I breakfasted with Mr. Johnny Adams, the Southern representative of
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the Belsize, at Manchester, during last week, and for a man who has just come through a severe illness he both looked and breakfasted very well. He told me this was about his .first illness, and the trouble had been laryngitis. The Belsize people are very busy indeed, I am glad to hear : they are continuing to supply a large number of soh.p. chassis to John Morris and Company, of Salford, for fire-engine work. They have a large number of cabs on the London streets.
I had occasion to call in at the Peter Union office, in St. Martin's Lane, last week, and the suggestion was made to me that I had better feast my eyes on the new premises at 190-192, Great Portland Street, W. Thither I accordingly wended my way. There was a proud glad look in the eye of friend Bockemuld, as he piloted me over the really commodious establishment into which they are about to move. Here is convenience and space; huge well-lighted workshops and store rooms; large comfortable offices; a garage for the Straker-Squire car which is used for business purposes; and also—a new feature which they pointed out to me truculently—a waiting room : " not for the poor long-suffering Press -representatives," I said shudderingly, and he vouchsafed no reply.
On Saturday evening last, there was the annual dinner of the London Press Club, and it was quite pleasing to find that a fellow guest, and included in our little party, was Mr. Albert Brown, one of the managing directors of Brown Bros., Ltd. I seized the opportunity to question him about the motor trade in America, as he has recently been there on a business trip, and he told me that they are in the middle of a boom which is infinitely greater than anything We have experienced here. It is confined principally to the pleasure vehicles, and some firms are booked up with orders away into the middle of Igto. Electric vehicles are much in vogue there, and on the commercial motor side five-ton petrol lorries arc tending -to predominate by reason of their most effective work. One seldom sees
a light motorvan, and Mr. Brown's opinion is that there is little chance for the development of vans while factories are so behind with orders for private cars.
met by accident my friend Mr. Percy Lamb, who has been long connected with the motor trade. His suggestion is a new one to me, and it takes this form : a delivery service in London by means of vans fitted, like cabs, with taximeters. The more he went into his scheme, the more my interest was riveted on it, and I asked him to drop me a few lines embodying his proposals. These I have handed to the Editor, with much pleasure, and there is one thing to bear in mind : should such a service be formed, I know of no man more suitable than Mr. Lamb to undertake the charge of it. He has a sound commercial experience; he is used to controlling men, and getting the best work out of them ; and he is a motorist himself, full of resource and with practical engineering knowledge. I shall be most interested to see this project taken up.
During the past week, in London, I ran across Mr. J. E. Matthew, of Argylls, Ltd., and an old colleague of intim, Mr. R. J. Paton. It rejoiced my heart to learn from them that the latter had just been appointed manager of the new London branch of Arg-ylls, Ltd., at 6, Great Marlborough Street, W. I dare say it is eight or nit.e years ago when Paton joined me first, and I know it was a delight to find a fellow worker who had so keen a scent for business, and who was so alive generally ; he was a welcome change, indeed, from one or two lackadaisical young gentlemen whose interest only seemed to stir and awaken on the Saturday morning, when salaries were being dispensed. He was a rare worker, but he unfortunately fell ill, and was away so long that his place had to be filled. The first opportunity that arose found him hack again at the old place, but in a better position,