“GOOD OLD BEAN”

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9850, 31 October 1924, Page 3

“GOOD OLD BEAN”

IN HEART OF INDUSTRIAL ENGLAND. MR J. E. KIRK VISITS BRITISH CAR MANUFACTORY. “A PRODUCT OF THE EMPIRE.”

Writing from London, Mr J. It. Kirk says that he had, at the time, just concluded an interesting tour of the Midlands.

“Yesterday,” lie says, “we had the privilege of visiting and inspecting, in the' heart of industrial England, one of those great manufacturing concerns whose products are seep on the roadways of the world. ’ Tho journey was made in comfort, for the Daily Express newspaper, Imperiallyset, and with a sound knowledge of the goods we were to examine, most liberally provided us with a special train, ' special meals thereon, and special service. At Dudley we lunched, and after the chairman had welcomed us in a speech at once warm in its friendliness, provocative of laughter in its witty phrasing, and frank in its request for clear and truthful criticism, it was no wonder that tho half hundred guests simultaneously expressed the same thought in the appropriate phrase, “Good old Dean!”

“For our vißit was to the works of Smethwick. Tipton and Dudley, of Messrs A. Harper, Sons and Bonn, Ltd., makers and producers of the popular Bean motor-cars and of iron castings of all descriptions. We came from all parts of the Empire—Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, India, and islands beyond the seas; we all believed that we knew something about motor cars, and specially that wo, could tell the British manufacturer where lie was at fault! We were met at Birmingham hv directors and officials of the Bean works with a fleet of a score of-ears, and as bright sunshine prevailed, the formation and brilliance of the .squadron recalled parade-days of a very different period. “First we visited Smethwick, whero are the stamping and forging works of tho firm, and where Hcdflelu’s steel —(is there any better?) —is forged by 75 great hammers, ranging in weight from 3 cwt to 3 tons, and where all the craiik-shafts, axles, connecting rods, and so on are made —not only -for Bean cars, but as well for many other well-known manufacturers in the country. At Tipton is done all the machinings on the forgings and other parts, and here tho Bean chassis is erected. There is a comparatively new factory, built on the most approved lines for efficiency, the elimination of waste, and that security without which no ifirm can maintain throughout the years the name for so long associated with the British product—its dependability. Moreover, it must he a pleasure to work anywhere on this one million square feet of industrial activity, for everything possible has been done to assure tho health, well-being and general comfoit of tho employees. Long grouns ot millers, grinders, boring machines, and gear-cutters run the whole length of the shop, arranged to suit tho sequence of operations tu which each individual part is subjected and so to minimise handling as much as possible. What interested me as much ns anything were the testing and chocking operations, proceeding constantly by qualified professional men, with a view to seeing that nothing should be used which might in the tiniest degree prejudice the wellknown slogan of this progressive firm —“Quality first.” “The body-building factory is at Dudley, where also are the offices of the firm, and here the finished article may be viewed after it has been thoroughly examined, tested and tried m every way. I cannot claim to be practical, 'much less an engineer, but, as far as I was capable of judging, it seemed that, with a view to the maintenance of a great name for reliability, the dynamic forces at work in the offices—all yoium men with a keen desire to see their products satisfying the needs of owners throughout the world—were alive to the value of modern methods (or such of them as do not sacrifice the substance for-tho shadow) applied to the necessities of particular conditions in different countries, and particularly Colonial conditions. “But what of the luncheon and the speeches? ‘lt is the mode in certain corners of the Empire/ said Mr Bngnell (director) ‘to regard tho Old Country as an effete object of pity, everlastingly trying to stage a comeback. Britons overseas very frequently have criticism to offer, and when an overseas Briton has criticism to offer he -generally offers it with both hands—knuckles closed. he don’t complain of that; we are taking the medicine as bravely as we .can. Some people, you know, get more comfort in expecting the worst than in hoping for the best. We only ask, when you have seen lor yourselves—seen without any prompting on hackpatting—that in the days to come you will give the Old World a good word wlien”ycu can. Remember, some day your children will he crit-cising you then you’ll know what it is to be a father.’ . . . “In acknowledging, m graceful ami appropriate terms, the liosp.tality of our hosts, the Hon. Mr Colebatca, Agent-General for Western Australia, expressed the profound impression that the visit had made, and, in referring to the criticism of. the British enr gjoiionilly, sn.d that too dton the British .manufacturer had decided to give the Colonies .‘not what they knew they wanted, but what he thought they should have.’ The resud had been far from, advantageous to Britain. AT. had been delighted to sec,, in the Bean ear, improvements suitable to Colonial needs, to know that Bean representatives wore at present in tho Dominions experienc ng those needs and reporting upon them, and to hear that their hosts were fully alive to the best possibilities of Empire trade provided only articles suitable to the Dominions would be sent from Great Britain. ‘The withdrawal of* the McKenna duties/ said Mi Coichntch, ‘would have caused litte concern had greater attention been paid in the past to understanding and developing Empire trade.’ “In well-equipped, aM-wenthop cars (for heavy rain was now experienced) the party comfortably motored to Birmingham, the outstanding impression made being: ‘Here, indeed, is a firm, unencumbered by years oh traditions conservativeness and obsolete ivories, ■ w ith the outlook and energy of the prune of life, determined to .understand the requirements of Empire needs in motor cars and to supp y them.’ Surely good news for the Dominions!”