News and Comment.
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This 'journal is the recognized Users' Organ it has a genuine circulation (Home, Colonial and Foreign), genuine advertisement support, and an Editorial Staff whose members have had experience in road transport.
The Road Bill.
The of the Road Bill will be.
found on pages 328 to 529, and our comments on page 324. We are strongly opposed to the proposals for motor roads, as any expenditure of this kind cannot be as fruitful as that Upon the improvement of existing highways.
Canadian Motor Trials.
The report or our special correspondent, Mr. A. Burnes.s Greig, on the trials at Brandon (Man.) will be found on pages 524 to 526. The Board of directors of the Winnipeg Exhibition has decided to hold a third agricultural-motor competition next year, and the conditions for this are now occupying the attention of the judges in the recent tests.
Mr. Raymond Dennis Ill.
We were sorry to learn, last week, that Mr. Raymond Dennis, one of the founders and managing directors of Dennis Bros., Ltd., of Guildford, was laid up with blood poisoning. We are now glad to hear that he is progressing favourably, but it must have been an acute disappointment to Mr. Dennis not to have been able to attend the annual works sports and smoking concert on Saturday last.
Straker-Squire Vans.
The Motor Contract Co., of 8, Bramber Road, West Kensington, W., has now taken delivery of some of its 14-16 h.p. four-cylinder StrakerSquire vans, for loads of from 8 cwt. to 10 cwt. Two have been let on a hire contract to the International Fur Stores, of 163 and 165, Regent Street, W., and we illustrate the machines outside the well-known premises in question. Another Straker-Squire van is about to take up service for Messrs. Jay. the famous mourning warehouse, also under contract with the Motor Contract Co. Mr. Sidney Straker has been interviewed by the " Financial News," and has reiterated his confidence in the future which lies before commercial motoring both at home and abroad. The Straker-Squire Co. has just taken the whole of the War Department's order for ambulances, this result following the good work of its 24 lip. ambulance sold to the same buyer some 18 months ago.
Country Stores Awaken.
the ever-widening circle of delivery, which is being adopted by the great London stores, is at last causing old established a lid erto-s uccessf u country stores to waken up. Countryhouse orders, in past years, notwithstanding the large proportion of commands which went to the Army and Navy and the Civil Service Stores, were the backbone of these large tradesmen's businesses, and they have been forced, since the beginning of the year 1906, to view with increasing concern the growth of daily motor deliveries in their areas. One of the latest houses to take action, as will be gathered from an illustration on page 529, is Lawrence's Stores, Ltd., whose headquarters is at Bracknell,
Berks., and this company's choice has fallen upon a 11-ton " Commer Car " tilt van.
Lacre Sales.
Two Lacre vehicles are illustrated in our text pages this week. They are typical examples of this company's enormous business, which is admitted, even by trade competitors, to be the largest that has yet been secured for vehicles to carry loads between 15 cwt. and two tons.
" Homoc" on Flying.
This week's issue of " The Motor " contains an interesting account, from the pen of " Home," of the impressions he formed during a flying visit to Rheims. It is written in that easy and happy style which is known to our readers, and we recommend its perusal_ lie thinks better engines are wanted for the aeroplanists of to-day, in which we agree.
Prizes for Careful Drivers.
For the third year in succession, the Commercial Motor "Users' Association will conduct a meet and parade of vans, wagons and tractors. This will take place about the end of October, and probably, as heretofore, on the Thames Embankment. There is no question that these annual competitions are, of value to owners; whilst they are unquestionably appreciated by the drivers, who have the opportunity to win not-inconsiderable cash prizes. The scheme of conducting the competition insures high marking for reliability, punctuality, careful attention to condition, and degree of excellence of working on the part of the driver, and we hope its scope will he widened to a larger radius than 20 miles from Charing Cross, which was the limit adopted in 1907 and 1908. We shall also hope to see some revision in the markings, so as to emphasize a preference for the personal value of the driver above any long mileage. record of a particular machine. It is the man, rather than the engine of which he happens to be in charge, that should get the marks, although the necessity to allow some marks for machines which have done more than, say, 20,000 miles, may be admitted. Alternatively, a machine which has run less than that distance might be penalized by a reasonable deduction from the marks.
Owners who do not already belong to the Commercial Motor Users' Association, and who may care to be informed of the conditions, will do well to get into immediate communication with the Secretary, at 1, Albemarle Street, W.
The General Motor Car Co., of Sydney, New South Wales, has ordered six 15-25 h.p. Renault van chassis.
International Time-recorders.
The International Time Recording Co., of 1M, City Road, E.C., reports great briskness in trade, and satisfactory sales of its recorders in all parts of the world. This company's timerecorders are well favoured by leading members of the motor industry.
Lessened Road Costs.
Amongst the county surveyors who have been able to maintain their roads in first-class condition, to undertake extensive tarring, and generally to improve existing highways, are to be reckoned those who have charge of the roads in Kent and the Deeside District (Aberdeenshire).
Halley's Motors.
Halley's Industrial Motors, Ltd., has changed its London address to :36, Causton Street, Vauxhall Bridge Road, S.W. One of this company's latest sales has been to Hanningtons, Ltd., of Brighton, and we illustrate the vehicle in question. Ffarrod's, Ltd., has also placed an order for a number of Halley vans.
Saunderson's Tractors.
The Elstow Works of H. P. 44iiunderson and Co., Ltd., near Bedford, have witnessed several important demonstrations, during the past fortnight, before distinguished parties of Colonial visitors, including the following: the Hon. F. R. Moor, Prime Minister of Natal; the Hon. Lieut.Col. E. M. Greene, Natal Minister for Railways and Harbours; Mr. 3. A. Vaughan, Chief Inspector of Machine7 for the Transvaal Government; the Hon. Sir Frederick Borden: and Sir William Taylor. All the visitors expressed themselves as highly pleased, with the work done by the Saunderson " Universal" tractor.
New Zealand Orders.
Five two-ton A rrol-J ohnston motor lorries have been ordered for shipment to New Plymouth, New Zealand.
Each \sill have a 20-25 h.p., fourcylinder, vertical engine.
A smart 25-cwt. Dennis lorry has recently been supplied to a Mr. Edtnouds, a large flour merchant, of Christchurch, New Zealand. It was shipped about a fortnight ago. The Dennis company also has in hand at the moment an order from a goldmining company in Africa for a lorry to run on sand, in order to replace a portion of an existing camel service.
Accidental Death.,
At Hertford, on the 14th ult., an inquest took place in respect of the death of a man named Robert Smith, who was knocked down by a motto-van owned by Messrs. Fremlin Bros., brewers, of Tottenham. The evidence showed that the van turned the corner at a. maximum speed of five m.p.h., and the jury. after retiring for half an hour, came to the conclusion that the driver, a man named Sharp, did not go round the corner in a negligent manner, and returned a verdict of
• ' Accidental death," which finding was received with applause.
The Russian Market Once Again.
Lodz, writes a German who is touring through Russian Poland, who is describing his impressions in a Berlin daily, does not contain a single automobileat any rate, he saw none during a stay of eight days, although Lodz is a flourishing, industrial city of -100,000 inliabita nts. TTorse-drawn cabs are very numerous, being greatly in request on account of the low fares. which range from (id. to Pd. (20 to 30 copecks). The roads, however, are paved with badly-laid wooden blocks (wood is very cheap there), or "awful cats' heads " (cobbles), which play havoc with the springs. As to wood paving, the writer tells us it is scamped work, contractors endeavouring to squeeze as much as possible out of the contract, which they receive from a Government official and not from the city itself—local self-government being non-existent in Russian Poland, Presumably, the Government official " squeezes " the contractors, who " get their own back " by the scamping process aforementioned. Lodz is without canalisation, and in rainy weather the roads often lie so deep under water that people who desire to cross must either wade across or lure a cab. Cabby charges 3d. (10 copecks) for the transport, and appears to do good business as " ferryman." Again, owing to the wood blocks being so badly laid down they are occasionally loosened and pulled up in heaps by the water, and thus form " blocks " to traffic. The writer himself, when riding in a cab, underwent an experience of the kind. Lodzers accept such incidents with resignation. '• Quo voulez-vous:." they say in effect, with a shrug of the shoulders. " We have not self-government."