WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.
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"The wheel of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising," as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier,
Since going to Press with our report of the Smithfield •Show, "which is to be found elsewhere in this issue, we learn that Henry Garner, Ltd., of Birmingham, will be showing one of their tractors of the type which did so well in the Lincoln Trials.
The power unit is a four-eylindered engine, and is fitted with .a paraffin vaporizer. The gearing gives three speeds forward and a reverse. Final drive is hy worm gearing. The wheels are fitted with the company's patent land grips, which can be detached or attached very quickly without the tractor having to be jacked up. These are made in three sections for each wheel.
Repair of Solid Tyres.
It is now claimed by Messrs. Harvey Frost and Co., Ltd., that, after many years of experimental work, they have at last overcome the pracical
difficultiesinvolved in the repairing of solid rubber tyres by the adoption of ceit.iin PEW ideas which have proved to he the key of the prob-lem. The vulcanizer which would he effective in dealing with the'
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position, form an integral part of the vulcanizer, and are inidireet contact with the steam.The firial contact is obtained by a eisifrig in anew 'metal •aitoy knOwn as HIF.metazoid,' made from a sound part of the aetual tyre to be repaired, so that 'a Correct • and intimatecontact is secured for vulcanizing. By the use of the right materials a complete cure 'can he carried out, in some cases even, to the depth of the vulcanite base of the tyie. We are able to illustrate the apparatus which is elate portable' rendering it possible for the tyre to be repaired on the vehicle.
The Harbinger of Winter.
The announcement of the cessation of the extended Sunday omnibus services in Loudon sends a shiver down the spine, for it symbolises the coming of the dreary winter months. We took the outside front seat on a bus on a dark evening when a bitterly cold rain was falling, and, noting that our seat companion, who was huddled up to get some protection from the elements was a New Zealand soldier, we asked him how lie liked the English climate. He turned instantly and, with vehemence said, "I wonder people go on living in it." The L.G.O.C. would much ameliorate the rigours of bus 'travelling if its engineers department would, so soon as circumstances permit, endeavour to develop a hood shelter to the upper deck seats of their vehicieS.
Co-operation in Transport.
In our issue of November 25th we recorded the formation of a Road Transport, Association intended for the growing of the large number of individual owneis -(generally ex-service men) of motor lorries, so that, by co-operation, working expenses can be cut down (over,. bead charges in particular being reduced), and the service which they Can give be so organized that it can be made more reliable, whilst empty running can be re duced. The scheme has taken fuller shape during the past fortnight, and the. . Road Transport Owners Co-operative Association and Exchange has been formed, with offices, as we have stated, at 116, Victoria Street, Westminster, London, S.W. 1, Mr. R. T. Cann Lippincott being appointed secretary. A meet, big of the association has been arranged at the offices for Thursday of this week at 3 p.m., when a number of nien pro minent in the transport movement have been invited to attend (many having accepted).' The whole of the scheme will then he explained. We ourselves believe that the individual haulage contractors not running fleets of vehicles will find it, to their material advantage to become connected with some such scheme.
Petrol Profits : Committee of Inquiry.
The committee formed to inquire into petrol prices under the Profiteering Act will consist of :— Mr. P. G. L. Webb, Board of Trade. Mr. W. H. L. Paterson, Petrol Control Board.
Mr. A. Smith, Vehicle Workers' Union, A representative of the Automobile Association.
A representative of the ,Commercial Motor Users Association.
Sir Wilfred Stokes, K.B.E.
Mr. Frank Chithani, Director of Harrods, Ltd.
Baillie P. Gillespie, Secretary Horse and Motormen Union.
The committee will inquire into the reasons for the difference between the landing price of petrol, Is. 90. per gallon (including tax) and the retail price, 3s. ON. per gallon.
• Vulcan Deliveries.
The advertising agents for the Vulcan Motor and EngineeringiCo. (1906), Ltd., Crosaena, Southport, as us to state that, owing to an error, it was stated in the company's advertisement in our issue for November 25th that the Vulcan.30-cwt. chassis could be delivered within four weeks from date of order. This, unfortunately, is not the case, although it is quite possible that some of the company's agents who have been on the waiting list for a considerable time may have chassis for early delivery. .
The shareholders of the Dunlop Rubber Co. last week approved the increase of the capital of the company by a n•illion sterling wlich will, on issue, produce .£8,000,000 of money. The directors have arranged to develop the tyre trade in the States, and to extend: Fort Dunlop, the new Biriningharn avorlTs.