ROAD TRANSPORT IN OTHER LANDS.
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Items of News Intended to Stimulate the Interest of British Makers in Overseas Markets.
Bus Progress in the Philippines. THL
4' most notable tAnsport develop
meat in the Philippine Islands dnring recent years has been the great increase in the use of motorbuses. There are only three railways in the Philippines, with a total mileage of -659, and consequently there is a great field for bus services wherever roads are opened. In fact, on some routes there is such keen competition between rival companies that, on one run in Cebu, a passenger may ride 62 miles for about 3s. 6d.
Manila has the only electric tramway service in the islands, which, however, like the railways, is being seriously affected by the increasing bus competition. According to a recent return, there are now 2,755 motorbuses running in the various islands. The vehicles are mostly of a small type equipped with locally made bodies seating from eight to 20 passengers.
As longer routes are 'gradually being opened up, more comfortable vehicles tire becoming necessary. Some well-equipped buses have made trial trips between Manila and Baguio —a distance of about 125 miles—with good results, and • a regular service between these points is expected to be established shortly.
Road -Motors in Algeria. SINCE the war there has
been a marked increase in the number of motorvans, lorries, and buses in use in Algeria. According to a recent return there were 4,857 vans and lorries registered in the country at the end of last year, of which 2,319 were in the Algiers Department, 1,648 in that of Oran, and 890 in that of Conatantine. The same return. shows the number of motorbuses registered in Algeria to be 711.
Building Bus Bodies in Ceylon.
THETHE motorbus has now become so in Ceylon that an industry concerned with building bus bodies and of equipping vehidea ready for the road is developing. There is already a number of Ceylonese bus bodybuilders who do a thriving trade on this type of work alone, But what has for some time been the business of a few persons is now developing into an organized industry in which large motor trading firms are participating. One of these is Rolands Garages, Ltd., which has a special department engaged in building bus and lorry bodies at an average rate of 25 a month. Most of the vehicles are for Ceylonese bus proprietors.
An attempt was made by this firm to. introduce imported bus bodies into Ceylon, but bus proprietors were generally not in favour of them, pre ferring locally constructed bodies, as they are cheaper than the imported products.
Irish Free State Imports. DURING August last only 43 in
dustrial motor vehicles, valued at £22,040, were imported into the Irish Free State, bringing up the total for the first eight months of the year to 372 vehicles (i130,712), As compared with 551 vehicles (i149,901) in the corresponding period a year ago.
A Growing Transport Concern in the Belgian Congo.
TEE Societe des Messageries Auto mobiles du Congo, which was formed in Brussels early in 1927 to acquire and extend an existing road-transport undertaking in the Uele district of the Belgian Congo, is now muffing public motor services for the transport of both passengers and goods over the Royal Congo-Nile road between Guma and Faradje, and along the various transverse roads connecting with the main artery.
During the first financial year, the report for which has just been issued and during which a small net profit was made, the number of passenger-miles run by the company's fleet of buses was 1,495,260, whilst the ton-mileage of the goods vehicles amounted to 1,217,980. At the end of the financial year the company's fleet totalled 106 vehicles— practically all of Belgian manufacture.
Despite the fact that the closing of the port of Matadi, owing to yellow fever, has reduced the returns during the first half of the present year, in order to provide for the anticipated increase of traffic, orders have lately been placed for another 20 Auto-Traction 4ton lorries, to house which additional garage accommodation is being erected in the Congo.
Bus Fittings Required.
DUBLIN UNITED TRAMWAYS
Co. (1896), Ltd., is inviting tenders for the supply of motorbus fittings, including aluminium sheet and moulding, tyres and tubes, as well as spare parts for Associated Dein:der; Dennis, Leyland and Thornycroft bus chassis, for a period of 12 mouths, ending December 31st, 1929. Forms of tender and other information can be obtained from the _ company's offices, 59, Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin. Tenders have to be delivered not later than November 12th.
Railcars Wanted.
HIS MAJESTY'S Commercial Secre tary at Warsaw reports that one of the Polish Ministries is desirous of purchasing several petrol or 'steam-driven rail-inspeetion cars. . British makers can obtain further particulars from the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, OM Queen Street, London, S.W.1, reference A.X.7026 being quoted.
Motor Taxation in New Zealand. THE Government of New Zealand
has decided to call a conference of representatives of motor-vehicle owners, county councils and other municipalities, the main highways board and the public works department, to consider motor taxation in all its aspects.
Fire-engines in the Free State. FIRE-ENGINES, their accessories and parts imported into the Irish Free State are liable to Customs duty. The amount of duty paid is returnable, however, in the case of a motor vehicle run on the road for the purpose of demonstration or test for a distance of not more than one hundred miles, under the general identification number of the firm carrying out the work, and, subsequently, re-exported.