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 by Local Authorities.
The Hambledon (Surrey) Board of Guardians is considering the purchase of a five-ton motor lorry.
The British Automobile Traction CO., Ltd., has been given permission to employ girl conductors at Congleton.
The Tramways Committee of the Manchester Corporation is purchasing two light motorvans, for parceldelivery work, The borough surveyor of Tiverton has recommended early purchase of a tractor and trucks, owing to the serious cost of horse haulage.
The Ash Parish Counitil considers that the Aldershot and District Traction Co., Ltd., has broken its promise in respect of passenger services to and from Ash.
Aberdeen Town Council has been asked. by Campbells, Ltd., to put a stop to the practice of the Aberdeen Suburban Tramways Co., Ltd., of utilizing its motorbuses for the conveyance of parties within and about the city, The Cleansing Committee of the Glasgow Corporation has found that motor sweeping-machines cost on the average 7.8d. per mile of highway swept, compared with 10d. per mile swept by horse haulage. Additional purchases of motor sweepers are likely.
Recent Registrations.
Silver Grey Motor Co., Ltd. (2500). with its offices at Parker's Yard, Smith Street, Rochdale.
George Summerskill, Ltd. (23000), with its offices at 16a, Grainger Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, to carry on the manufacture of motor omnibuses, motorvans, etc.
Harley-Davidson Motor Co., Ltd. (X20,000), with its offices at 74, Newman Street, Oxford Street, W., to carry on the business of manufacturing motor lorries, etc.
A Sentinel for Yorks.
We understand that a three-ton Sentinel steam wagon has been sold through Messrs. F. W. Berkeley and Co., of 39, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., to Messrs. Geo. Boddy and Sons, flour millers, of Coxwold, Yorks.
Trade in Ireland.
One of the leading makers of British three-ton and larger petroldriven vehicles is desirous to a0point sole agents for Ireland. Any parties who may wish to be put into communication will please address "Erin," care of the Editor.
Agricultural Motor Trials.
The trial of agrimotors, at the hands of the Highland and Agricultural Society, which is fixed to take place, at Stirling, on the 5th and 6th October, is officially styled "An exhibition trial of motor-tillage implements on King's Park Farm, Stirling." The necessary fields for the operations have been placed at the disposal of the Society by Messrs. Dewar, and the tests will begin each day at 9 a.m. The entries are as under :— International Harvester Co. 25 b.h.p. Mogul ; Ivel Agricultiiral Motors, Ltd., 24 h.p. Ivel ; Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Co., Ltd., 25 h.p. steam tractor ; Mills and Sons, Ltd.. a Sandusky tractor ; the Overtime Farm Tractor n Overtime farm tractor ; Cyrus Co.,Robinson and Co., Ltd.' a 25 h.p. Bull tractor ; and Wyles Motor Ploughs, Ltd., an 11 h.p. Wyles plough.
The Budget Speech.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his Budget speech on Tuesday of last week, indicated the following as the share of War taxation which is to fall directly upon owners and users of commercial motors : an additional duty on motor spirit of ad. per gallon. There is further an importduty ad valore)n on all "motorcars, motorcycles and parts thereof" which arebought from the U.S.A. or forei m gn countries. The effect of this
tax is not yet wholly evident. We deal with these important matters editorially.
The New Taxes.
We can, perhaps, not do better than to quote the following letter, addressed to the Editor, from Mr. McKenna's private secretary, on the 24th instant :— " Sir,—In reply to your telegram of yesterday, I am desired by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to say that under the terms of the Resolution passed by the House of Commons on 21st September all imported motorcars irrespective of their make or use are liable to duty. Unless, therefore, and until any exemptions are granted in the Finance Bill, trade, commercial and heavy motor vehicles come within the terms of the Resolution.
" The motor spirit duty has been raised from 3d. to 6d. per gallon, but it was expressly resolved that the increase of duty was not to operate so as to increase the allowance or repayment in respect of the duty now made to persons using motor spirit for certain purposes. Persons therefore previously entitled to a rebate of lid. per gallon are still entitled only to the same rebate, and will in future pay a duty of 41d. per gallon instead of the 14d. they have been paying hitherto."
We have not yet heard whether tires will or will not be classed as component parts. Customers of G. T. Riches and C.o., Ltd., of 19, Store Street, London, W.C., have of late been complaining of difficulty in getting through on the telephone. The company has therefore installed an additional telephone line, and Museum 1907 is the number for all The Trade's Generosity.
We have received the official list of donations of members of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Ltd., to the special fund which has been raised by that Society to maintain motor ambulances at the Front. The total to date is £3716, and amongst the most notable contributors are : Daimler Co., Ltd., £500; Hoffmann MarmfacturingCa., Ltd., £250; Wolseley Motors, Ltd., £250; Leyland Motors (1914), Ltd., .200. The society has also given £1000 to the Prince of Wales Relief Fund and £1000 to the Belgian Relief Fund. The trade support for our own Campaign Comforts Fund has also been, and continues to be, on tho same generous scale. The S.M.M.T. is not yet in that Lamp-lighting Table.
Light up your lamps at : —6.9 on Thursday. 6.7. on Friday, 6.5 on Saturday, 6.0 on Monday, 5:57 on Tuesday, 5.55 on Wednesday. The above times are for London. In Edinburgh light up 40 nuns, later, Newcastle 34 mins. later, Liverpool 41 mins. later, Birmingham 36 mills. later, and Bristol 40 mins later. For Dublin the lighting-up time reckoned in the local mean time for the district is 25 mins, earlier than Greenwich time.
International Time Recorders.
It may interest many of our readers to know that the International Time Recording Co., Ltd., has removed to more convenient premises at 57, City Road, E.G.
Yorkshire Brakes.
We regret that a slight error crept into one of the paragraphs of the article which was published in our last issue entitled " A Low-load Yorkshire Steamer." We described the internal-expanding foot brakes as acting on the front wheels. This was obviously a slip, the brakes in question being the usual hind-wheel ones.
Bradford Again.
The Street Drainage and Works Committee of the Bradford Corporation has recommended the Council of that city to include the following powers in its next application to Parliament for privateBill legislation "To provide in the case of heavy motor vehicles for limitation of speed, and of weight upon any pair of wheels, for use of double trolleys where loads are above certain weights, and to deal with width of tires and diameters of wheels."
The General Committee of the Commercial Motor Users Association, and the Committee of the West Riding Commercial Motor Users Association, will no doubt be able, as they were on a previous occasion, to counter this unnecessary activity on the part of the Bradford Corporation, especially having regard to investigations which are at present. occupying a Committee of the L.G.B Weights and Brakes.
On the 3rd inst., at the Guildhall, before Alderman Sir George Truscott, a driver was summoned for driving a heavy motorcar, drawing a trailer, with a joint unladen weight of 6 tons 10 cwt. It was proved in evidence that the weight on the trailer was inaccurate, and that the joint unladen weight was, in point of fact, below the legal maximum of 61 tons. The error in the lettering was due to the recording of a weight, as the weight of the trailer, when the vehicle was partly loaded. The summons was n this case dismissed.
The Taroads Syndicate, Ltd., and one of its drivers -were summoned for permitting and driving a heavy motorcar, with trailer attached, the brake of which trailer did not comply with the regulations. It appears that the following faults existed (1) The brake blocks were worn down ; (2) the faces of the blocks were covered with tar ; (3) the brake could not be applied either by the man on the trailer or by the driver of the heavy motorcar. The company was fined £1, and the summons against the driver was dismissed.
Palladium 5i-toriners.
Palladium Autocars, Ltd., of Felsham Road, Putney, S.W., informs us that it is making arrangements very considerably to accelerate deliveries of its vehicles for loads of between three tons and four tons.
. Albion Dividends.
The directors of the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., have made a departure, in view of the abnormal conditions prevailing, but without establishing a precedent, in making the declaration of an interim dividend on the ordinary shares at the rate of 5 per cent, for the halfyear ended the 30th June last. This dividend, as well as the half-yearly dividend on the preference shares, is payable to-morrow (Friday).
Avon Extensions.
The Avon India Rubber Co., Ltd., has recently entered into possessi•on of the rubber works, at Bradford-on-Avon, which were formerly occupied by the Sirdar Rubber Gee Ltd. The Avon teo. has purchased the freehold site, and the buildings—the. latter are known as the Greenland Mills—as well as the manufacturing plant for the pro duction of tires, tubes, etc. The transaction is part of a vigorous policy of expansion of the A von undertaking, of Melksham,
The Weight of the Trailer.
Mr. Eli Holder, a timber merchant of Kington Langley, was summoned at the Caine Petty Sessions recently for using a trailer of too great a weight. The heavy motorcar weighed 4 tons 19 cwt., whilst, the tare of the trailer was I ton is cwt. The joint tare, therefore, was 6 tons 17 cwt., whereas the limit under the Heavy Motor Order is El tons 10 cwt.A fine of
including costs, was imposed.
• The foregoing conviction again illustrates the necessity for regulation by axle-weight or gross weight, and not by unladen weight, in relation to user.
Requests from the Front.
Amongst the several requests received from the Front in connection with this journal's Campaign Comforts Fund, we have been asked to
su pply
A second-hand typewriter in reasonable repair, A cavalry trumpet., And a second-hand tail lamp.
If any of our readers feel they would like to present one or more of these somewhat unusual supplies, we shall be pleased to receive them here at the offices of the Fund, 7, Rosebery Avenue, E.C., and to acknowle,dge them and see that they reach:, /their destinations in due course:
Spencer-Moulton Tires.
We have been favoured with copies of paper slips which are used by George Spencer, Moulton and Co., in connection with the concern's solid-tire department. These are attached to each quotatarn for tires, and include an outline of the tire cross section, together with particulars of the maximum load and the new standard rim dimensions.
"The Electric Vehicle."
No. 4 of " The Electric Vehicle," which is the official organ of the Electric Vehicle Committee, and which is published quarterly, has reached us. It contains a most-informative statement and directions for the guidance of persons who may wish to make arrangements for charging electric-vehicle batteries. A copy can be obtained, price 4d. post free from the Electrical Press, Ltd., 13-16. Fisher Street, Southampton Row, W.C. A distinct growth of the battery-vehicle movement is reflected in the pages of this quarterly journal.
Our Fund.
Gratifying promises o' additional support, on a monthly basis, have reached us in respect of the central Campaign Comforts Fund for the A.S.C., M.T., for which Fund this journal is responsible. We have been not a little surprised to find that, in a few eases, manufacturers and traders, who are very large contractors to the Government for supplies to the motor lorries on which thes,e very men work daily, have advanced, as a reason for not subscribing, that " there are many other funds which appeal to us far more strongly."
We quite agree with the view that other fundsare more deserving in some respects, and in their claims at large, but we entirely-disagree that any other fund can have such a degree of superiority, particularly in relation to its claims upon any member of the anotor dustry, that as a consequence of those other claims the Central Fund for the A.S.C., M.T., should be given nothing. It is the central
organization, enjoying official recognition at the hands of the chiefs of the A.S.C., M.T., through which. an expression of interest in the men who use the lorries can alone be properly given.
Sheffield's Surveyor and Haulage.
We observe that Mr. W. J. Hadfield, the city surveyor of Sheffield, in his annual report for the year ended the 25th March last, which report has recently been issued, gives exact and interesting figures with regard to the cost of working the Corporation's motor lorries which once belonged to his department. They were impressed on the 5th August, 1911. All the machines were five-tonners, but Mr. Hadfield states that they were practically never loaded with more than four tons. The working cost per tonmile could have been reduced proportionately, whilst the cost per vehicle-mile would have gone up hut little, if full loading had been the rule.
Mr. Hadfield summarizes his experience by stating that " after allowing very full depreciation, each lorry is capable of saving at least £200 per annum, compared with team labour. The loss of the six lorries therefore means a loss to the department of £.1200 per annum."
We hope that Mr. Hadfield will now be able, following the partial release of manufacturers by the War Office, to obtain replacements, and so resume saving money for the ratepayers. He has been " making do" with second-hand chassis, It is interesting to observe that, in relation to our standard sheet of working costs, the Sheffield lorries have cost 12.05d. per mile run, compared with our figure of 11.Sad. Had the mileage at Sheffield been higher (it appears to have averaged under 200 miles per lorry per week), and had depreciation been allowed at a less generous scale (a life of six years was adopted), the costs per mile run would have been considerably below those which we have inchided in our sheet of standards.