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Removing Legal DisaL'ARMERS using tractors will bility on Farm TracI be given a useful concession if a new clause added to the Finance Bill, allowing greater freedom in the use of tractors paying duty at Ss. per annum, becomes law. The concession will enable a farmer to use the tractor for the haulageof agricultural produce and requisites on a public road between different parts of the same farm. The National Farmers Union made strong representations to obtain this concession.
tors
UNLIMITED night illumination and complete obscuration of lighting from enemy aircraft are provided by a new system, known as the Traffoblak, developed by Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd., Trafford Park, Manchester, 17. The scheme is based on the use of artificial sources emitting light of a certain colour, and the spraying of all glass with a lacquer which allows daylight to penetrate but will not allow the artificial light to pass out. Special electric discharge lamps are required. The output is several times that of clear gas-filled lamps of equal wattage. Light from welding, and other forms, can, however, penetrate, but the idea should be extremely useful for factories, offices, etc.
c8 Lighting That Would Not Warn Enemy Aircraft A Radio Set an Aid ORRY drivers are taking
to Driving Corn" an interest in installing
mercial Vehicles . . radio on their vehicles.
Recently, a representative of Delco-Remy and Hyatt, Ltd., heard music coming from a goods vehicle. He investigated and 1oun4 that the driver had installed a second-hand Philco set, using the brass rail from a towel rack as the aerial; this had been fitted behind the cab. Although crudely installed, the set was giving good reprorlection. The driver said that he found it a great help in keeping him fresh on long journeys.
Is Motorcycle Racing rrUERE is some diversity of
Success a Pointer to I types among commercial
Us ? vehicle engines, but it is as nothing compared with that of modern motorcycle power units. In the Senior T.T. race this month there were "singles," matched against " twins " and "fours," two-strokes battling against four-strokes, and supercharged versus unsupercharged engines. In addition side-by-side. V-type and horizontally opposed cylinders were used, whilst water cooling and air cooling were both represented. First and second places were gained by supercharged, air-cooled, horizontally opposed fourstrokes. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that this will be the type of the future in our field. Providing Tractors E reserve of tractors is
or Ploughing Up Tri-riot to be used except in
Grassland . case of emergency, but many farmers wish to take advantage of the subsidy for ploughing up grassland. To assist those who have no tractors available, the Tractor Users' Association, 2, Chesham Place, London, S.W.], has formed a panel of members willing to undertake this work at an agreed charge.
Roads
A QUESTION was asked in
of Parliament, recently, as to special vehicles, such as a 60-ft. tractor and trailer with a load of 80 tons. A Mr. Neil Maclean wanted to know whether the M.o.T. proposed to take steps to prevent such vehicles being used. We do not know who Mr. Maclean is, nor are we cognizant of his knowledge of transport affairs, either road or rail. 'We do know, however, that his time might well have been better spent. The requirements of industry, including rearmament, often necessitate transport of such loads, and, even if sent by rail, some part of the journey is almost certain to require the use of roads. It is a fact that railways would be useless without roads.
Costs of Electricity A FREQUENT complaint for Vehicle Opera1-from those contemplating
tion Need Stabilizing using, or extending the use of, the electric vehicle, concerns the manner in which charging rates vary from area to area. In time the electricity undertakings will get together and place matters on a more level basis. When that day arrives we trust that adequate note will be taken of the tariff of Stoke-on-Trent. For non-peak hours the charge is id. a unit. There is also a restricted-hours rate of id. a unit, subject to supply being controlled by time switch and taken between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. Is this a record?