News and Comment.
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This journal is the recognized Users' Organ: the Editorial Staff has had experience in road transport.
The latest phase of the petrol tax is mentioned on the first page of this issue.
The recommendation of the Highways Committee of the Westminster City Council, which we reported fully last week, was approved, by the Council, on the 28th ult.
Situations Vacant.
We would direct particular attention to the requirement of a Scotch manufacturer of motor vehicles for experienced salesmen in London, which is stated on the first sundryadvertisement page of this issue.
R.A.C. pounders.
The twelfth annual dinner of the founder members of the Royal Automobile Club will be held, at 119, Piccadilly, W., on ;Wednesday the 24th inst., at 7.45 p.m., and will be followed by a musical entertainment. Mr. Roger W. Wallace, K.C., the first Chairman of the Club, will preside.
lnes-Daimler's New Chief.
Captain It. K. Bagnall-Wild, IRE., M.I.Mech.E., will take up his new duties with the Alilnes-Daimler Co. a week hence, in succession to Mr. H. G. Burford. This appointment was made public on Thursday last, as we then intimated, by Mr. E. Kraftmeier, vice-chairman of the Company.
Halley Furniture-removers.
A special lorry fur furniture-removals, one of which was supplied to Robson and Sons, Ltd., House Furnishers, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, as a repeat order in the spring of this year, is illustrated on this page. The vehicle is constructed to carry three tons at a speed of 12-14 m.p.h., and it can take a full-sized lift van of up to 15 ft. long; the platform-body is
14L ft. long, This company informs us that the vehicle has done extremely well, and has been as satisfactory a.s the first vehicle ordered from the same maker over two years ago. The light unladen weight (2 tons 12 cwt.) assures a low petrol consumption and easy running on the tires. A 28-34 h.p., four-cylinder engine is fitted, with two separate ignitions, by coil and battery and by magneto.
Strengthening Bridges.
Any readers of this journal who may be affected by a masonry bridge whichi is becoming unsafe for heavy traffic, and who may desire to know of an inexpensive method of strengthening, should not fail to request the parties responsible for the repair of the bridge to inquire into the possible use of Ferro-concrete rings. Mr. W. H. Bryning, the county surveyor for the North Ridini,'' Yorkshire, whose office is at Nerthallerton, recently strengthened the Crambeck Bridge, at a cost of only £320, so as to render it quite safe for the rolling load of a traction engine and one wagon with a
joint weight of '20 tons, under which there was no deflection, whereas the bridge had previously been found unfit for heavy locomotive traffic.
The C.IVi.U.A. Parade.
We congratulate Mr. Rees Jeffreys and his staff upon the success of last Saturday's parade, although we shall have some hints to give for future years. The Westminster Council, for whose motor efficiency Mr. H. Thomson Lyon has worked so hard, sent the finest " teens."
Polack Extensions.
The Polack Tyre and Robber Co., Ltd.' of 31-34, Basinghall Street, E.C., in Which business Mr. Fritz Poppe is making remarkable forward strides, notifies the opening of branches at Newesstle-on-Tyne and Manchester. In the first ease, the manager is Mr. C. W. Wallace Bruce, the address Barrack Road, the telephone number 889 Central, and the telegraphic address " Fillers, Newcastle-on-Tyne ;" in the second case, the manager is Mr. Leo Swain (for Lancashire), the address 237, Deansgate, the telephone number 220 Manchester, and the telegraphic address "Immaculate, Manchester." The object of these extensions is to meet the convenience of customers in the north of England.
While on the subject of Polack tires, we may mention that they have been specified by the Guardians of the Edmonton Union for their new motor ambulance.
Pneumatic-tire "Majority" Celebration.
The banquet at the Hotel Cecil, on the 19th inst., to celebrate the " majority " of the commercial application of the pneumatic tire, promises to be a great success, and H.S.H. Prince Francis of Teck has consented to preside. On this occasion, as his perspicacity and business acumen in the matter fully merits, Mr. Harvey du Cros, J.P., will come in for the lion's share of the honours: he was the first roan to risk his reputation and his money on the business side of the air-filled tire. Although Mr. R. W. Thomson, father of Mr. H. Thomson Lyon, Chairman of the Highways Committee of the Westminster City Council, patented a pneumatic tire in the year 1844, and although his " aerial wheels " secured a certain reputation 60 years ago, to Mr. Harvey du Oros undoubtedly belongs the credit for a resuscitation, revival and commercial adaptation for which there is no precedent.
The London hon. secretary, Mr. W. G. Williams, of 10, Brampton Road, S.W., advises us that tickets are selling extremely well, and that the full seating capacity of the hall, which provides for 450 diners, is already closely approached. The Life of Commercial Motors.
Mr. Leyc;Ister Barwell, a partner in the firm of Messrs. James Shoolbred and Co., of Tottenham House, W. in the course of a letter addressed to this journal (page 187), endorses our view, that it is safe to put the life of an approved-type petrol van at 150,000 miles.
Maple's Country Depots.
One cf the out-district depots, from which Maple and Co., Ltd., works the more-distant portions of its homecounties trade, is at Guildford. This world-reputed house sends down, from London, a fully-loaded motor—a Den nis as a rule—every night, for local distribution the next morning. As
one of our illustrations shows, a pantechicon is often handled as a unit. The smaller van is located at the Guildford depot, whence it often covers 100 miles in a day. This combination method of working saves much time; gives an assured daily service, and is typical of the changes which are confronting the local stores or shop-keeper. It should be noted that the smaller van-body has sliding shelves for the safe and secure carrying of fragile or delicate articles.
The Road Bill.
Viscount St. .Aldwyn, in the House of Lords, on the 22nd ult., moved to abolish the Road Board, but he thought it best to withdraw his motion, after Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, Lord BeIper and Lord RibbIesdale had put forward contrary arguments. On other motions, it was agreed that the funds at the disposal of the Road Board might be applied "towards meeting the additional expenditure incurred by the highway authority in maintaining the roads in consequence of motor traffic," whilst power to ac
quire land on either side of a road constructed by the Road Board was deleted from the Bill. In regard to the last matter, we venture to quote the view of Sir Erskine May, from that authority's historic work on "Parliamentary Practice." He held, when dealing with the absence of power for the Lords to amend the provisions in money bills, that they may not amend "so as to alter, whether by increase or reduction, the amount of a rate or charge—its duration, mode of assessment, levy, collection, appropriation, or management: or the persons who pay, receive, manage, or control it ; or the limits within which it is leviable."
Without power to acquire land on either side of a new road, the increment value will go to the individual instead of to the State, which is both theoretically and practically undesirable in the special circumstances. We purposely withhold incidental and further comment upon the course of the Bill, until the measure has finally been placed upon the Statute Book.