THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE IN SOUTH AFRICA.
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Mr. Reginald F. Clayton, on His Return, Gives His Impressions of Road Transport Prospects in the Colony
I T WAS a pleasant experience again to meet Mr. Reginald F. Clayton, the son of the chair. man of Karrier Motors, Ltd., and himself a director of the company. Mr. Clayton paid a visit to South Africa during the last months of the old year and, on his return, we noted a marked improvement in his health. Since his return, too, he has entered the married state with the congratulations and best wishes of all who know him and his bride.
His trip to South Africa was made on behalf of his Company, and his keenly observant character will certainly have provided him with much material of an extremely useful nature, which will find its reflex in the business which Karrier Motors, Ltd., are -doing with our Overseas Dominions.
It would have been indiscreet to have carried our questioning too far, and still more so to detail in cold print some of the information which he imparted in the course of our talk, but we gathered that, whilst there are possibilities for the eqmmercial motor in South Africa, any advances there must be. a matter of slow and careful development.
"There is much to be done in the opening uja and settlement of the country, and that is going to take time," said Mr. Clayton. " Obviously, with a. lack of waterways, the railway and the road must be the great means to the end, and the two methods can and must go hand in hand."
" Is the railway system there good?"
ot very ! The gauge is narrow, the gradients steep, the speed in consequence slow.and rather exhausting. of patience. Hence, road travel can be a very close rival to the rail."
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"Are not the railway companies endeavouring to secure the construction of feeder roads throughout the Colony?" .
. " Yes, and it is the only sound scheme. To us, with a railway, or even two or more rival systems, within a very short distance of our homes or place of business, it Sounds strange to hear a South African farmer, or business man, say that the railway is only SO, 50, or 80 miles away, but distances there are great and a railway cannot be laid except between important centres and serving a few places en route."
" And is it economically possible to make •these feeder roads?"
" Quite. The roads, particularly in parts of Cape Colony and the Transva,al, are much better than would be expected." "Do the roads stand up to bad weather 7 " "Well, some of them do not, but you must remember that there is not so much need for transport in -the rainy season, when there is no produce to move." "Then roads would open up the country a great deal ? "
• " Yes. They are the key to its development, and the railways and state officials now recognize the fact. The only question is one of finance."
"What is the attitude of the agent out there?" " Extremely patriotic. He would rather be sure of good service from the manufacturers than receive big discounts. He recognizes and urges the need all the time for a stock of replacement parts in the hinds of the makers' representatives. Blue prints and all information on repair and maintenance are extremely important."
" Are they well equipped for maintenance? "
"Oh, yes! Without a doubt. Their tool shops are not so well equipped as those of some of our agents at home, but they always have available the assistance and facilities offered by the general engineers in the larger centres, who can carry out any particular detail of the work beyond the capacity of the agent. Then, again, out there they are much more used to 'making do.' " "How about American competition in heavy vehicles? "
"I should say, from all I saw, that, with the exception of the 1 and the lei ton vehicles, American competition scarcely exists." "Are the agents at all numerous?. "
" No. At the present time there are not the agents available to tackle the representation of a larger number of makes. There are a number handling the private car, but few who can, or will, tackle the lorry or van." "As was the ease here, say, ten years ago.? " "Exactly. The parallel is not an unfair (...ne. In time, of course, the situation will have altered, and the agent. for the commercial motor vehicle will understand the business and will be handling it success
fullYWe have oar own representative in Cape Town, and work in South Africa, as we do in Australia' ' New Zealand and Brazil, in conjunction with-Guy Motors, Ltd., as they supply vehicles up to 2 tons and we the bigger-capacity models.
And the arrangement works very well indeed." "In view of road conditions, do you think that the future requirements of the country would be catered for by large or by small vehicles?" . "The very small vehicle carrying up to one ton, of course, offers,an advantage owing to its light weight, but, to move heavy merchandise, strong and powerful machines are really necessary." " Is it necessary to fit a special radiator?" "lip our own case, we have not found it necessary. This may be owing to the fact that our standard machine has always been provided with ample cooling surface, but I cannot say whether other makers have found adequate cooling a serious problem in Africa." "How are the steam wagon and tractor faring? "
" Very well, of Course, because coal is plentiful and cheap. They had quite a goad time during the petrol crisis, when very little petrol was allowed to go far inland."
"I suppose bodywork is obtainable locally?" "Yes. and quite good work, too."
"Well, I can only wish you an abundant return for your own enterprise in going out there, for I am sure you established good'businesa relations during your vlsit. "Yes. They are very nice people. I was treated with great kindness, and the trip was one I shall long remember."