AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.

17th June 1924, Page 4
17th June 1924
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 4, 17th June 1924 — WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

"The wheels of wealth will be sloted 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.

Cab and Hire-car Operation.

The forthcoming developments in the operation of cab and hire-car services throughout the country lend importance to the consideration which is being given by our contributor, "The Skotch, ' to the methods employed in the control of this kind of business. In the feature to which the general heading "Hauliers' Inquire Within " is given our contributor deals with this matter in an interesting and informative manner.

Proportion of Commercial Vehicles in Europe and America.

Recently published statistics have shown that there are at the moment some 15,250,000 motor vehicles on the road in the United States, And not quite 1,750,000 in Europe. The proportion .of lorries, tractors and commercial vehicles in America is curiously small, however, as compared with Europe. In the United States, industrial vehicles only represent 11 per cent, of the huge total, whereas in Europe the proportion is 28 per cent. In France alone the proportion is practically 313 per cent„ as it is in this country, theexact figure being 29.8 per cent., if motor ploughs and agricultural tractors be excluded from the category of commercial vehicles and implements, and 31.09 per cent. if they be included.

New Glasgow-Edinburgh Road.

The Minister of Transport recently stated that the estimated cost of the length of the new Glasgow-Edinburgh road lying within the counties of Lanark, Linlithgow and Midlothian is 21,900,000, towards which sum the Glasgow Corporation has agreed to contribute £275,000, Edinburgh Corporation 2100,000 and the Lanark County Council 2100,000.

In addition certain works estimated to cost £215,600 are to be carried out -within the boundaries of the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, and towards these improvements each oorporation will contribute 50 per cent, of the

actual exp i enditure ncurred within its boundaries.

Moroccan Roads and Transport Developments.

According to a survey of the industrial and economic conditions in Morocco, issued by the Department of Overseas Trade, there are 3,000 kiloms. of macadamized roads in the country and 1,000 kiloms. of secondary roads. All the principal cer.tres are linked up withCasablanca, from which most of the routes used by motor vehicles extend fanwise.

It is stated to be most unlikely that the railways will secure much of the traffic which is at present dealt with by passenger motor vehicles, in so far as the average journey can be accomplished far quicker by road vehicle than by the railway, and, moreover, at a lower cost. The railways, of u20

course, deal with much goods traffic, although there is said to be considerable scope for the transport of merchandise by motor lorry between intermediate points.

Newport Seeking Tenders.

Tenders are invited by the Newport (Mon.) Corporation as follows :—(a) Pur chase from the council of three second.

hand electric lorries ; (b) the conversion of three electric lorries to serve as trailer wagons; (c) the supply and delivery of three new trailers. -The last day for receiving tenders is June 18th, and they must be addressed to. the town clerk.

Opposing Manchester's Trolley-bus Scheme.

At a meeting of the Stretford Urban District Council the clerk reported on a visit to London in connection with the joint opposition of the local authorities to the Manchester Corporation Bill. --In consultation with Parliamentary agents a brief had been prepared., The opposition is against the proposition of the corporation to run trolley vehicles along routes of authorized tramways, and also along the routes where tramways existed. Sir Lynden Macassey, K.C., has been biiefed as leading counsel, with Mr. Harold Beveridge as junior counsel.

Benevolent Fund Picnic.

Saturday, July 19th, has now been fixed for the picnic of the Manchester section of the Cycle and Motor Trades Benevolent Fund. The Clarion Cyclists' Club House at Handforth has been selected as the venue for the outing.

The 1924 Scottish Show.

An earlier date than customary has this year been fixed for the Scottish Show, and it remains to be seen how the change will affeet its popularity. Hitherto, it has invariably been held in the last week of January and the first week of February, but now it is to take place in the third and fourth weeks of November—from the 21st to the 29th of that month.

The Scottish Show is usually more of an agents' than a manufacturers' exhibition, and, as a rule, it does not lend itself very much to wholesale transactions. Nevertheless, it it always attended by a large body of manufacturers, who give advice and discuss business matters with their agents. They make every endeavour not to dupliasite at the Show the models staged by their local representatives, but in various ways help to strengthen their agents' hand with respect to their appeals to the public.

Sir William Sleigh's Distinction.

. Sir William Sleigh, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, who has just received the honour of knighthood, is a native of Edinburgh, and started business along with a brother and two other brothers named Ross, under the style and designation of Ross and Sleigh. As their trade extended, they reformed the company under the name of Rossleigh, Ltd., and it is called to this day. It is one of the largest companies of the kind in Scotland,' and they do a. large business in all classes of motor vehicle, including vans, buses and chars-a-banca.

Sir William is very popular in city circles, and has a high reputation for integrity and strength of character. His career in the Edinburgh Town Council has been marked by much diligent work, and his elevation to the civic chair came as no surprise.

Controlling Bus Services.

Woking Urban District Council is taking action to secure co-ordination of local and rival bus services. It had received complaints about buses being run. so as to interfere with one another, and time-tables being so altered as to interfere with existing time-tables. Mr. R. PrIossop, the clerk to the council, has HOW sent a letter to the omnibus proprietors, pointing out that the council is very anxious (1) that the time-table in accordance with nhich the. bus runs should be displayed in the in tenor of every vehicle; (2) that buses belonging to one proprietor and running on a particular route should start from the station in the order in which they are standing upon the rank ; (3) that timetables should not be arranged with a view to running a bus just before that of another owner sets out.

Mr. Mossop adds that the council wishes proprietors to realize that buses are licensed for the benefit of the public, and that it is very desirable that those to whom licences are issued should avoid friction as between themselves.

A New Piston Ring.

The latest type of piston 'ring introduced by the British Piston Ring Co., Ltd., of Holbrook Lane, Coventry, is one which is described as the Seraypoil S-craper ring. This new Brico production is claimed to overcome the difficulties

of overoiling. , The purpose of the ring is to scrape oil from the cylinders where the level of the oil in the crankcase is such that the ordinary piston rings do not exert sufficient pressure to prevent oil being squeezed or rolled past to the top of the piston, which is a cause of carbon deposit. It differs from the ordinary piston ring in so far as it., ,presents to the cylinder barrel a sharp; narrow edge, which seats quickly as a result

of the additional pressure -exerted. • It may be thOught that undue wear will occur with a ring of this type, but it must be remembered that the ring continually functions in oil. Only one Scraypoil .scraper ring is necessary on a piston, and it can be used in place of a. lower piston ring just above the gudgeon pin, in which position it has the advantage of allowing proper lubrication between the skirt of the piston and the cylinder walls.

Latvia's Strict Tractor Regulations.

A tractor show will be a feature of the Fourth International Fair, to be held at Riga between July 20th and August 3rd, 1924. During the first six months of 1923 tractors, totalling 135,397 kilos in weight, entersd Latvia.

The Ministry of Agriculture has drafted a law proposing that all tractors must be ,registered by the agricultural department. If necessary, the department can demand that machines most undergo a test, and the importer will be held responsible for their performance. Inspectors arc also likely to be appointed, whose duty it will be to travel up and down the country watching imported tractors at work. These regulations, possibly strict in themselves, can only tend to increase the popularity of the reliable British machine.

West Hartlepool Passenger Transport.

Despite a loss of £170 on trolley-buses during the first few weeks of operatien over the Foggy Furze route at West Hartlepool, the local authority is convinced that this form of transport will eventually pay its way. The figure was quoted in the annual financial statement of the passenger transport undertaking of the town council, and for the 12 months ended March. 31st last losses on motorbuses were given at £2,660, and on tramcars at £1,190.

The loss on trolley-buses, it was

• stated, was due in the main to expenditure which would oot occur again, Such expenditure, it was added, fully covered seven-eighths of the less, and against this loss comparatiee figures were produced which showed that the vehicles were already responsible fur material incmases in revenue. For the 35 days ended May 18th, 1023, tramcars operating over the same route had produced £245 in receipts, whilst for a similar -number of days since the introduction of trolley-buses this year receipts had amounted to £391, equivalent to an increase of 60 per cent.

The council discussed the motorbus losses at considerable length, and it was stated that these vehicles were only earning 13d. per bus-mile, whilst operation costs worked out at 15d. per busMile, As a means of wiping out the deficit, increases in fares, or a reduction

in working costs were proposed, but it was mentioned that there was little likelihood of the former course being adopted, at already the buses of the Stockton Corporation are operating over some of the routes served by the -Hartle. pool buses at fares which are as much RS 33i per cent, less than those charged on West Hartlepool's buses. London's Holiday Traffic, During the Whitsun Holiday no fewer than 12,804,000 passengers were carried on the motorbuses of the London General Omnibus ,Co., Ltd. This figura.. represents an increase of 3,185;000 over that for Whitson of last year. On the Saturday 5,300,000 passengers were carried on the buses, and this is the highest aggregate of passengers carried on any one day in the history of the company. On the Sunder 'the number of passengers carried was 3;024.000 and on Bank Holiday Monday 4,4130,000. The latter figme surpasses the record set up on Whit-Monday of 1923 by over a million.

For the 13 services running to Wembley 1,000 buses were detailed, and the vehicles on these routes carried 260,600 -passengers on Saturday and Monday.

The company operated 77 country motorbus services during the Whitsen Holiday, and vast numbers of passengers were carried, the Epping Forest services alone accounting for the transport of 70,000 people.

Chesterfield Services.

At a meeting of the Chesterfield Watch Committee W. T. Underwood, Ltd., were granted licences for two motorbuses, each carrying 14 passengers, but permission for the extension,of the services. from Tibshelf, Newton and Murton into Chesterfield was refused.

Big Order for Driving Shafts.

The Corona Engineering and Motor Co., of 08, Tolling-ton Park, London, N.4, have just booked a large order for lorry driving shafts. The order is for 1,000 shafts, and is for Commercial Sparas, Ltd., of Harronersinith, who are the wholesale distributing agents for Corona shafts.

Kirkintilloch's Latest Purchase.

Kirkintilloch 'Town Council has acquired a motor fire-engine of-the Stanley type. It is built on a Ford ton chassis. The body is fitted to carry from eight to ten men, and the pump has a double delivery valve, and can work up to a pressure of 100 lb. It throws two I-in. /ots over a three-storey building,and is driven from the erigiee flywheel by enclosed gearing.

Lifting Tackle for Ruses.

Two accidents have recently 'occurred in London in which a pedestrian who has fallen below a bus has been wedged between the sideguard and the roadway, and. at ,.the subsequent inquests recommendations have been put forward for the carrying of a jack on every omni

bus. Gear suitable for lifting a bus would be too cumbersome to be carried on the vehicle, and the London General Orenibuis Co., Ltd., have overcome the difficulty by placing a jack and other

i

implements n every main thoroughfare, and are asking the police to co-operate with them so that constables will be instructed where the lifting tackle can be obtained. With such appliances handy, the road staff will be able to bring them into use in a few minutes.

H is proposed to place similar tackle at "suitable points along the country routes.

The Swedish Market.

According to a Department of Overseas Trade report just issued, the importation of motor vehicles into Sweden in 1923 reached record proportions. The number of commercial motor vehicles imported into the country during the year was 2,358, valued at Kr. 4,422,628, compared with 1,695 vehicles of similar type, valued at Kr. 4,100,849, in 1922. About 70 per cent, of the total number of vehicles imported into the country was produced in the United States. It will thus be seen that the strenuous and organized efforts made by American makers have been rewarded to an appreciable extent,.

It is stated that automobila traffic in Sweden was doubled in 1923, rus, compared with.1922, and it is roughly estimated that there were 40,000 vehicles of all, types in service at the end of 1923, or one vehicle for every 150 inhabitants.

A further significant development has been the great increase in the use of meter omnibuses, of which it is calculated there are 1,100 at present in use on 700 different services. It, is somewhat, satisfactory to record that, in spite of the relatively small share of the Swedish motor trade secured by Great.

• Britain, the most important service carried on in the heart of Stockholm is operated by British buses.

Improving Rural Roads.

*The Swansea Council is to. proceed with a programme for improving rural roads at an estimated cost of £62,000. It was explained at a meeting of the council that since the extension of the Swansea boundaries the roads under the control of the council had increased in mileage something like four times, and that no extension of grants from the Road Board was forthcoming to meet additional charges in connection with these highways.

B29

In meter to prepare rural roads for modern-day traffic the Ministry had suggested that works be proceeded with under the relief of unemployment scheme so that grants towards the cost could thus be obtained. The road e on the east side of the borough particularly require attention, and the cieeneil has agreed to schedule the Bonymaen to Pantyffyinion, Winch Wen and Crumlyn roads, with other secondary roads,. for work in the way suggested.

Tramway Companies Running More Buses, Leeds Watch Committee has asked the town clerk to report upon applications by the Yorkshire (West Riding)

• Eleotric. Tramways Co., Ltd., for omnibus. licences for the extension of motorbus' services from Girdersome, Garforth, • Ou1ton and Tingley to certain points in Leeds, and by the Yorkshire (Woollen •

District) Electric Tramways, Ltd., for, bus licences in connection with the running of motorbus services to Leeds from Dewsbury and Heckmondwike.

No Sunday Buses.

The Bethesda. Urban Cotincil has declined to license the buses of a Banger company unless the owners undertake notto run on Sundays to Bethesda. The council thinks that Sunday plying for hire encroaches on the sanctity of the Sabbath, It. is understood that the company intend making an application to the council to reconsider its decision.

The 25-cwt. Guy lorry recently referred to, in this journal in an article which dealt with the latest modificae tions in the design based upon experience, has, of course, been on the market for 2tyears, By a slip of the pen we made it appear that it had only been in existence a few months.

Karrier's Data Sheet.

Karrier Motors, Ltd., of Karrier Works, Huddersfield, have just issued a data sheet Which should prove of considerable value to users and potential users of Karrier vehicles. The particulars which are given concerning _each type of vehicle produced by the bempany are most lucid and elemprettensive, and deal in an adequate manner with the main features of each model. There are actually 17 models listed, of which the carrying ca,paeitise range from 25 cwt. to 5 tons.

We nets that a number of columns is set aside for particulars relating to useful chassis . dimensions, and, apart from the inone technical aspects of the tabulation, these should prove of the utmost value to all users who may have to consider special factors cenumeted with their transport _arrangements. An added interest is given to the data sheet by the incluSion of a number of illustrations showing various types of Karrier vehicle fitted with goods and passenger bodies of different. types.

Road Restrictions in Merioneth. Merioneth County Council is applying to the 'Ministry of Transport for an -order under Section 7 (4) of the Roads Act, 1920, prohibiting or restricting, subject to such exceptions or conclitiens as to occasional user or otherwise as may be specified in the order, the driving of heavy motorcars and locomotives on the following roads :—(a) Telanelderriel to Llangyinig (Ty Cerrig to county bound:try), and (b) Telaenuwelillyn to Dimes Mawdelwy., The council's grounds for the application are that the vehicles of the class described cannot be used 'on such roads without endangering the safety of the vehicle, the safety of the persons the-rein and the safety of other traffic, using such roads, whilst the roads axe considered unsuitable for use by such vehicles.

Col. Crompton Honoured.

The Institution of Auto-mobile Engineers -gave a dinner some days ago to celebrate the 8041 birthday of R. E. Crompton, the first president of • the Institution, and a representative gathering of promieene men in the industry assembled. Mr. H. G. Bnrford, the current president of the T.A.E., presented a scroll to Col. Crompton enrolling him as one of the four honorary life members of the Inetitution, and Sir Arthur Stanley, in the course of a speech, duplicated the honour by making Col. Crompton an honorary life Member of the Royal Automobile-Cleb. At the conclusion of the dinner Col. Crompton gave a. meet intereeting leetur oa "A Forgotten Chapter in tbe History of Road Locomotion,'? •whieh wa,s illustrated by lantern slides.

Slower Pace for Oxford.

Oxford Watch Committee has received e letter to the effect that the Ministry' of Transport is prepared to issue e new regulation under Section 9 .(1) of the Motor Car Act, 1903, limiting to 10 miles an hour the speed of motorcars upon the lengths of roads between the termination of the existing speed limit on Magdalen • Bridge and the junction of Cowley and Iffley Roads end St. Clement's Street with the Plain.

A Sheffield Parade.

The second annual parade of commercial motor vehicles, organized by the Sheffield area of the Commercial Motor Users Association, will take place in Sheffield on June 28th. The cash prizes bestowed in eonnection with this event have been considerably angrnented this year, as have the medals and diplomas, arid two handsome trophies are also to be awarded..

• Vehicles taking part in the parade will assemble at the Fairground in Plonk Street, and will pass through the main thoroughfares of the city.

A .notable feature of this year's parade is a class for publicity vehicles. The • Sheffield parade can be participated in by any vehicle operating in the Sheffield; Rotherham and Chesterfield areas.

Citroen to Start Overseas Services. —It is stated that on the initiative of M. Citron three motor vehicle services will he instituted in Oetoloes next between the Sudan and the Niger an the one band and Algeria on the. other. The Most important of these services will be that• which. connects the cotton-grewing country with the Niger. Starting from Colomb-Bechar, it will run via the Saoura Plain arid Thouat to the Sudan at Ta.banker and the Niger at TourengueGao-Niarne.

Information relating to .transport.: matters of this description in many overseas countries can be obtained from the shipping and trausport section cf the Department of Overseas Trade, 73, Basingliall Street, London, E.C.

Tramway Managers in Conference.

The future of street transit was the theme upon which tramway experts f rein all parts of the country aired their _views at the annual conference of the managers' section of the Municipal Tramways Association held at Liverpool last week. The manager of the Leeds Corporation Tramways voiced the opinion that the time was rapidly approaching when important and f ar-reaChmg decisions would have to be taken with regard to passenger transport, aS the public . is demanding faster and cheaper T means of transport. Some towns, he said, have spent heavy sums of money on the maintenance of the permanent way and others have courageously tackled the question of improving the vehicles in service. It was essential, he added, that tramways committees should take into consideration the possibilities of other forms _of traction and in deciding the direction in which their own system might be developed to the advantage of the public.

Another Australian Expedition. Mr.' Michael Terry, who recently crossed a portion of. almost unknown Australia by motorcar, and whose article

upon an interesting transport enterprise in the Commonwealth appeared in the columns of The Corn niercial Motor a few weeks ago, has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.. We learn that he is contemplating another journey into the heart of the Australian continent, employing two chain-track vehicles, probably of

English make. It is possible that the, journey will be made with the active sup. Feet of the Commonwealth Government.

Interesting Cotr.parison of Road Costs. According to Mr. Robert Drummond, road surveyor, of Upper Renfrewshiroe read expenditure has not increased very ranch in r lie district when compared with 25 or 30 years ago. • Having, regard to the tonnage passing over the main highways and the cost per ton-mile for their maintenance, he finds that the latter amounted in 1923 to .31d., in 1910 to .213d. and in 1390 to .361.1.

New Road to Loch Lomond.

Loch Lem end is one of the most . beautiful lakes in Scotland, but hitherto it has been rather difficult. of appre,teh by ehars'4hancs and motorbuses, owing to the indifferent character of the pads leading to it at vtrious points. •

This state of affairs Ns new being remedied, thanks to the energy and enterprise of the county couneils.of Dumbarton and Argyll. There 11::is just been completed a fine stretch of road extending front ;Jamestown, near Dumbarton, to Rallooh, at the foot of Lech Lomond, where Glasgow oivns a magnificent public park. The distance between the two places is .about 24 miles, and the cost of the new highway, which is 50 ft. wide, has been moderate. It is ',new open to the heaviest motor traffic, and at Balloch Park there is ample aCCOM moclation for parking motor coaches, motorbuses and other passenger vehicles.

1?otax Service Agents

Rotax (Motor Accessories), Ltd., inform us that they have added tie° Mara links to their chain of official service agents which they are establishing thr6ughont the aim:dry. Messrs. Rock, Thorpe and Watson, of 62, Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, have been appointed agents for Tunbridge Wells and district, whilst Spauls, 'Ltd., of Castle Hill, Norwich, have been -appointed agents for Norwich and outlying districts witiin a radius of 20 miles.

The object of inaugurating these agencies_ is to render specialized service to the trade and to users of 'Retax "and startin.z equipments. Each agent is eijuipped to carry out overhauls and repairs to Relax equipments, and stocks of spare parts are carried.

Allen -Liversidge Move.

As a result of the continued expansion of their business, Alleit-Liversidge, Ltd., the' 'well-known manufacturers .of dissolved acetylene and acetylene welders equipment. have found it desirable to move into larger and more cenvenient offioes, and the address Of "theirs head establishment will in' future be Victoria Station House, Westminster, London, &IVA. The lighting, heating • arid power installation department of the company remains as heretofore at 123, Victoria Street, London, S.W.1, where their showlooms are also situated.

Rotherham Bus Results.

The accounts of the Rotherham Cer poration for the year ended March 31st show a deficit of £2,662 on the trolleybus services, and a surplus of 21,459 on the services maintained by petrol buses.

The number of passengers carried on the trolley-buses hae been reduced, owing to heavy competition, by 91,085. to 443,743, whilst the miles run, owing to the extension of the route, have increased. The petrol bases have • run 297,295 miles and carried 1,484,348 passengers, an increase of 83 per cent, in passengers and 36 per cent in miles.

Electrics to Replace Petrol Vehicles?

The works committee of the MaTylebone Borough Council reports having considered an offer by Elects-jeers, Led., to supply, on trial, one of their 31-tor. refuse-collecting vehicles with tipping body. The committee, however, has decided that the present time is not opportune f&r adopting the suggestion of the company, and that, in any case, if the suggestion were followed other firms might elect to offer vehicles for trial. The committee significantly adds, "The advisability of substituting electric vehicles for petrol vehicles will probably have to be considered in the course of the next few years."

An Alternative Route.

At a meeting of the Sinethwiek Watch Committee consideration was given to a letter received from the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd.,. seeking permission for a service of motorbuses to run from Rolfe Street to. Londonderry. The chairman reported that he had given permission for the service eo he oommencedpending consideeatian of the application by the coniHates, which confirmed his action, lant decided that the company be asked to arrange for their braes to follow.a-route it had planned in place of that proposed by them,

Crosville Bus Stations.

The Cresville Motor Bus CO., of Cheeter, who operate a fleet of more thael 153 motorthusee, most of which are on regular service in the Wirral Peninsular, have erected two new. bus stations as

an experiment. The first of these is located at Birkenhead, and provides waiting-room accommodation for passengers as well as loading space for buses. £24 The sectud station is at :Roswell, and is the larger, the facilities which it provides being of the same nature as those at Birkenhead. The company have 25 tepees operating between Haswell and Birkenhead alone.

, Municipal Hiring Charges.

Rotherham Corporation transport de• pertinent has reduced hiring charges as follow :—For Halley vehicles from 7s. 6d. to 6s. 9d. per hour; fOr Daimler vehicles from 5s. 6d. to 5s. per hour, and for steam wagons from 7s, to 6s. 6d. per hou.

New Services in Durham Co.

The process of perfecting motorbus facilities in the County of Durham is being continued as energetically as ever, and the Lanchester Rural District Council has just sanctioned two new services which will make the ehain more complete. One of these is to be operated between Chester-le-Street and Burnhope, by Messre. CIeasby and Sons, and has been granted subject. to a strict time table being adhered to, and the other is with reference to a new route between Durham and Lanchester, to be worked by Mr. F. Thompson, of Langley Moor.

A Corporation Transport Department's Success.

The annual report of the transport, department of the Rotherham Corporation shows an income of £11,314 and an expenditure of £8,544, leaving a balance of £2,770 to he carried to the appropriation account.

Traffic Regulations, By Order. Rotherham Corporation has, in de' new Rill, obtained an important elau.se relating eo traffic cordrol. The ,corieoration may make regulations prescribing the routes through the town • to be adopted by traffic of any class, and the stands to be occupied by certain omnibuses, etc.

Petrol Pumps in Merioneth. Merioneth County inspector reports that: .a large number of petrol pumps are now in use in the county., but they do not come within the provision of the -Weights and Measures:Act, 1889, 1904, and, pending further legislation, they cannot be dealt with on similar lines to other measures that are used foe trade pm-poses.

Local Proceedings.

Merthyr Watch Committee has purchased a motor prison van at. a cost of £318.

Wakefield City Council has decided to purchase a motor lawn-mower for the parks. • Stretford 'Urban District •Council proposes to purchase a seeond-hand motor sweeping machine.

Wakefield City Council it considering the question of the prevision of additional fire appliances.

Oxford City Council has authorized the purchase of a motor lorry• for the highways department.

Southport Corporation has authorized the purchase of a tippin,g wagon for refuse collection at a cost of £1,345.

Powers have been obtained by the Rotherham Corporation to run motor omnibuses along trolley vehicle routes. ' Stretford Urban District Council has decided tee obtain a motor vehicle for refuse collection at a cost of about £225.

Torquay Corporation has asked a committee -to coneider parking arrangements for ohars•a-banc.s in Lymington Road.

Two small buses, each carrying 20 passengers, are to be purchased to augment the Chesterfield municipal bus service.

Chesterfield Corporation has accepted the tender of Charles Mackintosh and Co., Ltd., for the maintenance of motor_

bus tyres.

Woking Council's Highways Comiraittee recommends the purchase of a motor lorry with three-way tipping gear at a cost of £870.

Rotherham Watch Committee recommends the purchase from the Central Motor Works, Ltd., of a trailer pump at a cost of £450.

Members of Leeds Watch Committee have witnessed a demonstration of the working of the new motor fire-engine and the motor fire-tender,

Portsmouth Corporation Tramways Committee has authorized the payment of an extra 3s, a week to men in charge 'of one-man-controlled motorbuses.

Portsmouth Corporation has abandoned a tramway scheme from Milton to Cosham -until the possibilities of motorbus services have been investigated.

Newport (Mon.) Corporation Parliamentary Committee recommends promoting a Bill seeking power to enable the corporation to operate motorbus' services within arid without the bqrough.

Leeds Corporation Cleansing Committee has decided to have a double-cornpartment tank fitted to the gullycleansing machine by the Yorkshire Patent Steam Wagon Co., at a cost of £190.

Stretford Urban District Council has agreed to an application from the Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd., to increase the capacity of their petroleum storage installation from 8,590 gallons to 24,000 gallons.

A committee of the Wakefield Corporation ii discussing the question. of adopting mechanical road transport, and has visited the works of Karrier Motors, Ltd., at Huddersfield and also inspected the motor equipment in use by the Birmingham Corporation.