Lighter Co.'s red star house flag is one of the most familiar emblems.
Its fine fleet of salvage tugs—some of which can rank with the best in the world—Iis known the length of the China coast, over in Japan, and! even down to the Straits Settlements, and India. In addition, it has com-odious "passenger tenders and res of steel lighters, making up fleet of somewhere in the neighbourhood of 160 units. There is not great deal more the company could do on the water, but it has been evident for a long time that its customers suffered to no little extent through what might be described as a break ju the continuity of operations. To get their up was their own concern, and the Tug & Lighter Ca, then gave every satis ta in transhipping cargoes, but transportation on shore w Gifferent matter. It might mes individual packages being '"hi-yao between toiling coolies, which is an expensive and slow process: or two, packages on a wheelbarrow, whic only halves expense and time: or the loading of a line of hand-carts, which is cheaper and quicker when everything goes without a hitch, but all too often, "as everyone knows, arts upset under the unwieldy loads,! the roads are blocked and cargo is damaged.
Since the war, a number of small companies have been operating works for the new venture.
"Utilizing Its own techniedl the company then erected com: odious steel and corrugated iron garage, 100 ft. in length and 60 ft. in breadth. It is clear of pillars and has a very high roof supported by steel girders of a span constitute ing no mean engineering feat, The road fleet is to be an imposing unit and the company again reduced expenses by doing all the body work invite own promises and with its lown staff. When fully equipped as jot, present arranged, the company will have ten 34 ton Renault trucks, Five 2-ton Renault trucks, Sve Sh-ton trailers, an Austin tractor and two 5-ton trailers, and a 5-ton travelling crane. Many of these vehicles ale ready have arrived and are in working order. The chassis were shipped out and on them the company fitted Serv substantial bodies of Philippine hnamiveood, the construction and the nature of the wood eliminating any danger of cargo being damaged (as often has happened) through floors {collapsing or goods being dragged over broken timbers.
The Weight on the Roads A feature of all the trucks ig the fitting of pneumatic tyres, colossal contrivances which look even more substantial than the solid variety and are said to be longer lived, whilst it readily will be understood that they ave much easier on the roads, especially as there is no intention (ver of carrying the maximum Kead on any of the trucks. Despite all the critics' may the" Municipal Council does take a real interest in the Settlement's roads and constantly strives to improve them and to keep them in good order. The addition of many Reavy motor haulage trucks motor omnibuses, ete, to the Settl ment's traffic list naturally Was Viewed with no little concern, even though eventually they will tend to oust. the narrow-tyred handcarts, which do greater damage, but the Municipal Council's road engineers) that its type of trucks will do no
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.