The Wheels of Industry.
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The wheel of wealth will he slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which if runs."—John Beattie Crozier, Recent Registration.
Crompton Motors, Ltd. (21500), with its registered office at Greenfield Lane, Shaw, near Oldham.
Proposals and Purchases by Local Authorities.
, The Couhdon and Purley U.D.C. -wishes to purchase a motorhose_ The Tynemouth U.D. C., through its Watch Committee, has decided -to purchase a motor fire-engine.
The, Dorset County Council has .passed a, resolution ' of protest against the unequal issue of petrol ,permits.
The York City Council lost £450 on the working of its batteryequipped motorbuses during the past financial year.
The Engineer to the Willesden is desirous to -institute a system of training the Council's own drivers for fire-engine work. • The • Sheffield Guardians are -about to acquire a motorambulance for the removal of pauper lunatics, subject to L.G.B. approval.
The Tramways Committee of the Chesterfield U.D.C. has resolved to cut down its motorbus service by 50 per cent., in conformity with the limitation of petrol supply. The Rathmines U.D.C., Dublin, by its Clerk. wishes to receive tenders, on or before the 19th inst., for a new 20 'hp. ambulance, a similar seeond-hand ambulance, and certain fittings. Full particulars will be furnished -on written application..
r The Lancashire County Council has been asked, by representatives of local motorbus and char-à-banes Owners, to refer the negotiations in hand, with regard to new motorbus routes, to the Commercial Motor Users Association and its affiliated Organizations.
Army Motor Lorries, Ltd.
Mr. Justice Astburis,, in the Chancery Division, has discharged the injunctions which were granted last March in the litigation concerning the Army Motor Lorries and Wagon Co.' Ltd., and W. Van den Plus, Max Mallen, and Theo -and Trina Masui. Counsel stated that an agreement for a compromise had been settled, under which practically the whole of the property -claimed had been delivered up. There was nothing left, therefore, except to have the injunctions discharged, and the various undertakings released. Allegations against certain of the defendants were now withdrawn. Mr. justice Astbury made an order, by consent, staying all proceedings.
Gazette.
A meeting will take place, on the 11th prox., at the offices of the liquidator, Mr. H. Voce Thurgood, 11, Queen Victoria Street, E.C., to consider the liquidator's report in the matter of the voluntary liquidation of Torkington Tires, Ltd.
The following joint-stock companies will, at the. expiration of three months from the 21st ult., be struck off the register, and the-companies dissolved, unless cause is shown to the contrary :—Bala Motor Co., Ltd. ; Coventry Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd. ; Crewe Motor Co., Ltd. ; London and North Western Motor Cab Co., Ltd. ; London and Westminster Motor Cab Co., Ltd. ; Resilient Motor Wheel Syndicate, Ltd. ; Swansea, Express Delivery Co., Ltd. ; Torkington Tires (Parent Syndicate) . -Ltd. ; Windsor Industrial Motors, Ltd.
Petrol in Ireland.
Ireland always seems to keep going, despite political and ether difficulties. The latest instance, qua petrol, is the establishment of a new motorbus service between Kilkeel and NeweastleIsy the Belfast and County Down Railway Co. ,
The Petrol Situation.
We devote much of the space in this issue to a condensed report of last week's debate in the House of Commons. This record is of value for a variety .of reasons, and not least of all because it furnishes for the first time the basis upon which the Government is working as regards figures. We consider, whilst making every allowance for the considerable labours of the Petrol Control Committee, that its actions have been wrongly conceived -en two principal grounds : (1) allowing each consumer to declare his own requirements without proper certification ; (2) the making of any allotments other than after expert consultation with a committee of. accredited referees. .
It is surprising to find that, according to a reply by Mr. Harcourt in the House of Commons on the 31st ult., the U.S.A. has only been responsible during, the first six months of the present year, for 23,920,000 gallons of petrol, as its contribution towards this country's requirements. This leaves some 50,000,000 gallons to be derived from sources other than America.
• Tire Sales in Scotland.
We recently stated, in this journal, that heavy motor traffic had developed on certain county roads in Scotland, from ni/ in 1906, to about 16 per cent. of the total earlier in the present year. We learn from George Spencer Moulton and Co., Ltd., of 239, Deansgate, Manchester, that its sales experience north of the Tweed entirely bears out this increase, and that the company's representative in Scotland, Mr. Jordan, is being kept extremely busy handling inquiries and business.
• A Car-and-General Inspector Wins D.C.M.
• We have pleasure in announcing that Mr. J. L. Parsey, an inspector recently inthe employ of the Car and General Insurance Corporation, Ltd., has been awarded the D.C.M. for "conspicuous gallantry, devotion to duty and powers of command under fire." We gather that Mr. Par sey has declined a commission, but has been made a company quarter-master-sergeant. The Lord Mayor's Treat to Soldiers.
On Saturday, the 12th inst., 1000 wounded soldiers will be entertained by the Lord Mayor at the Karsino, Hampton Court. This will be the biggest thing of the kind since H.M. the King entertained 1000 wounded men on each of two
consecutive days to tea at the Royal Mews ; but Hampton Court is a much further distance from the London hospitals, and the transport of so many men is rendered possible only bY'the fine organization of the Motor Squadron of the London Volunteer Rifles. This Squadron recently transported 600 men to the Karsino to an entertainment by the Eccentric Club, and to increase the number to 1000 is a task of some magnitude, in view of the existing state of the petrol problem. Motorists outside the ranks of the L.V.R., who are willing to assist with their oars on the occasion are invited to communicate with the hon. secretary, Mr. A. J. Wilson, 154, Clarkenwell Road, E.C. We trust that not a few of our readers will devise the means la help.
Dreadnought Policies.
Owing to expansion of business, "Dreadnought Motor Policies" is opening additional premises at 1, Queen Victoria, Street; E. C. This group of underwriters is showing much aetivity.
War Conditions and Licensing Conditions. •
Comrnerial Car Hirers, Ltd., of Caxton House, Westminster, S.W. was summoned at the' North London. Police Court, on the 2nd inst., at the instance of the London County Council, for keeping petrbleum spirit contrary to the ternis of the licence in force. Counsel for the defendant company was Mr. E. G. Mears, whilSt Mr. Haedicke appeased. to support the summons on behalf of the L.C.O. It was stated by counsel, on behalf of the prosecution, that the company was authorized to store' 2,000 gallons of spirit in an underground tank, and a. further 120 gallons in. two-gallon tins. inspector, nspector, when he called on the 23rd June, found four steel barrels, one containing 40 gallons and each of the other three 30 gallons, on the premises.
Mr. Mears admitted the correctness of the statement of the prosecuting counsel as to packages. Certain lorries were about to proceed to munition works in the Midlands, and they had to take with them an ample supply of petrol. In another hour, the vehicles would have been on the road with this motor spirit, which had only been taken out of the big storage tank two hours earlier for the purpose of carrying out this important haulage work. Mr. Hedderwick, the rn,agistrate, stated that in his opinion it was preposterous that the Council's inspectors should interfere in this manner with the conduct of munition transport. Mr. Haedicke submitted that the licence had clearly been infringed, but Mr. Hedderwick would not accept that contention, stigmatizing it as nonsensical, and asking whether the
realized that the present were not normal times? He dismissed the.
summons, with 3s. costs against the L. C. C. A Warning to Taxi-drivers.
There are still some taxi-drivers in London who do not "put down the flag" when hired. Innocent passengers are thereafter at their mercy. This reprehensible practice, which we admit obtains only amongst a, small proportion of drivers in London, must be severely checked. We are glad to see that Sir John Dickinson, the Bow-street magistrate, is stiffening the scale of fines ; starting at 5s. per offence a few weeks ago, he has now reached 15s. per offence, with promises of "more to come."
Curtailment of Services.
Motorbus services throughout the country are being curtailed, and curtailment on all the passengercarrying routes is generally a little more drastic than is necessary in respect of goods-carrying operations. The changes must naturally be strictly in relatiOn to the supplies of petrol, ahd the curtailment for motorbus owners is usually 25 per cent, higher—the difference between 40 per cent, and 50 per cent. of the original supply—than for owners of inotorvans and other goods-carrying vehicles.
We are interested to see that in certain instances local meetings of protest have been held, and one of these meetings, at which the objectors were particularly emphatic, concerned the withdrawal of the G.E.R. Loddon service.
An Ex-locomotive Driver's Error.
At the City of London Police Summons Court, on Friday last, before, Mr. Alderman Hanson, Wm. Wright, in the service of Lipton, Ltd., City Road, was summoned for "driving a motorcar, he not being licensed so to do."
Defendant was stopped by Policeconstable White ; he wds driving a heavy motor wagon (M3231), with trailer attached. He had no' licence and said, as it was a steam wagon, he did not think he required one. Before the court,. he said he had driven a locomotive for 40 years, but as for a motor—he shouldn't know how to start one.
Mr. C. F. Monckton (Clerk): I think. you have driven one without knowing it was a motor.
The Alderman: The evidence is that this was a motorcar, and I must inflict a, penalty of 10s. 6d. Very likely you acted under a misapprehension, but if you drive these vehicles you must be licensed.
The Secretary of Lipton, Ltd., was fined 21 Is. for employing this man, he not being licensed. He (the secretary) reMarked that the company was most particular about this. Wright's wagon was the only steam vehicle they had, and he, too, was unconscious that they were committing an offence in allowing the man to drive it.