WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.
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wheel of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs:"—John Beattie Crozier. 'The
Buses in Mining Districts.
In answer to a question from Colonel William Thorne in the Hnuse of Commons last week as to the inadequacy of the omnibus services running into Bishop Auckland and through the mining villages in and about Durham which includes Bishop Auckland, Reisly Hill, Westerton, Ferryhill, Spennymoor, Durham and Coxhoe, which necessitates many workers walking to and -from their work, the President of the Board of Trade stated that the Controller of Coal Mifies has the matter in hand.
The Industrial Reconstruction COuncil.
A conference on women in industay will be held under the auspices of the Industrial Reconstruction Council on Tuesday, 5th November, at 6 p.m., in the hall of the Institute of Journalists, 2 and 4, Tudor Street, E.C. 4. The subject will be introduced by Miss Lilian Dawson, Secretary of the Fabian Society Women's Group and a member of the National Union of Women Workers, after which the discussion will be open. No tickets are necessary.
Inst. A.E. Paper on Motor " Vehicle Failures.
The paper to be read by Lieut. W. E. Williams at the next meeting of the Institution of Automobile Engineers, on 6th November, will describe a few failures of.parts of motor vehicles which have occurred in service, and give reasons for these' failures. The partieular cases dealt with will be shown to be for the most part due tofaults of various kinds in the selection or treatment of the material, though of course there are others-. The Council feel that he compilation of a list of such failures must, when the reason also is given, be of inestimable value to the industry generally as a guide to future deaign and manufacture.
An invitation is cordially extended to all those who are interested' in the subject, and those who are willing to contribute to the discussion are specially asked to notify the secretary of their desire to ao so in good time before the meeting.
The meeting will he held at the Royal Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi, W.C., on 6th November, at 7.30 pan.
The Offer of War Office Lorries.
In connection with the eller of the Director-General of Sala'age to sell old War Office motor lorries to local authorities, it is pointed out that there may not be a sufficient number of vehicles to meet the requirements of all councils that may apply, but it is intended to dispoae of whatever rolling stock that may be available in accordance with the needs of each area.
In the week ended 4th October. motor tractors ploughed about 23,000 acres; the steam tackle organised by the Food Production Department dealt with 21400 acres for the week ended 18th October.
A British Conversion Set.
We have received from Brame°, Ltd., • Radford Fields, Coventry, a copy of new catalogue dealing with and illustrating the new British-built model of the Olson converting one-ton unit.– WhiLst the main principle remains the same, the design is in many points changed, the full-floating system of • axle construction being adopted in preference to the eemifloating type of the Aniericart model. Moreover, the unit also provides greater support for the chassis. These changes which have rendered the unit more expensive to produce, have not been introduced through any failure of the original model, but in order to make the design accord more closely with British ideas and the company's ideas of theoretical as well as practical perfection.
A number of examples of the application of the unit are illustrated, and testimony as to the satisfaction in service and reliability of the Olson_ unit is given by a number of users.
Statistics given in the catalogue go to show that at the present time there are _ about 25,000 of these conversion unitsin use in America ; over 1000 are stated to be in use in Detroit alone.
Courses of training discharged soldiers as motor mechanics and drivers at Bolton have proved so succeasful that the Lancashire and Westmorland Advisory Committee have asked the Town Council to arrange further courses.
RudgeWhitworth Bearings.
• We are ,informed that Riidge-Whit. worth, Ltd., Reddings Lane;" Sparkhill,• Birmingham, have, at the urgent request Of the Ministry of Munitions, erected and equipped with modern -Machinery, a factory creVoted exclusively to the Manufacture of ball bearings. The company have . carriad 'Din extensive add far-reachiag experiments for over 12 Months, with the result that the knowledge acquired over this period, combined • with the manufacturing facilities at the disposal of the company and theemployn-,ent of highly-skilled labour, • have enabled a first-rate bearing • to beput on the market. The new works cover three acres of ground. Since this new inception the company have set a high standard on its production, with Lk result that R.-W. bearings are now being used by some of the most exacting manufacturers in the country.
We have recently received a catalegue which gives full particulars of the journal and thrust bearings which are being produced. A copy will be mailed to any interested reader upon application to the address given above.
Trade Lorries and Road Contribution.
At a meeting of the Executive Council of the Rural District Councils Association a letter was read from the Cricklade and Wootton Bassett, Council referring to a conference of rural councils held at Swindon, at which the question of extraordinary traffic on district roads was discussed, and asking the aasociation to take up the matter with the Road Board with the object of securing financial assistance from the Board to enable councils, to carry out absolutely necessary repairs now, and also assistance aftes the war to make district roads of sufficient strength to carry heavier motm traffic. The Cricklade and Wootton 'Bassett Council complained of damage to its roads by motor. lorries from a new lyettablislied milk factdry in the district: Ni. _Hawes, Bakewell, calied attention to the arrangement which his craincil • had Made -witn 'Nettle and •Anglo-Swif,s Condensed. Milk Co., Ltd., as follows A company; known as " Nestle and .Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co.," with ,a condensery at Ashbourne, Derbyshire, . •collect milk from the faints in the Bake • well rural district by Means of motor lorries. me lorries damaged the roads of the Bakewell Rural District Council and negotiations took place between the council and the company on the subject. The matter has now been settled satisfactorily to both parties by the payment by the milk company of the sum of £50 to the council, and by an arrangement to pay a further sum of id. per mile for each mile run by the motor lorries over the council's roads daring the five years commencing on 1st July last. The
• arrangement then to be continued subject to three months' notite on either side, and to be subject to a revision after the war in the event of heavy motor lorriesbeing taxed heavily for the benefit of the roads... .
The Executive CounCil decided to dirct the attention of the Cricklade and Wootton Bassett Council to this arrangement, which would appear to afford a basis for a somewhat similar settlement in . the Cricklade and Wootton Bassett case.
Comrner Car lorries have-' renderedyeoman' service in various spheres of military operation, and . have added., to their well-earned laurels' of peace time. The military authorities hate recently decided to dispense with the chain cases which hitherto have been part, of the 'standard specification for Conamer Cars, and in the future lorries of this make will be supplied without this fitting,
• Gully Emptying by Motor.'
. Lambeth B.C. has decided to purchase vacuuni motor.gully cleansing machine from Straker -Squire, Ltd., at the price of 21100. '
. in dune, 1916, the council decided.to purchase a steam-driven vacuum gully emptying wagon from Leylands Motors, Ltd., for Rel'ib, but the hrm states that delivery is still impossible owing to war -work. At that time Messrs. Straker ,Squire Offered a petrel-driven machine at £950, and the firm have stated that it could supply a niachine similar to those supplied to the Southwark and St. Marylebone Councils in about two months of receipt of order for £1100. In that, case the council has, as stated, ordered a machine from Messrs. Straker Squire. .
The council is allow ing the order for the Leyland machine to remain, as there will be plenty of work for this machine when it can be delivered.
Statistics put before the council showed that by using the motor machine the cost of emptying would be only 8s. a ton comparbd with 12s. 3d. per ton by the present old-fashioned method • by which 'the galleys are emptied by men. with gigantic ladles. The slop is deposited • in the road and subsequently carted away. But the motor machine empties the contents of the gullies direcb into the van in one operation, and the modern system is advantageous from the health, as well as the economy, point of vies.
In a letter just issued to the share• holders of Whitehead Aircraft (1917), Ltd., Mr. J. A. Whitehead, governing director, intimates that the preliminary figures for the year ending 30th September, 1918 (after making ample allowance. fordepreciation), show that the preference and ord'nery dividend has been earned some three times over
Apollo Plugs.
Apollo sparking plugs have been popular for some years. The manufacturers are now breaking fresh ground by producing their L.C.B. modelplug in brass instead of in steel, although, for the moment, half inch gas is the only size available in brass. The metric measurements will continue to be supplied in steel for the time being.
The Apollo LOB. plug is designed specially for low compression and oily engines, which includes practically all the American cars on the English market, and for the'Ford particularly it is an ideal plug. The fact of it now being made in brass offers many advantages. Brown Bros., Ltd., notify us that it is produced at the same price in brass as in steel, viz., 4s.
The price of the No. 1 Apollo plug has had to be increased to 6s. on account of the increased cost of the mica used in its manufacture, which is of a similar quality to that Used in the No. 8 model, specially designed for rotary type Hero engines.
Miss Austin Marries.
Extractor writes:—
One of the most picturesque war weddings materialized -recently at
• Lickey, in Worcestershire, when Sir Herbert Austin's daughter was married to Staff Captain Waite; M.C. I gather ° that the motor trade was not extensively rep:esented, but the Austin works was well to the fore, as it should be, and 'a novel and pleasing feature of the wedding was a selected hundred of the girl workers in fresh, 'clean factory uniforms, gaily decorated with Australian colours.
Some real organizer had first of all sent motorcars to the local station for gueSts, and had planned the seating in church and at luncheon. My informantwas, like the_ late Chas. Stewart Parnell, punctually a quarter of an hour late, and, gazing wistfully at the crush, felt out of it, but, as I have said, the organization was great, every guest was pounced upon and conducted to his allotted place. Report says that Sir Herbert tried his hest to escape the speech making, was discovered, in fact, trying to attend to some urgent businesa, but was -carried off to assist, and, of course,spoke Well and -feelingly. Mr. Ball from Nottingham, father of the famouS airman, Captain Ball, V.C., made an -excellent. speech, completing the happy send off.
Motor Wunteer Dinner.
From the very °Wet of the Volunteer movement, the motor transport unit, originally part of the City of London National Guard and now a separate entity, known as the Cityof London A.S.C., M.T. (V), GT01.10 1, has been a wellorganized, enthusiastic body of men, prepared at all times to earry out rseful military work and_ to be ready for any national emergency calling for the mobili zation of transport. Under the command of Major E. S. Shrapnell-Smith, C.B.E., whose adiutarit is Capt. F. G. Bristow, secretary of the -Commercial Motor Users Association, with Capt. E. D. Lowy and Capt. W. G. Williams as officers commanding the two companies, the unit ha S developed its utility and increased in personnel, whilat esprit de Corps has risen to a high level: On Saturday last the hest of good feeling prevailed at the annual dinner held in London, the Commanding Officer being supported by Col_ de Lara Cohen, commanding the 1011 County of London Batt. the London Reek, Major H. C. Gunton, FIE., 'commanding the Volunteer Signal Section of the Royal Engineers, Commander G. J. Shave, of the Special Constabulary, and others. Col. C. V. Holbrook, the Director of Mechanical Transport, M.o.M., W. E. A-meanie, C.B.E., Assistant Director of Transport, War Office, and Col. G. T. B. Cobbett,
were expected to be preseut, *hut urgent military business intervened in ei.ch ease. The speeches were few but exceedingly good, and the musical programme provided by Miss May Wirdsor was particularly enjoyable. Capt. L'ids-: tow was in the happy position of being able to read to the company a most commendatory letter from Major-General G. Fielding, commanding the London District, on the work of the unit which had been brought under his notice.
Building plans have been passed for new stores in New Road, Kidderminster, for the 'Castle Motor Co., also for an oil depot in Lysart Road, Grantham, for the Shell Marketing Co.
A Char-a-bancs Test Case.
At Linlithgow recently a test case was heard in which the Inland Revenue Commissioners prosecuted the Oakbank Oil Co. (Ltd.), of Glasgow, for failure to obtain excise licences for motor chars-abanes which they used to eonvev their workmen to a newly developed shale field • from and to their homes in surrounding towns. The company had commenced the, erection of the new mining village of several hundred houses at Westfield, but on the outbreak of war building had to cease. As the Governmentpressed for all possible shale product the company obtained labour from neighbouring towns and they contended that these motors being used solely for trade purposes were exempt from excise licence.
The Sheriff decided against the company-, and imkiosed a penalty of £10, but on the application of the company's agent he agreed to state a case.
The C.M.U.A.'s "Extraordinary < Traffic" Appeal-.
The list of guarantors in connection with the ease of the Weston Urban District Council versus H. Butt and CO., Ltd., n8w being fought on behalf of the users of commercial motor vehicles by the Commercial Motor Users Association, which was published in our last issue showed a total of £4410. Contributions have since come to hand from the following :=
£50: British Thomson Houston Co., Ltd. ; £30 each': North and East Lancs. C.M.U.A., G. Scammall and Nephew, • Ltd. ; 25 guineas each: Dagnalls, Ltd., Tletal Agencies Co., Ltd. ; £25: C. Vaux and Sons, Ltd. ; £20: Bradford Dyers Association, Ltd.'; 10 guineas each : "Motor Traction," W. J. Lobjoit and Son, G. Payne' and Co., Ltd., Walter Webb, South Metropolitan Gas Co., E.. Wells and Sons. Ltd., Alldays and Onions P. E. Co., Ltd.. R. Moreland and Son, Ltd., Thomas Feast ; £10 each : .Toseph Lucas, Ltd., H. Bent and Sons, Ltd., W. H. Willcox and Co., Ltd.', Barclay Perkins and Co., Ltd.. Guy Motors, Ltd., Isaac Holden and Sons, Ltd. ; £5 5s. each : Fox Bros. and Co., Ltd., Morris and ,Tones, Ltd.. W. Newberry and Seri; Huggins and Co.. Ltd., Jones and Higgins, Ltd., Beck and Pollitzer, Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society, Ltd., South Wales Electric Power Co., Ltd., Joseph Fish and Sons. Workman Bros., St. Helens Cable and Rubber Co. Ltd.. Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., J. Sadd and Sons, Ltd., Clayton Sons and Co., Ltd. ; £5 each: Bennetts Haulage, Ltd., G. Senior and Sons, 'Ltd., R. Powley and Sons, Ltd., Smith and Co. (Lamberharst), Ltd., White and Co., Ltd., J. W. Smith and Sons (Gt. Horton), Ltd., Forth Engine and Motor Works. Ltd., J. A. Sturton. Ltd., Wilson and Co. (Barnsley), Ltd., Higgs and Hill. W. Duncan Tucker and Co., Ltd.. Chandler and Sons Ltd., Condensed Milk Co. of Ireland. 'Ltd., John Stirk and Sons, Ltd. ; £3 3s. each : A. E. Arthurton and Co., Caledonian Motor Services, Ltd. ; £2 2s. each: Brown Wills and Nicholson, Joseph Kingham and Sons, Ltd., J. L. Henson, F. V.• Atkinson and Son, J. Schnnrmaun, W. H. Staynes and Smith, John Prince and Co.. Barrett and Elers, Ltd., Henryle Tall, Ltd.„ Watt_ and Ferguson; 22: Robt.-Jamieson; £1 1.s. each : Cedars Laundry, W. B. Walker and Co., L. F. Haydock, J', Laing Bon and Co., Baynes (Reading), Ltd., T. Morgan and Sons, Gibbs Mew and Co., Ltd., Hooke and Son, R. AlcIVorand Sons, Ltd., Brookfields Successors, Ltd., F. L. Pettman, Ashenhurst Williams and Co., Grover and Sons Nelson Transport Co., Ltd., Morris and Co. (Aniphill), Ltd., Maltina Bakeries, Ltd., Langley Motor Haulage Co., Thos. Mcscrop and Co., Ltd., Idris and Co., Ltd., Taylors Eagle Brewery, Ltd. Late additions include: —
10 'guineas each: Ghaplin and Co., W. Hance& and Co., Ltd., Joseph Rochford and Sons, Ltd. • £10.: Mitchells and Butlers, Ltd.; s each : T. and M. Dixon, Ltd., British R. M. Ericsson Co., Ltd., F. Squire and Sons, Ltd. ; 3 guineas: Llandudno Motor and Garage Co.; Ltd. ; 2 guineas: Chance Bros. and Co: Ltd., Junior Army and Navy Stores, Ltd.i.Cornholme Dyeing Co., Ltd. ; £1: James Gibb.
The police have now sanctioned queues for bus passengers' in Kensington .HighStreet. The L.G.O. Co. Will-pay the cost of indication poets' on the footway.
We learn that Mr. B. Moss haa ,recently received his discharge from the
A.S.O.' and has resumed, his normal association with the Penton Engineering Co., Ltd., .15, Cromer Street. W.C. 1. ball bearings specialists.
Local Proceedings.
Taunton T.C. has under cons;creration the purchase of an electric vetnele to cost about £1300.
Luton Watch Committee has arranged to confer with the local hackney carriage proprietor regarding increated fares.
Bolton T.C. has now fixed the price of gas for motor vehicles • at 6d. per 100 cubic ft., with a minimum charge of Is.
Chichester C.C. has asked its surveyor to inspect a tractor, it having been reported that horses were now much too expensive.
Halifax 'Corporation has accepted the tender of Dennis Bros: Ltd.., for the
supply of a Dennis 60-65 500 gallOn turbine motor fire engine with first. aid outfit for the approximate sum of £1300.
At a meeting of the Bolton T.C. the Borough Engineer reperted upon the considerable damage which, is being'clone to
• the whole of the Main roads in the borough in consequence 'of the excessive weights carried and the' high speeds of heaVy motor lorries. It was resolved that the attention of the Watch Commit'tee be called to the matter with a view to the police proceeding against offenders.