Riding of Yorkshire, be a man competent and willing to accept this honorary position, and thereby to make a reputation for himself that cannot fail to lead him to some new stage issi a career of usefulness to the community, and benefit to himself. We hope that these lines may come under the notice of such an individual, in which event we suggest that he should in the first instance communicate with the secretary of the parent body in London, or with Mr. Dodge.
Reverting to the Manchester, Liverpool and Counties C.M.U.A., the headqua.rters of .which body are at 3, Cromwell Buildings, Blankfriars Street, Manchester, we may recall the fact that such prominent local ..owners as the following are included in the committee membership : R. C. Reynold (Bleachers Association, Ltd.), Chairman ; Leo Swain (Polack Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd.), Vice-Chairman ; John Faulkner (C. T. Faulkner and (Jo., Ltd.); Norman K Box ; Chas. Davies (Fedens, Ltd.); A. Dugdalo (flans Renold, Ltd.) ; P. E. 'Kershaw (Smith and Forrest); Max R. Lawrence ; John T. Lawton ; Geo.. W. Lowoork ; J. Nall, Junr. (Joseph Nall and Co., Ltd); J. Graham Reece (J. Blake and C.o.) ;
Shankland (Shrews.bury and Challiner Tyre Co., Ltd.); and D. H. Simpson (Simpson and Godlee, Ltd.),
Latest Be!size Catalogues.
Be'size Motors, Ltd., Clayton, Manchester, has recently introduced new editions of its industrial arid pleasure-car catalogues, a copy or each being to hand. The list devoted to its commercial-wehicle productions shows that this North of England concern admirably caters for the business
motor market, for we note that no fewer than six different sizes of machines are therein described and illustrated by means of line drawings of chassis and photographs of finished models. The smallest type shown consists of a 10-12 h.p, live-axle-driven van chassis, whilst the largest machine described is a 4 tormer with chain transmission for final drive. The well-known 14-16 h.p. Belsize cab
chassis is, of course, included in the list of productions. The pro spective buyer who desires a useful range of vehicles to select from will do well to see this manufacturer's list before deciding. On referring to the pleasure-car catalogue we notice that the concern is building four different types of machines, from a 10-12 h.p. two-seater to an /8-22 h.p. six-cylinder chassis shown fitted with a landaulet body.