Passing Comments
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ACONFERENCE was called by the National Farmers Union, immediately after the publication of the Greene Report, to discuss the sugar-beet question. That Report, as was pointed out in a leading article in our issue dated April 19, recommended the abolition of the subsidy on sugar beet, which would mean, in effect, the termination of the sugar-beet industry in this country. At the conference there were present representatives of the farming industry, the beet-sugar industry, the Land Agents Society, agricultural workers, transport workers and the railway companies, but, so far as can be ascertained, only one official representative of hauliers (from the C.M.U.A.). This is surprising, having in view the importance of the sugar-beet industry to the rank and
file of the road-haulage industry. We think those who represent that industry should take a more active part in protesting at the findings of the committee.
WALKING through the Halley works the other " day with Mr. McNeil Sharp, a director of the concern, we observed a Conqueror 32-36-seater chassis with the appearance of having been standing there for some time. Commenting upon it, we learned that its design had been rendered obsolete in this country by the introduction of the regulations prohibiting transmission brakes on passenger vehicles, and that the concern had parts in stock for several similar machines. What a chance for an overseas buyer ! THE mayor of a certain municipality in the South of England decided to give away at the Jubilee a number of commemorative mugs. These were ordered and sent by rail, but the mayor in question finds himself in a quandary, because many of the mugs arrived broken and he does not know whether he can obtain replacements in time for the distribution. He is now calling himself a mug for not having them sent by road.
VARIOUS methods have been devised for the prevention of rust on exposed surfaces. A new process with this object in view comes from Mr. Sherard Cowper-Coles, M.I.E.E., M.I.Mech.E., the well-known metallurgist and electro-chemist. Mr. Cowper-Coles is best known to engineers by his invention of sherarclizing, the dry galvanizing process which imparts a penetrative zinc coating to iron and steel articles treated in furnace-heated revolving drums, but the mode of application necessarily limits their size and shape. The new method, known as Duraspray, can be applied in site, not only to chas
sis, tractors, etc., but to large steel structures. A durable priming coat of special composition is applied, and while this is tacky a stream of finely divided metallic powder is driven upon it by compressed air ; afterwards a finishing coat of paint is given, this affording a metallic protective coating between the coats of paint. When abrasion exposes the metallic layer and moisture is present, a galvanic couple is set up. This preserves the steel at the expense of the coating and resists the underspread of corrosion.
THE contrariness of humanity was strikingly emphasized in the course of two conversations overheard recently. In one, a haulier employer of labour in the Midlands was deploring the ruling that each employee should have eight days' holiday per annum with pay. In the other a tram conductor in London was bewailing the fact that this year and subsequently he will be compelled to have 12 days' holiday instead of eight, as previously, which he deemed ample for his needs and that of his fellows.