More Austin Stories

Austin automobile stories keep right on corning along, and some of them are very good.

Take the one about the big man who looked at an Austin for the first time, and curiously inquired of the salesman:

"How do you get into that thing?"

"You don't," replied the salesman; "you just put it on."

And then there is the more often told story of the man crossing the street when a big hound dog running at fuil speed sideswiped and knocked him down, and as he was getting to his feet an Austin hit him and dropped him again. Bystanders helped him to his feet, and asked if he was hurt.

"No," he said, "I'm not really hurt, I don't think. In fact, it wasn't the dog knocking me down that bothered me, but that tin can that was tied to his tail gave tne an awful wallop."

Redwood Association lssues B. C. Loggers Seek Reduced Another "Prorperity C.rd" Stumpage Royalties

The California Redwood Association has iust issued another "prosperity card". The letter sent out with this new card tells of the remarkable reception by the lumber dealers of the first card which they ordered by the thousands and distributed. The first card had as a slogan, "Give Your Unemployed Neighbor a Little Work Around Your Home", and r.vent on to say: "Your unemployed neighbor wants work, not charity. A ferv dollars spent for lumber enable you to put him to work making needed repairs inside and outside your home. Practical kindness, that adds many dollars to the value of your property".

Some dealers hired men and boys to leave "prosperity cards" under each door in their town. Others mailecl th,e cards to a list of names selected from the telephone book, and a few put the message over by advertising in their local newspaper.

The new card features the same slogan and says, "Turn idle time into productive hours this rvinter. Buy some lumber, and do repair rvork about your home that will substantially boost the value of your property. Your unemployed neighbor anxious to earn a little money will be glad to lend a hand."

The letter concludes with an offer to overprint the name of the dealer on any number of carcls he wants for distribution in his territory, and asks that dealers order without delay so that they may have the cards by January 25, in good tirne for Februar_y clistribution.

A delegation of the British Columbia Loggers Association has conferred with members of the British Columbia Cabinet urging a reduction in the payment of stumpage roy- alties on account of the present difficult situation in tlle British Columbia lumber- industry, states a report fro;m American Vice Consul Robert M. Newcomb at VictoriaCanada, and made publi,c by the Lumber Division of the Department of Commer.ce. Details of the reductions asked have not been made public. Royalties at present are at the, rate of $1.35 on No. I and 2 logs, and 60 cents on No. 3 logs per thousand feet.

A conference ruling, which determined that ocean freights should be paid in United States dollars recently created difficulties in the export of lumber, especially to, the United Kingdom. A serious interruption took place. during the early part of November, but a resumption oftrading has taken place under adjusted rates.

Lumber Secretaries Meet

The regular monthly meeting of of Trade Secretaries was held at the C)akland, Nlonday evening, January the Western Institute Athens Athletic Club, 1.

Pacific Tree-Guards Gaining \Vide Distribution

Cigarettes burn by the billion because they are everready. In certain eastern states, where the tax on this form of tobacco has started to reach the rapidly diminishing point for the tobacco companies and the taxing states, an idea was born. If cigarettes are taxed, and the "roll-your own" goods are not, we will set Mr. and Mrs. Public up in the manufacturing business, reasoned the tobacco manufacturers.

Ingenious little machines were sold at low cost with some loose "weed" and plenty of papers. Pretty girls in the windows showed how to do the rolling act and all was supposed to be well.

Bill Jones went home with his "makin's" and enjoyed the first session with the new device. The novelty wore off. The old convenience was gone. In short, Bill Jones had to use the "self starter" so much more that it soon wore out. The idea seems to be dying down primarily, we sttspect, because it violates the best merchandising sense.

This idea comes from the desk of J. J. Farley of The Pacific Lumber Company. lle uses it to illustrate the fact that there are many items that people want and will buy that are made of lumber products if there isn't too much work attached to the deal. "Protection for trees and shrubs is an easy idea to get across," says Mr. Farley. "The lumber merchant that can pass out the package article is making the idea seem rosy to the average individual. We have received enough favorable comments since bringing out Tree-Guards, to convince us that lumber merchants are becoming more and more receptive to ideas that serve the customer, make more profit for the houseand SELL LUMBER THAT WOULD OTHERWISE REMAIN UNSOLD.''

Northern Directors of State Ass'n Meet at Stockton

Directors of the Northern District of the California Retail Lumbermen's Association met at Stockton on Friday, January 8. President Harry A. Lake and a committee representing the directors of the Southern District came up from the south to attend the meeting. The southern directors who attended were Charles P. Curran. Curran Bros. Lumber Co., Pomona; Vice-President Earl Johnson, Johnson Lumber Co., Pasadena, and A. J. Stoner, Stoner Lumber Co., Sawtelle.

A committee of millmen met rvith the directors to talk over mutual problems, and general business of the association was discussed.

Abbey's Lumber Register Ready lor Distribution Feb. 15

The 1932 Abbey's Lumber Register of the Pacific Greater West is being compiled for publication February 15. Ninety-five per cent of the information will be obtained personally from the companies by the publishers own salaried representative this year.

Abbey's Register includes complete mechanical as well as personnel description of all lumber, logging and wood using plants in the twelve western states. For the convenience of its many users, names are cross-indexed three different ways, alphabetically by names of the companies, by the names of its officials'as well as bv states and towns.