Passing Comments
Page 12
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Reflecting-stud Road ik AucH as trams and tramCentre Lines Certainly AIlines have been abused by
Hel pf u I drivers of most types of vehicle, there are few who have not been glad to make use of the tracks for guidance in fog or on exceptionally dark nights. Even better, however, are the reflecting studs now used in many districts to mark road centre or lane lines. One of the difficulties, especially on country roads, is to distinguish the sides of the road; these reflectors relieve drivers of this onus so that they can concentrate their full attention on avoiding other hazards.
Road Transport Costs A T the annual general meetand Influence Closely 4-1ing of Transport Services,
Analysed Ltd., the chairman made some interesting observations asto how the company arrived at its profits. Of the gross takings, wages absorbed 35.58 per cent.; depreciation, 10.29 per cent.; running charges (petrol, before taxation, and oil), 15.36 per cent,; garage and office rents, 12.96 per cent.; taxes (petrol, vehicle, income and excess profits), 21.54 per cent.; whilst the shareholders are left with '4.27 per cent. Out of this has to be paid the preference interest and ordinary dividend. Vehicle replacement now costs 35 to 40 per cent. more than in peace-time. Much of the traffic is in food and war material, but road transport, besides forming a reserve of vehicles and men for war requirements, has, by its calls on industry, developed the great chassis-manufacturing concerns upon which the Government depends to equip our rapidly expanding army. The professional road-transport Andustry, composed of some 60,000 sturdy individualists legislated almost to a standstill, has had a proud part to play in taking a prominent place in helping the country now it is at war. If it were controlled by civil servants and co-ordinated, the efficiency would be lessened, and the losers would be the country and the war effort. Under nationalization, the industry would not have grown as it has.
Why is Valuable MO wonder there is a shortage Material Still Being in certain important Wasted ? materials. Recently ' we in spected an aircraft engine component in manganese bronze, which could easily have been turned out in the rough very close to the finished size. As it arrives at the machiners, however, the turning involves a five-to-one ratio of swarf, and this at time when such material is almost as valuable as silver. Sisch an example found casually makes one wonder how many other instances of such gross waste are still being permitted.