HEAVY FINE FOR DISCLOSING TRAFFIC INFORMATION.
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Charged with disclosing confidential information given to him in his capacity as a temporary clerk on the staff of the North Western Traffic Commissioners, a Rochdale man appeared at the Manchester City Police Court, on Monday last, to answer a summons taken out under the Official Secrets Act.
When information was given that excessive hours were being worked by a driver for a certain concern, it was alleged that the defendant communicated with the firm, also that he informed a motor salesman regarding an application by a transport concern for an increase in its fleet, that the appli. cant would require a further vehicle.
Imposing a fine of £10 and costs, the stipendiary commented that the man had no right to disclose confidential information.
Wages and Working Conditions in the Western Traffic Area.
Last Friday an agreement was reached between representatives of employers and employees on the Western Traffic Area Conciliation Board. At a general meeting of the branch of the Road Haulage Association for this area, attended by over 150 members, the amended report of the National Joint Conciliation Board and the new agreement were submitted to the meeting, and a resolution was passed to the effect that the meeting agreed to recommend and operate the report, and accept the terms arranged by the Western Traffic Area Conciliation Board.
The wages are those set out in our issue for last week. The rates for trunk and long-distance services apply outside a radius of 60 miles from the recognized centre, but where the River Severn makes a circuitous route necessary, the limit is extended to 70 road miles.
Important R.H.A. West Midland Meetings.
A well-attended meeting of hauliers took place in Birmingham on January 4, under the auspices of the Road Haulage Association. Mr. L. W. Cupwell, chairman of the West Midland Area Joint Conciliation Board, occupied the chair and explained in detail the revised report of the National Board. He urged upon all hauliers the importance of observing the wage schedules and conditions set out in the report, as these would be taken as the standard by the Licensing Authority and, therefore, amounted to a condition of every licence.
Another meeting, held by the West Midland Regional Area of the R.H.A., took place in Cannock on January 2, when Mr. G. L. H. Swift was in the chair. Mr. W. E. Aston, the area chairman, informed the meeting that the fusion of the' R.H.A. with the Commercial Motor Users Association has now been definitely agreed upon, and that the new association would he representative of A, B, and C licence holders.
Mr. J. Foley Egginton. the .area secretary, said it was felt by hauliers that applications for additional vehicle:3 were made much toohard for them. They were opposed on every conceivable occasion by the railway companies, which lodged objections to every application for a licence for an additional vehicle, whether they were interested in the traffic or not.
Grade 3 Wages in South-East.
The employers' panel of the SouthEastern .Area Joint Conciliation Board has decided that, pending a final decision, Grade 3 wages shall be paid in the area.
Presentation to Mr. J. H. Jennings.
Some 300 persons attended an entertainment recently given by the directors of J. H. Jennings and Son, Ltd., Sandbath, the well-known body-building concern, to the staff. During the evening a presentation was made to Mr. J. H. Jennings, the managing director, who, in his speech, traced the history of the company from a small beginning.
Principality Price Reduction.
The Principality Wagon Co., Ltd., Cardiff, announces a reduction in the price. of its popular movable-floor body, which is 11 ft. long, 6 ft. 6 ins, wide and has 18-in, fixed sides; the new -price is £88. This body has been specially designed for mounting upon a number of well-known makes of 40-50-cwt. chassis, and weighs 16 cwt. The prices of other types of Principality movable-floor body remain as mentioned in the company's price-lists.
Delay in Issuing Licence: Authority Rebuked.
During the hearing, at Leeds City Police Court, on Tuesday, of prosecutions for using goods vehicles without licences, one defendant said that he had applied for a licence in November and had paid his fee, but had not yet received it. Mr. J. Wurzal (prosecuting) said this was because the papers had been delayed, pending the stipendiary's decision in the case.
The Stipendiary Magistrate (Mr. Horace Marshall) : "I blame the Authority for not giving the man something he had paid for."
Mr, Wurzal "There has been no damage done or injury to him."
The Stipendiary : There has been injury to him. The man is entitled to have his licence, SQ he can produce it to the police if he is asked for it without having to come here and prove he has paid for it and not got it. If there is a hurry to bring these prosecutions, there should have been some hurry to give the licence."
Earlier in the proceeding's, Mr. Wurzal had said that there was rio intention of pressing for penalties in these cases, which had been brought for the purpose of making people realize that the Road and Rail Traffic Act must be observed. The Stipendiary discharged the defendants under the Probation Act.
Hauliers in West Somerset decided to organize, after a well-attended meeting at Taunton, last week, at which Mr. F. Beck, of Ihninster, presided. Supporting him were Mr. J. W. Gibbs, divisional organizer of the Road Haul, age Association, Mr. H. W. Hawker, of the Western Regional Executive Committee, and Mr. H. W. Adams, -chairman of the Short-distance Operators' Committee.
It was agreed to call the new organization the West Somerset Road Haulage Association, and the following appointments were made :—Chairinan, Mr. C. G. Berry (Bridgwater) ; vicechairman, Mr. S. PuIsford (Wiveliscornhe) ; committee, Messrs. F. Beck (Ilminster), T. Grimstead (Bridgwater), H. Radford (Wellington); C. Treasure (Taunton), J. Voisey (Chard), W. Yandle (Martock), and T. Barlow (Yeovil) ; hon. secretary, Mr. F. J. Hartland, High Street, Taunton, Soviet Government Buys Crossley Oil Engines.
As a result of the success of the Crossley power units entered in the recently held Russian oil-engine contest. the Soviet Government has purchased three Crossley compression-ignition units, two being the VR4 four-cy-lindered type and the other a VR6 sixcylindered unit. It will he remembered that the test comprised a road trial from Moscow to Tiflis and back, a distance of over 3,000 miles, which was covered in 32 days, and a bench test of 50 hours' duration, carried out to determine the condition of the engines after the trial.
Necessity of Detailed Evidence by Licence Applicants.
An illustration of the need for hauliers applying for licences for new vehicles to arm themselves with . full figures and other evidence to justify the application was furnished by a case before the 'Yorkshire Licensing Authority, on Monday last.
Crowther and Pickup, Ltd., Elland, sought A licences in -respect of 12 vehicles under claimed tonnage, two further vehicles under discretionary tonnage and eight 2-tonners to be acquired.
Mr. N. Crowther, a director of the concern, admitted that he was now seeking a 70-per-cent. increase in tonnage on that of the basic year, and said he had brought no figures to show that the higher turnover justified such an application, although his figures would prove that there was justification. Mr. Crowther, who said he was now employing eight other haulage contractors to help with his work, stated that he had no figures with him to show how much he was hiring at the end of the basic year.
The Authority granted licences for the vehicles in possession, butrefused permission for the acquisition of further vehicles, which, he said, the evidence before him did not justify.
Road-accident Returns.
The Ministry of Transport returns of persons killed or injured in road accidents during the week ended December 29, 1934, show that in England 114 persons were killed and 3,365 injured, whilst 42 died as a result of previous accidents. The figures for Scotland were 13 killed and 366 injered, and for Wales 10 killed and 139 injured.
The 1933 Act in Retrospect.
A meeting of the Nottingham and District Industrial Traffic Club was held in Nottingham on Wednesday last, when Mr. F. C. Allen occupied the chair. Mr. E. J. Shopland, of the East Midland Traffic Commissioners' staff, was the speaker, his subject being "The First Year of Operation of the Road and Rail Traffic Act—in Retrospect."
Distributing Worldwin Pistons.
The distribution throughout England of the well-known Worldwin piston is now being handled by Distributors of Worldwin Pistons, Ltd., 27, Charles Street, Notting Hill, London, W.11. A large and representative stock is being maintained, including a special range of pistons for oil engines. The sales manager is Mr. C. N. Silversides.
Currie's Wide Expansion.
In order to cope with its greatly increased business in Doncaster, Currie and Co. is building a large new warehouse, 150 ft. square, just off the Great North Road, at the north end of the town. In addition to providing accommodation for the large staks of materials in transit which the concern always haa in hand, there will be garage and repair-shop facilities.
It is about seven years since Currie and Co. first opened a depot in Don
caster, and the business has grown to such an extent that it now has 30 vehicles operating locally, and there are daily services to practically all the large towns within a. radius of 50 miles. There is also a nightly service to London.
Leeds R.H.A. Dinner.
The first annual dinner of the Leeds sub-area of the Road Haulage Association will be held on January 80, at the Guildford Hotel, The Headrow, Leeds.
Albion 4-tonner Frame Length.
In our -description of the new Albion light 4-tonner, published last week, the dimension for the length from the back of the driver's cab to the rear of the frame, on the 12-ft. wheelbase model, should have been 12 ft. 7 iris.
Tenders Invited for Supplies to Irish Councils.
The Irish Free State Minister for' Local Government and Public Health invites tenders` for the supply of Fordson tractors, trailers, ambulances, Ford parts, miscellaneous accessories, tyres, oil, petroleum, etc., to the local authorities during the forthcoming financial year. Further particulars may be obtained from the secretary, Department of Local Government and Public Health, Custom House, Dublin, C.10, and tenders must be received by January 29. POPULARIZING THE ELECTRIC The Electrical Development Association and the Electric Vehicle Committee of Great Britain are organizing a campaign to develop the use of electric vehicles for local delivery by traders. In this connection, East Ham Electricity Committee has approved the following tariff for charging the batteries of such vehicles :—Rate A, for supply without restriction as to hours of use, id. per unit ; and rate B, for supply outside the peak hours, id. per unit.
Wellworthy's New Service Depot.
Wellworthy, Ltd., the well-known piston-ring manufacturing concern, has opened a new service depot for the northern counties at Millica,n's Buildings, Market Street, Newcastle-onTyne. The company also has depots in London, Birmingham, Manchester; Bristol, Southampton and Glasgow.
The Origin of Ventilouvre.
The word " Ventilouvre " is being largely used these days to describe the continuous type of louvre used on the outside of windows for buses, coaches and railcars. We are asked to point out that this word is a trade mark of Beckett, Laycock g.nd Watkinson, Ltd., Acton Lane, London, N.W.10, and refers solely to the original continuous louvre introduced by the company some years ago.