The Wheels of Industry.
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This journal, dealing as it does with the "Chariots of War," no less than with the "Wheels of Industry," continues of national importance. Its interests embrace impartially the transport wagon and the parcelcar, the military tractor and the steam lorry.
Proposals and Purchases.
Newmarket U.D.C. is seeking, through its surveyor, Mr. W. H. Ely, quotations for a steam tractor.
Acton U.D.C. wishes to receive tenders, on or before the 21st prox., for the supply of a petrol motor fireengine, pump, and a petrol motorescape.
The new fire-station of the Upper District Committee of Renfrewshire, at Darnky, is now completed. A second motor fire-engine will be installed later.
Hornchurch Parish Council has been seeking to purchase a motor fire-engine chassis, but has been unable to obtain quotations, owing to the occupation of makers with Government work.
Dundee has received its new Leyland motor fire-engine, of 350 gallons capacity, by road from Leyland, and the machine has satisfactorily passed severe pumping, hill-climbing, deep-lift and speed tests.
Selby U.D.O. is making progress towards the purchase of a motor fire-engine, subject to the possibility of getting delivery, and has given instructions to its representatives to view a demonstration with a 400-gallon engine.
Coke for Steamers.
The London Coke Committee, of which Mr. E, W. L. Nicol is the fuel expert, has its offices at 84, Horseferry Road, Westminster, B.W: This Committee, which is doing much valuable work to systematize roadside. supplies of coke to steamwagon owners, has now made arrangements for the stocking of graded coke for steam wagons at 120 supply depots in the Metropolitan and surrounding districts. A printed list of the depots is in course of preparation, and applications for -opies should be made to Mr. Nicol as above.
Kensington Borough Council.
A correspondent, who has read' with interest of the settlement, for the term of the war, between the Royal Borough of Kensington and the C.M.U.A., re noisy traffic along residential thoroughfares, asks the following question: "Is it generally known that the Royal Borough of Kensington has regularly broken the motofear law by rimning a 12 m.p.h. petriil lorry, with an old horse-broom as a trailer, without brakes or tare weights, and at 15 m.p.h., along the very roads now in question, during the night? What about the noise that is made by this steel-tired sweeper going at such a speed ? I saw it working
436 quite recently. Might not this machine, which belongs to the Kensington Council, be the cause of some of the complaints ? "
We are drawing the attention ot the Town Clerk of Kensington to the foregoing observations.
Our Fund.
The total to date is now in excess of 25200, thanks to the arrival of a handsome donation of 2150, per Lieut.-Colonel F. W. Wright, from. the Grove Park A.S.C., M.T. Depot. The official support from this depot now reaches 2900.
We shall probably publish the additional donations to _the end of August in onr issue of the 9th prox., and, at the same time, make other and important announcements in regard to the future of this branch of our war-time work.
A Registration Oversight.
The North Warwickshire Motor Omnibus and Traction Co., Ltd., was fined £5 in each of four cases, a total of 220 in all, at Tamworth Police Court, on the 10th inst., in the foilowiaig circumstances. An inspector of police had noticed the identification plate " AC26 " in use on different dates on different vehicles. Ile found, by inquiry, that this registration had been allotted to the Nuneaton and Stockingford Red Motor Omnibus Co., which was not now in existence. The defence was that the vehicle had been acquired, and that the notification to the registration authority, in respect of the new ownership, had been overlooked, whilst, as regards the use of the same identification letters and numbers on two different vehicles, this was because they were attached to the body, which had been changed from one chassis to another as a convenience of working. The chassis to which the body belonged, and to which the registratroll applied, was in the garage without a body when the body was seen on the road on another chassis. It was due to a. requirement of the insurance company, and not due to any wish or intention to avoid payment of licences. The defending solicitor pointed out that the number was false only to the extent of the body.
Petrol Imports.
The following figures, which we quote from a White Paper giving the Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation in the United Kingdom, for July, 1915, are interesting : they give the quantity of petrol imported during July for the three years 1913, 1914, and 1915, respectively, as 7,409,049, 14,497,722, and 15,438,000 gallons. Gallons fer seven months ending 31stJuly, for each of thern three years under notice, are : 57,225,835, 74,924,825, and 78,466,877.
Solid Tires on Trailers.
The secretary of the Motor Trade Association, 157, Great Portland Street, W., asks us to draw the attention of users of heavy motor vehicles to the risk of their invalidating their solid-tire guarantee if they disregard the condition which stipulates that the •attachin(; of a
trailer will cancel it. A limited and reduced guarantee, not exceeding 7000 miles, may under suitable conditions be specially arranged to apply to a solid-tired motor lorry which at any time hauls a trailer. Carburine Spirit.
The Gas Lighting Improvement Co., Ltd., of Salisbury House, London Wall, E.C., has issued a pamphlet dealing with the supply and marketing of its Carburine motor spirit, and other productsGlico motor spirit, Glico lubricants, benzole, solvent naphtha, and Glico white spirit. It is pointed out that the concern is entirely a British one, with British shareholders, directors and staff. The excellent quality of the company's motor spirits, fuels and lubricants are amply testified, within our knowledge, by users.
Travellers' Broughams.
We observe that Peek, Frean and Co., Ltd., was summoned, at the instance of the West Sussex County Council, before the Worthing Bench, on the 11th inst., for keeping a motorcar without a licence. It was an ordinary motorcar, but used for the conveyance of samples of biscuits and chocolates, and it was stated in evidence that the car was used as a means of conveyance only by company's traveller. The prosecution contended that it was an ordinary motorcar, and should pay the carriage tax, but the defence contended that the particular vehicle was adapted for the purpose for which it was used, the conveyance of samples, and. that no distinctioii was to be drawn between samples and goods. The company kept 100 such cars, and did not pay a licence in London or elsewhere.
The Bench convicted, and imposed a fine of £5, with 10 guineas allowance for special witnesses for the County Council.
[Provided the name and address of Peek, Preen and Co., Ltd., were put on the ear, as to which point the evidence is not clear, we con sider that this conviction is wrong, and will be of no use as a precedent. —En.]
Hexham Magistrates in Error.
We observe that a Mr. Alexander Noble, of Neweastle-on-Tyne, was fined .21 and casts, at the Hexham Petty Sessions, on the 17th inst., for driving a motor wagon exceeding 7 ft. 2 ins. in width, at Corbridge, on the 22nd July. We have written to this owner, and also to the Chairman of the Ilexham Petty Sessions, pointing out that the conviction is wrong in law. Article IX of the Heavy Motor Car Order has evidently been overlooked. It reads : " Notwithstanding anything in the Motorcar(Use and Construction) Order, 1904, a heavy motorcar, if its weight unladen is three tons or exceeds three tons, and any trailer drawn by any such heavy motorcar may, when measured between its extreme projecting points, be of a width not exceeding seven feet six inches."
We hope that any owners wbo are in a similar difficulty will know how to defend themselves, and we regret that the fine was not more
than 20s. There can be no appeal, having regard to the amount of the fine. Before such a course can be taken, a fine must exceed 20s.
New Registrations. T. Brittain and Sons, Ltd. (R3000), to take over a motor-body business at Springvale Works, Bristol Street, Birmingham.
Amalgamated Deliveries Ltd. (£3000), with its office at Imperial Buildings, 72, High Street, Belfast, to carry on the business of carriers by motor.