Approved Depots. Article H.
Page 4
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Rallying Centres for Expediting the Use and Maintenance of Agrimotors.
By the Editor: The depots of the country's "Export Mechanical Organizers" under the scheme of the Food Production Branch of the Board of Agriculture happily fall into place for treatment here in 'course of a second general article. Governmental approval of motor agents in connection with this national work was given last Week. We comment upon the situation on page 22. ,
.. Facts are stern things. None can be sterner than those of the cereal shortage. The approved depots of some 30 well-known motor agents are to be the new centres of retiyal, and we have sufficient confidence in the skeleton plan to declare belief in its successful growth. A practicable method of working has been. adopted.' Its sound administration and execution may need time for complete fruition but what is done Or; undone in .1.'917 will not be the measure. An organization of contact points and influence spheres is 'being initiated. Its outcome must be closer touch between the motor world and agrioulturists, following an interchange of ideas, for which happening the cause has not hitherto been appreciated.
The agent is finely launched upon the troubled 'waters of 1917. The county controllers will perforce lead the way, but they have more in their power to give to others than to make for themselves.. An over-riding payment for supervision and responsibility is not fixed any too high at is. per acre ploughed, but we will credit these workers with possessing the essential qualities of altruism and enthusiasm . to a degree which spurns mere "filthy lucre." it was put to them to help, and they-, gave, not reckoning profit or loss, a unanimous affirmative.
. All agrimotors in the country, be they in the hands of importers, traders or private owners, are to be commandeered, in order to secure unity of purpose and maximum yield. No more agrimotors may be imported. except under licence. Detail control over each airirnotor on the land will be exercised by a subagent, of whom many hundreds are now wanted. The supervieory pay for these " god-fathers " is 2-s. per acre, plus £1 10s. per tractor for receiving, unpacking (or unloading), completing for the road, and delivering .under Its own power to the first working point. If a motor dealer, he will also have the usual trade rates of profit on all supplies and repairs. If any would-be local agent is in doubt on any point, he should telephone, telegraph or.write to the nearest county controller. We. give the official list (to -Monday last) in the adjoining column.. Anybody who is qualified is invited to communicate. He need not be
e motor dealer. .
The Government 'will own all the agrimotorsand implements:" Employers' liability and third-party or other risks on .the road are, therefore, according to Mr. P. D. L. Perry, the head of the Machinery and .Implement Section; under Sir Arthur Lee, Director of • the Food -ProductiOn Branch of the Board of Agriculture ,(72, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W.), . net _placed upon any. agent or sub-agent. These. gentlemen are to act as local _paymasters under the scheme. That may involve them in a certain amount of financing, until all the routine work runs smoothly.
Drivers for-the agrimotors have to be' Provided by the agents and sub-agents. Three eight-hour shifts are to be worked per 24 hours, beginning at 12 mid-, night' The estimate of 'ploughing is three acme per shift, or, for 40 days and 40 nights, a total of 360 acres per tractor. 'Volunteer drivers arenow .sought. All will be paid at the rate of .4s...per shift, with a bonus Of 6d. Per acre Ploughed. Owners of cars who help to convey men to and from their work will be allowed C28 4d. or 5d. per mile. Apply to the local or county agent —not to' neaclonarters. In London, it will be observed, the north and south sides of the Thames are the concernof two separate controllers—Mr. West and Mr.' Coathupe, respectively.
Berkshire.--W. Vincent W. Vincent, 72, Castle Street, Reading). . • Cambridgeshire.—H. H. Harper (King and Harper, 6, Bridge Street, Cambridge). • . Cheshire.—C. F. Southcott (Geosvenor Motor Co.,. Ltd. 41, Eastgate Street, Chester).
Cornwall.—J. Taylor (Taylor's Garage, Ltd.,. Coinage Street, Penzance).
Derbyshire.—E. H. Columbell (A. H. Atkey and Co.; • Ltd., Becket Street, Derby). Devonshire.--H. Andrew (H. Andrew and Co., Ltd., Atheimum Place, Plymouth). Gloucestershire.—E. L. Hartwell (Hartwell's, Ltd., High Street, Bourton-on-the-Water). • Hampshire West).—W. Munn (Munn and'. Underwood, ,Junction Garage, 165, Above Bar, Southampton). Hereford—G. II. Butcher (J. Fryer, Ltd., Green Dragon Garage, Hereford). • Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Northants.—H. Murkett (Murkett Bros., High Street, Hunting, don). Kent. —G. R. 'Barrett G. R. Barrett, West End Garage, 30, St. Peter's Street, Canterbury)., Lancs.—J. A. Wade (Forest Car Co., Ltd., West: Derby, Live rpool). Leicestershire.—J. E. Lester (Lester and Folic-ell, Ltd., 40, Huinberstone Gate, Leicester). .Lines (North).—R. M. Wright (R. M. Wright and Co., Newland, Lincoln).
Lincs. (South).--J. Smith J. Smith, 13, North Street,Grantham).
Middlesex.—W. F. West (Pytchley Autocar Co., 42, Walmer Road, Notting Hill, W.) ' • Norfolk.—T. E. Wainwright (Mann, Egerton and-Co., Ltd., 5, Prince of Wales Road, Norwich): • Northants (South).—Herbert Mobbs (Pytchley Autoear (Jo., Ltd., Sheep Street, Northampton). Northumberland and Durham.—A. E. George (George and Jobling, South Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne). Notts.—A. R. Atkey (A.. R. Atkey and Co., Ltd.,.Trent Street, Nottingham). Oxfordshire.—A. R.. Hartwell (Hartwell's Garage, 19, High Street, Chipping Norton). Shropshire.—G. H. Shiiker (Sbuker and Son, Pride , Hill, Shrew-sbury). Somerset. —II. Carver (Bridgwater Motor Co., Ltd.,. Eastover, Bridgwater). Suffolk (East).—J. R. Egerton (Egertons, Northgate Street,. Ipswich). • • Surrey.—B. Coathupe (London Motor Garage Ltd., 33, Wardour Street, W.). .
Sussex (South and East).—Henry Moore (Moore, .of, Brighton (1910), Ltd, 68, Preston Street Brighe.
ton). • • • . Sussex (West).—J. Rice (Rice Bros.', 63 -West-Street Horsham). Wales and Monmouthshire.—Tom Norton (Tom Norton, Ltd., High Street, Llandrinded Wells), E. Gibbs (Midland' Autoear Co., 14; RuSSell Street, 'Leamington •Spa)..• Wiltshire.—E. C. Skurray (Skurray'a, 90, Princes Street, Swindon). 17V,.orcester.-G; F. Heath (Heath's Garage; Ltd., 58, John: Bright Street,' Birifaingham).e • • Yotkehire:—Rowland Winn (Rowland Winn, County Garage, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds).