News of the Week
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VEHICLES FOR FRUIT AND • VEGETABLE TRADERS
NEW vehicles for civilian purposes are severely limited, and under the most favourable -conditions delivery cannot be effected until at least Eve months after the date of any approved application.
The Ministry of Food has therefore advised fruit and vegetable traders who require replacement of vehicles, to apply to R.T.C.s not less than six months before any replacement is essential. This will permit the M.O.W.T. to form an estimate of fotal requirements and arrange releases accordingly. Applications should not cover anticipated needs for additional vehicles, but be confined to replacements.
WINDING-UP A SCOTTISH ASSOCIATION • A N extraordinary general meeting of the Scottish Carriers' and Haulage Contractors' Association is to be held on January 81, for the purpose of passing a special resolution that the company be wound-up voluntarily and' a liquidator appointed, also that any property shall be transferred to the R.H.A. A dinner may be held to mark the occasion. • The directors and secretary look for, ward with confidence to the continued support of the members in connection with the new body.
LONDON OILER DISTRIBUTOR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
AS sole London distributor for Seddon oil-engined vehicles, Hall's Commercial Division, Standard House, Odeon Parade, Finchlc..y, London, N.12, has, despite restrictions imposed by war conditions, shown considerable enterprise in cultivating and extending the interest of operators in the make of commercial vehicle which it handles, and quite a measure of success. has attended the efforts which have been made.
That the Division, under the
managinec' cirectorehip of Mr. Allan J. Borkett,F.I.M.E., has future posiibilities well in mind and forsees an expanding market for oilers is indicated hy the fact that it has acquired a piece of land at 1,089, High Road, Great N.orth Road, Whetstone, Middlesex, on which it is intended to erect a modern service garage and showroom for commercial vehicles, and to specialize in oil-engined transport vehicles. The Division is also a stockist of spares for the Perkins oil engine, with which unit the Seddon vehicle is, of course, powered..
NO " ROYAL " SHOW THIS YEAR
ALTHOUGH there will definitely be no " Royal " Show at Lincoln in the summer of this year, it is hoped to hold the show there in 1946, and in the following year at Plymouth. The possibilities of holding a show this year have been examined from every angle, and it is exceedingly Unlikely that transport conditions, however well the war may go, will be able tq cope with the tremendous demand upon road and rail for carrying livestock, implements and other gear to the showground, apart from getting the public there to see the exhibits.
-GUY MOTORS SPLENDID , PRODUCTION ACHIEVEMENT
T"picture which is reproduced below shows the 2,000th Guy wartime doiible-deck' bus chassis coming off the track at the works of Guy Motors, Ltd., Fallings Park, Wolverhampton. This adds to a record in production and recalls the fact that from the date of settlement of the specification until the completion of the 1.,000th bus chassis, a period of only two years two months had elapsed, whilst a further 1,000 chassis have been manufactured within a period of just over 12 months
The managing director, Mr. S. S. Guy, is seen congratulating Mr. Tippins, machine-shop superintendent, on this excellent achievement. THE LATEST INVITATION TO UNITY
WE understand that the National VY Association of Road Transport Groups has received from Mr. G. W. Quick Smith a letter inviting the Association to appoint a small sub-Committee to discuss the accommodation that can best be made for co-operative groups within the new united scheme. Consequent upon this, the National Council has appointed such a committee.
We presume that the idea will be to link the groups in some way with the Road Haulage Association. This is indicative of the live policy which is already being pursued by the National Road Transport Federation and its allied autonomous bodies.
INDUSTRIAL CHIEFS DISCUSS HOME AND EXPORT MARKETS
DISCUSSIONS on the present industrial position, as it affect, both Britain',s home and export markets. took place, last week, in Birmingham, between the President of the Board of Trade, Mr. Hugh Dalton, M.P., his 'Chief Executive for Reconversion, Sir Charles Bruce-Gardner, and 45 leading industrialists from the Midlands.
The occasion was a dinner given by Sir Miles Thomas, D.F.C., vice-chairman of the Nuffield Organization. The event provided a valuable opportunity for the heads of many of Britain's leading industrial concerns to hear, at first hand, views on the vital problem of reconverting industry to peace-time, production.
MAKERS t AY TYRE PRICES ARE
SOME users of road transport may have been perplexed by a statement regarding the prices of tyres,. which has gained currency. The allegation is that those for heavy motor vehicles have been increased for the second time "in less than a month." The fact is, according to the Tyre Manufacturers' Conference, that since August, 1943, there was no increase until January 8. 1945, when the present rise was accepted by theappropriate Government Departments.
CANADIAN MILITARY VEHICLES USE WOODHEAD SUSPENSION THAT the Canadian Government has adopted the Woodhead suspension system in the design of several of its military vehicles was mentioned by Captain Al!art G. Kyle, chairman of _Jonas 'Woodhead and Sons, Ltd., at the company's recent annual meeting, in Leeds. " In this regard," he added, " I recently visited Canada and was given every opportunity to study their production methods. In a similarly generous manner our friends in the United States gave me every help."
Speaking of the problem of revitalizing war-worn plant and equipment, particularly in reference to the development of export trade after the war, he remarked that the company was .hamstrung not only by taxation but by the war-time system of permits and controls. Many, of the latter were undoubtedly unavoidable and neceSsary, but if the Governrnent's aim of a 50 per cent. increase over pre-war exports was to be satisfied then encouragement must be given without delay, in a definite and practical form.
The corepany's trading profit over the past five years was 2511,000, or which 2447,100—approximately 87 per cent—had gone for taxation and contingencies.
NIGHT TRANSPORT FOR 'SERVICEMEN ON LEAVE Q IIEFFIELD Passenger Transport 1...)Department obtained permission from the North-Eastern Regional Transport Commissioner, Major F. S. Eastwood, to provide emergency bus transport, as required, for taking home Servicemen arriving onleave from overseas during the night, the vehicles being manned by members of the night maintenance staff.
Generally speaking, however, night get-you-home transport for such men arriving in the area is being provided through private motorists' ,services. Difficulties about petrol supplies for these services were disposed of when arrangements were made for the issue of petrol coupons under a scheme administered by the Army's Northern Command Welfare Department.
THAT SPRINGLIKE FEELING rINE of the best-known makers of L/springs is Herbert Terry and Sons, Ltd., of Redditch. One explanation of its skill may be found in the high proportion of employees who have served the company for extensive periods. Recently presentations were made to 209 men and women who have been in its employ continuously for 25 years or longer—in fact, 25 of them received gold. watches for unbroken service eXceeding 40 years. These last formed some 20 per cent. of the pay roll 40 years ago, and the 209 constitute a substantial part of the present strength. FURNITURE REMOVERS': ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE R.H.A.
THE relationship of the National Association of Furniture Warehousemen and Removers with the new Road Haulage 'Association was referred to by Mr. George E. Gilbey, of Wakefield, president of the former, when he addressed a recent meeting of that organization's South-West, Mid-Wales and Monmouthshire Centre at Cardiff.
In a resume of the protracted negotiations which preceded the agreement of the terms arranged between the two organizations, Mr. Gilbey said that there seemed, originally, to have been a misunderstanding of the peculiarities .and special problems of the removal and storage industry. It had been given out publicly, twice, that the N.A.F.W. and R. was to wind up and go out of existence like the bodies amalgamating under the Perry scheme, whereas the Association's representatives had definitely stated many times that their organization could not adopt this course.
Proposals for the conclusion of an arrangement with the new RH.A. had been twice rejected, but as furniture removers were users of road transport it was patent that the N.A.F.W. and R. ought to have a definite relationship with the new organization. Eventually. Lord Perry "took a hand in the negotiations, which resulted in the terms accepted at the November conference of the removers' association and by the R.H.A. " shadow council."
At a dinner and social evening which followed, Mr. Gilbey stressed two aims for N.A.F.W. and R. members—giving the best possible service to the public, and giving the most reliable and helpful service to each other, They should seek to establish in the mind of the public, he said, a confidence that, whenever and wherever the Association's badge was displayed, it stood for reliability, integrity and really expert and economical service. PUBLICATION OF TRANSPQRT ACCOUNTS
A N Order (S.R. and 0. 1944, No. 1-11449), which comes into force on February I, has been made by the Minister of War Transport, under which various earlier directions and orders, imposing restrictions on the publication of the accounts of certain public utility undertakings concerned with transport services, will cease to have effect, except in relation to a limited number of tuldertakings. With these latter, publication will be allowed after the expiration, of six months from • the end of the year to which the accounts relate.
USING WASTE FOR ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES
A N industrial salvage exhibition, 1-1entitled " Wealth from Waste," opens at 11.30 a.m to-day at the Carlton Hotel, Haymarket, London, S.W. I, and does on February 9. Attendance is only for those connected with industry, and by invitation. It has been organized by the Ministry of Supply and demonstrates many ingenious ways in which waste materials are being utilized and. the possibilities for farther development in the post-war' pesiod. . Already, after only two years from the start of the industrial salvage group scheme, it includes 300 groups tmbracing some 10,000 concerns.
MORE ALUMINIUM FREED FOR VEHICLE BUILDING
FROM January 1, all vehicle constructors working to M.O.S. contracts or authorizations are given, by Light Metals Control, free choice of aluminium in sections and sheet. A similar ruling applies to any concerns doing general civilian repair work against M.O.W.T. authorizations. It is no longer necessary for them to obtain supplies from the short list of stockists; they may place orders direct with the manufacturers, without reference to Control or the Ministry.
C.M.U.A.'S 'ENEMY-ACTION FUND LIQUIDATED
ACONTINGENCY fund, which members of the C.M.U.A.'s NorthEastern Division established by voluntary subscription in 1940. for the purpose of giving financial aid to any member of the Division suffering direct damage through enemy action, was liquidated at a meeting of the subscribers in Leeds last week. This was in consequence of the CM.U.A.'s winding-up to participate in the Perry merger scheme. In compliance with legal requirements, the balance in hand was allocated to charitable purposes.
Of the amount contributed by 127 subscribers, £1,143 remained in the fund. At last .week's meeting it was decided, on a proposition by Mr. E. J. Chamberlain (Huddersfield), seconded by Mr. Samuel Ledgard (Leeds), that £1,000 of this sum be used to endow a bed at the Leeds General Infirmary. In accordance with a further resolution, moved by Mr. ,L. W. Twivey (Wakefield) and seconded by Mr. A. Feather (Bradford), the residue will go to the C.M.U.A. Road Transport Research Fellowship Fund which the Institute of Transport will administer for the provision of travel scholarships for transport study.
"ROADS AND ROAD TRANSPORT"
AFURTHER supply Of the British Road Federation's publication, " Roads and Road Transport," is now available at Is. 4d. (including postage) on application to the secretary, 4a, Bloomsbury Square, London, W.C.I.
"NATIONAL OMNIBUS" PROFIT IN 1944
I N 1944, the National Omnibus and Transport Co., Ltd., made a profit of £91,096, froth which a dividend for the year on the preference shares absorbed £17,500, leaving, after adding £29,452 brought in, a balance of £103,046. A sum of £5,000 is allocated to general reserve, and.a dividend of si per cent, per annum, free of tax, on the ordinary shares takes £66,750. leaving £29,2911 to he carried (orward. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT EXTRA 6 INS.
TO the M.O.W.T an extra 6 ins. on the permissible maximum width of a passenger-service vehicle means, so it
seems, very little. That is why it turned down the request recently put forward by vehicle makers and operators.
The Ministry's refusal to concede the extra measurement means, amongst other things, that special buses must be built for the export market—not a great help in our efforts to capture overseas trade.
We reproduce below two Illustrations, of which ene -shows the inferior of an 8-ft. wide bus, one of a considerable number diverted from overseas markets to meet war-time emergencies in this *country. Contrast this picture with the upper one, which shows the normal bus of a maximum width of 7 ft. 6 ins. The conductress has increased gangway _ space and the passengers are far more comfortably seated, and this is achieved by only 6 ins, additional width. BALLAST AND SAND DRIVERS' WAGES OLLOWING a recent award of the
N.J.C. for the Ballast and Sand Industry, increasing quarry workers! basic rates by Id. per hour, the C-Class Licence Drivers' Wages Committee of the N.J.C. agreed, on December 19, that a similar increase in such drivers' basic wages should operate in full as from the .pay day in the week ended
November 11 last. • E.P.T. HITS MUNICIPAL BUS LINDERTAKING
IN a report to the city council, Mr, H. C. Godsmark, manager of Newcastle-on-Tyne transport department, expresses concern regarding the repercussions of the excess profits taxen the financial position of the undertaking. He says he is perturbed at the Situation which svill have to be faced after the war when it will be necessary to make replacements of vehicles and plant. The funds which, in normal times, would have been used to purchase new vehicles have been absorbed by E.P.T.
MORE HONOURS FOR THE INDUSTRY
SEV ER AL other members of the industry have lately been honoured. They are as follows—O.B.E.: A. D. Crosby, who has occupied an important position in the assembly shops of Dennis Bros., Ltd., since 1902, for his services in the Home Guard; William Shackleton, machine shop superintendent with the same company for nearly seven years, for carrying the responsibility for production details in this important department. He has been with the company since 1924.
M.B.E. : Fa. Lt. D. G. Cowling, formerly chairman of Leeds Corporation Passenger Transport Committee. He joined the R.A.F. early in 1941, and since 1942 has been in Burma.
B.E.M.: James Perry, who has been with Girling, Ltd.', and its predecessor for more than 50 years. He is the company's buyer and has taken an active interest for many years in the Motor and Cycle Trades Benevolent Fund.
MERGER SCHEME FOR TEES-SIDE TRANSPORT PUT BACK MEGOTIATIONS for the merging of
11 the transport undertakings of Middlesbrough, Stockton and the Teesside Railless Traction Board are to be deferred " owing to possible developments in connection with local government." Middlesbrough Transport Committee, in a report to the corporation, said that the managers of the respective undertakings were agreed that a single control of the three organizations would be in the public interest. The committee recommended, however, that the matter should be deferred, in view of possible changes in the areas of local government. A move to have this recommendation referred back was made at a meeting of Middlesbrough Corporation by Councillor F. C. Pette, who said the transport committee was taking a rather premature attitude. The committee's recommendation was, however, approved.