Answers to Queries.
Page 18
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.43pholstered Seats.
11,787] " DRIVEk-OWNEES " write :—" We are often in the market for char-is-banes and motorbus cushions and seats. Could you give us addresses of makers of the woven-steel base and upholstered-cushion top, as used in the L.G.O. Co.'s vehicles, also of the _makers of upholstered char-h-bancs seats ? We want to know where they can be obtained at commercial prices for our own use."
ANSWER.—You will in all probability be able to obtain the spring cushions complete, for which you inquire, from the following firms :—
Auster, Ltd., Barford Street, Birmingham. Lace Web Spring Mattress Co., Sandiacre, near Nottingham. Whittingham & Wilkins, Neal St., Long Acre, W.C. Marshall's Spring Mattress Co., Nottingham.
• Swiss Steel Maker Wants Manufacturers' Names.
11,7883 " Swiss STEEL WORKS " writes : "We intend to purchase a motor wagon and we beg you to let us know the addresses of the manufacturers of the following makes : —Adams ; Halley ; Milnes-Daimler ; Mass ; St. Vincent ; Belhaven; Darracq-Serpollet ; Stewart-Thornycroft ; Alley and MacLellan ; Sidney Straker and Squire ; Clarkson ; Motor Omnibus Construction Co. ; Brush Electrical Engineering Co. ; Bellis and Morcom ; All British Car Co. ; Scott-Stirling Ducommun ; Germain ; Cremorne Motor Co. ; Turgan."
ANSWER.—The following addresses will be useful to
• you. In the remaining cases we are unable to inform you if some of them are manufacturing ; others, we know, have ceased operations in this branch of the .industry.
Adams Manufacturing Co,, Ltd., 105, New Bond Street, London, W.
Halley's Industrial Motors, Ltd., Yoker, Glasgow, N. B.
Milnes-Daimler, Ltd., 221, Tottenham Court Rd., W. Mass Cars, Ltd., 99, Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, London, W.
Belhaven Motors and Engineering Co., Ltd., Wishaw, N.B.
D. Stewart and Co., Ltd., London Road Ironworks, • Glasgow.
Alley arid MacLellan, Ltd., Polinaclie, Glasgow. Sidney Straker and Squire, Ltd., Nelson Square, Blackfriars, London, S.F.
The Germain Co. has works, we believe, at Moilseau-sur-Samhre, Belgium. Commercial Vehicle Totals.
[1,1801 " NIGHT-LIGHT " writes ;—" Having taken the since 1908, I venture to write to you for some information. On page 249 of your issue for 3rd December, 1908, you publish a table showing the number of commercial motors in use. I should be extremely obliged if you could give me the figures for 1909 and 1910 ; the totals will be sufficient." ANSWER.—The latest information published by us was contained in the issue of the 9th December, 1909, and we extract it for your information. We shall certainly give publicity to any later information as soon as we get it—for the United Kingdom.
At 80th Sept., At 30th Sept., 1909. 1908.
Trade vehicles ... 15,181 12,104 Public-service ears ... 8,752 5,880 Roads and Users.
L1,7901 " TRANSPoreriza " writes :—" I have now carefully 'stewed up' the Motor Union handbook, and I must admit that I can find nothing in it to uphold the impression I had that the Government at some time or other stated that the roads must be made suitable for heavy traffic.
" Respecting bridges, I am aware that where a bridge is unsuitable for heavy traffic by placing a notice to that effect on the bridge the authorities en
sure that the owner, if he use it, does so at his own risk. At the same time I feel very strongly that, to
state that it is legal to put certain weights on the road, presumes that roads are kept in a fit state to carry that weight ; otherwise, it would be open to road authorities to leave their roads in a condition which would make it impossible for heavy vehicles to run and the intention of the Act would therefore be nullified.
"I am not aware of any extraordinary-traffic claims having been made in Lancashire.
"I would like to ask you a question. Is it reasonable for the people to make laws that certain kinds of vehicles should be placed upon the roads and after
wards, because they—the people—find the roads are not suitable! for these weights, to blame the vehicles
for causing damage to the roads? As an example,
if I invited you to have lunch with me, at my expense, at any hotel, what would you think of me if, after
you had fully followed out my instructions, I refused to pay the bill on the grounds that it had cost more money than I had expected and if I started to upbraid you ?"
ANSWER.—We are sorry that, however wrong the present situation may appear morally, or even equit
ably, the legal situation is absolutely clear. Compen sation is found in this fact : local authorities will find it more difficult year by year, and do find it more diffi cult at the moment, to suenort their contention that particular motor traffic is extraordinary, either as to frequency or excessive weight ; also, the said authori ties are obliged to show that, at the time of repairing or re-metalling of the roads in respect of which they claim, corresponding motor traffic was either unknown or uncommon, if their claim is to be supportable. Tri answer to your query about reasonableness, we will put the converse of the proposition to you Would
you have all legislation on particular subjects delayed
until every other conceivable and inter-related condition was guaranteed to be suitable? Yciir suggested analogy does not hold good : the local authorities never invited you on to their roads—Parliament did, and now leaves both of you to fight it out. We ad mit that the case is by no means satisfactory, but it can only be remedied as the general sense of the country, or of particular counties, appreciates the value of motor transport