News and Comment.
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This journal is admitted to possess the influence, the men, the standing and the leading circulation. i It s exclusively read by the heads of many wealthy commercial houses throwzhout the Empire.
A promising hydraulic system of petrol installation, and one in which acetylene-welded or electrically-welded tanks are employed to advantage, is illustrated and described on page 182.
The C.M.U.A. has another useful achievement to its credit. It has persuaded Sir Edward Henry, Chief Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, to initiate steps which must bring about a marked reduction in the obstructiveness of slow-moving horse-drawn vehicles. See pages 169 and 172.
=Tire Bonuses.
There is a clear diversity of opinion, in respect of the recent action of a leading tire company, in granting bonuses to drivers when the tires upon the vehicles under their charge prove to have exceeded the guaranteed mileages. We have something to say on the subject on page 169, whilst several additional "Opinions from others" (pages 184 and 185) are published by us to-day.
It goes without saying, that the method of procedure adopted by the company in question is above reproach, as nothing has been attempted other than through the intermediary of the owners. Any suggestions of bribery cannot, in our opinion, be seriously entertained ; they are wholly ridiculous. At the same time, it is conspicuously necessary for the company which has initiated this scheme, in the event of its continuance, to see that the inducement does not disappear immediately the minimum mileage is completed, but we are at a loss to appreciate how any reasonable limits can be placed upon a bonus system of the kind. It is not improbable that the company which has circulated the idea will be reluctantly forced out of it by the introduction of factors for which it is notdirectly responsible.
A New Carrier.
We must congratulate Girling Motors, Ltd., of which company Mr. H. J. Buckland is the managing director, upon the lines of the new carrier, for trade purposes, of which three views are reproduced herewith. The vehicles are soon to be put on the market, and we shall have more to tell—about both their construction and running—in early
issues. The chief points of interest and novelty are : (1) driver in front, and his view unobstructed by load ; (2) cardan transmission, with propeller shaft and driving bevels adequately protected by oilretaining casings ; unique system of detachable and interchangeable road wheels, by which the utmost celerity of removal is secured through the absence of any occasion to touch the driving mechanism or its connections ; seven forward speeds, and reversing gear ; new method of frontslating suspension, without front axle, which provides a wide supporting base and materially reduces the known tendency of threea heelers to roll and sway. Two standard models have been adopted, each with a 6 h.p. aircooled engine : model A is for loads up to 5 cwt. ; model B will take 7 cwt. It will be obseived that the
body is not perched high up from the ground. We are satisfied that this smartlooking trade carrier will merit immediate attention, and that orders for it will be numerous.
Third International Road Congress.
The Third International Road Congress will be held in London in the year 1913. The preliminary meeting of delegates took place at the Institution of Civil Engineers yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon. The delegates of the Commercial Motor Users Association are Capt. R. K. Bagnall-Wild and Mr. W. G. Lobjoit (Vice-chairmen), and Mr. E. Shrapnell Smith (Hon. Treasurer). The Chairman of the Association, Colonel Crompton, as consulting engineer to the Road Board, is already closely identified with the arrangements.
Parade News.
Additional contributions to the special prize fund of the C.M.U.A. have to be reported thus : 25, from Atlas Resilient Road Wheels, Ltd., of Manchester, for division between drivers of vehicles fitted with cast-steel wheels of its manufacture; £5, from J. Liversidge and Son, Ltd.. for division amongst drivers of vehicles fitted with bodies of Liversidge make ; a silver cup, from the Continental Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., for presentation to the owner of the highest-marked vehicle fitted with Continental solid tires ; a silver cup, from the Polack Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., for presentation to the owner of the highest-marked vehicle fitted with Polack tires ; 22 2s. (additional) from Commercial Cars, Ltd., for award to the driver of the Commer-Car " vehicle with the highest annual mileage. Growing Trade with South Africa.
Having regard to the opinions which were expressed to us by the Hon. W. A. Deane, in May of last year, when he paid his first visit to this country, we are not siirprised to hear of a remarkable growth in the import totals of motors into South Africa. These have risen from 2174,611 in 1909 to €290,441 in 1910. Although no analysis has been furnished, the utility vehicles, inclusive of both steam-engined and in ternal-combustion-eng,ined tractors, have not lagged 'behind.
Fuel Installations.
No company is more thorough in its methods of depot organization and equipment than is Carter, Paterson and Co., Ltd. It may, therefore. interest many readers of this journal to know that the company has ordered another 1,000gallon petrol-storage plant from the steel Barrel Co., Ltd., of -Uxbridge, this being the fifth plant of the kind to be ordered, from the same maker, by the same purchaser, to be" the same as before."
Motor-mail Speeds and Lights in Paris.
After the inhabitants of Paris, the Municipal Council has complained that the postal vans in the city travel too fast. and are allowed too mach liberty. To this, the French authorities have replied that there is no reason why the postal vans should not be subject to the common law, and that the time allowed for the different journeys from sub-offices to the central and from the central to the stations were such that a reasonablysafe speed should always be observed, In consequence, when the new contract is passed towards the end of this year, the contractor will not be granted the privilege of
running his vehicles without. registration numbers and rear lights, as is now done.
Recent Registrations.
Resilikon, Ltd., with an authorized capital of X5200,000 in Li shares, by Ashurst, Morris, Crisp and Co., 17, Throgniorton Avenue, E.G., to carry on the business of manufacturers of and dealers in tires of all kinds, and other articles capable of being manufactured under the patents referred to in an agreement with G. W. Huddleston.
Hamilton and Quarters Motors, Ltd., with an authorized capital of .t:2,000 in Li shares, arid with its office at. Bank of Scotland Chambers, Hamilton, N.B., to carry on the business of motor and public and private hirers, etc First directors: Geo. Stalker, Jas. Robertson, J. Alston, J. Gibson and H. Ormsby.
Frederick Clark and Co., Ltd., with an authorized capital of £3,000 in €1 shares, and with its office at S3, High Street, Ashford,
Kent. First directors : R. J.
Geering, W. F. B. Jeminett and C. Maylam.
Reliance Motor Garage, Ltd„ with an authorized capital of £2,000 in €20 shares, and with its offices at S. Bow Road, Bow, E. First directors : H. Levy, Sear., R. 1Voollaston, H. Levy, Junr., and T. A. Evans.
Studebaker Corporation of England. Ltd., with an authorized capital of £1,000 in f.:1 shares, by Ashurst, Morris, Crisp and Co.
Town and County Motor Garage, Ltd., with an authorized capital of .2,000 in £1 shares, and with its office at 129, Union Street, Aberdeen, to acquire the business of Messrs. Watt and Anderson, motor engineers and garage keepers, Aberdeen. First directors: IV. Watt and G. A. Anderson.
Gazette.
At an extraordinary-genera; meeting of the members of the Mogul Tyre Co.,. Ltd., held at the c offices of the ompany, Carlton House, Regent Street, S.W., a resolution was passed to the effect that the company be wound up voluntarily. Mr. J. Stewart Mal lam, 1, Queen Victoria Street, E.G., was appointed liquidator.
At an extraordinary-general meeting of the members of the Spanish Motor Transport Co., Ltd., held at 4, Rue de Naples, Paris, a resolution was passed to the effect. that the company be wound up voluntarily. Mr. G. C. Vantier, 63, Rue de l'Aroade, Paris, was appointed liquidator.
At an „extraordinary-general meeting of the members of the Ryknield Motor Co., Ltd., held at the offices of Messrs. Talbot, Stein and Evershed, 53, High Street, Burtonon-Trent, a resolution was passed to the effect that the company be wound up voluntarily. Mr. J. E. Pritchard, 115, Colmore Row, Birmingham, was appointed liquidator.