NEWS of the WEEK
Page 38
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DELAY IN CONCILIATION . DECISIONS.
It is unlikely that the decisions of the appeals committee of the National Joint Conciliation Board on the appeals of the Northern, Yorkshire, North Western, East Midland, Eastern and South Eastern Area Conciliation Boards, concerning grading for wages purposes, Will be announced before the meeting of the National Board on December 18. The appeals committee met on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
Editorial comment on this question is made in this issue.
Commer-Soubar an Articulated Vehicle.
Some uncertainty has existed, since the intrciduction of the vehicle in question, with regard to the definition for purposes of taxation, etc., of the Commer-Soubar, marketed by-Conimer Cars, Ltd., Luton. This outfit incorporates a two-wheeled trailing unit, coupled, with partial superimposition of its weight, to a load-carrying tractive unit suitably adapted for the purpose.
The matter has now been clarified, and an official ruling obtained to the effect that the Minister of Transport is of the opinion that the machine is taxable on the combined weight of the tractive and trailing units, and is classified as an articulated vehicle.
Where the Railways Could Save Money.
Writing to The Engineer, a Mr. G. A. Nnokes, of Sussex, criticizes the Government plan of, in effect, forcing the railways to spend £55,000,000 on work which is, he says, largely unnecessary.
He points out that the expenditure of these millions, raised by debentures, places the hope of a dividend on ordinary railway stocks still farther in the background. He adds that £2,000,000 a year could easily be saved on the railways. For example, £450,000 on the railway clearinghouse; 70,000 on directors ; the substitution of one secretary, manager, engineer, mechanical engineer, accountant. etc., in place of the four of each now employed, whilst the payment of the chief officers should be on the same scale as those directing the Army., Navy, Post Office, etc.
A further £1,000,000 could be saved n20 by remunerating the numerous deputies and divisional officers on the Civil Service scale of salary.
By rearranging working, eliminating the overlapping of numerous matters between the four railways, and by closing down definitely non-paying " side shows," the saving of a fourth million would result, All this, the writer adds, could be done without any reduction of the working stall A Fire-engine Convoy for Buenos Aires.
On December 6, five Leyland fireengines were shipped to Buenos Aires from.the Brocklebank Dock, Liverpool, the order for these appliances having been secured in the face of world-wide competition, especially from the United States. One of the vehicles is shown in an accompanying picture and, whilst they all embody standard Leyland firefighting equipment, they are, generally speaking, more massive than the appliances used in this country.
In each case the 500 g.p.m. pump is located under the driver's seat, a hinged seat board giving access from the top. There are two deliveries and suctions, with their controls, on each side, and behind the driver's seat is an elliptical stainless-steel water tank. The crew, other than the men accommodated alongside the driver, is housed in a 12-senter wagonette-type body. At each side are hose-reel carriers, which, by simply slipping a catch, can be lowered and wheeled away.
Advertisements for December 27 Issue.
Owing to the intervention of the Christmas Holidays, all advertisements for our issue dated. December 27 must reach the Manager, The Commercial Motor, 5-17, Rosehery Avenue, London, E.C.1, by the first post on Monday. Decembtr 23.
PUBLIC INQUIRY ON JESNER CONVICTION.
At a meeting of the Northern Scotland Licensing Authority last Friday it was intimated that a public inquiry is to be Conducted in connection with the recent conviction, of j. jesner and Sons, Ltd., a haulage concern, Lochgelly, which, as reported • in The Commercial Motor, was fined £150 at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for permitting drivers to work beyond the statutory periods.
A -representative for the concern stated that an appeal was pending against the conviction. The Licensing Authority said that, ()wing to the circumstances, the public inquiry would be adjourned to a date to be fixed,
Next Year's Exhibition in South Africa.
At a luncheon given recently. by the London Committee of the Empire Exhibition, South Africa, 1936, Major C. C. Frye, C.B.E., chairman of the South African Organizing Committee, referred to the improvement in the whole economic and political future of that country. He mentioned that in less than three months the committee had obtained the money needed to finance the Exhibition, and if more be required it will be forthcoming. South African firms have already taken more than half the industrial-hall space.
The United Kingdom has agreed to participate, as have the Governments of Canada, Australia, Southern Rhodesia and the East African Protectorates, and it is hoped soon to hear that the Governments of India, New Zealand and the Irish Free State will join.
The Exhibition will occupy MO acres of park-like ground, 10 minutes from the centre -of Johannesburg.
The organization in the United Kingdom is in the hands of the Federation of British Industries.