"Our Man"
Page 53
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WHENEVER I make a trip to the West Country I am impressed by the affection VV with which operators regard Mr. S. W. Nelson, the Western Licensing Authority. " Our man's all right," they say with a smile and a nod that are far more eloquent than the words.
The reasons are his humanity and his dislike of red tape. He encourages negotiation to the full and will not list a case for public hearing if it can be granted in chambers. I gather he is taking a more indulgent view than other Licensing Authorities of the substitution of open A licences for expiring special A licences, and everyone—even the railways—appears to be happy.
But he cannot be tried too far, as recent experience shows. Several operators have been admonished for their conduct, but the matter has been left there. " Our man" is not soft, but he is supremely just.
Satisfied Customer
"'THANK you for today's issue," a transport manager said I to me last Friday. I obviously looked surprised (kicks being more common than ha'pence), so he explained: " For years I have been trying to persuade our company secretary that in makingloss-of-use claims, it is not necessary to prove that a substitute vehicle has been hired, lie wouldn't listen to me. But in today's issue your legal adviser supplies the evidence to prove I am right. You have done me a good turn— what will you have?"
I hope our legal adviser enjoyed the pint I had on his behalf.
All Change!
'THE recent high rate of turnover among the technical staff I of the Yorkshire Traffic Area is an unfortunate coincidenCe. Mr. J. A. Wilkinson, who was bdscd at Bradford for many years, has been obliged to retire because of ill health after 27-1years' service in the area.
Strangely enough, Mr. C. Stamps, senior vehicle examiner, is also retiring shortly on completing 271years. He was the first vehicle examiner to be appointed in Yorkshire in 1931. Mr. S. G. Harris, certifying officer, who came to the area early in 1951, is also departing. He, however, is taking up a similar appointment in the Eastern Area at Cambridge.
All three recently received presentations and a hearty send-off by their colleagues.
The Right Touch
A SSOCIATION functions in the provinces tend to run to long toast lists—toasting everything under the sun—and endless speeches. Not so with the Western Area of the Traders' Road Transport Association. Their annual dinner-dance at Bristol last' Friday was a model of its kind. Speeches were limited to three and were completed on the stroke of 9.15 p.m., as the programme promised. Replying for the guests, Mr. S. C. Bond, the national president, resisted the temptation to make a serious " political " speech and the whole affair had. a pleasing light touch appropriate to a night out in mixed company.
Col. Jerrett Recovering
I AM pleased to learn that Col. A. Jerrett, managing director
of Guy Motors, Ltd., is improving in health after a long illness, although he is not yet well enough to return to business. His absence from the T.R.T.A. dinner-dance at Bristol, which he has attended for so many years, was the subject of regretful comment by many guests. One or two of them suggested to me that he might be retiring at the end of the year.
Proud of Profit
WHAT a pleasure it was, at the Institute of Transport's anniversary luncheon last week, to listen to a railwayman without a chip on his shoulder. Mr. N. R. Crump, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway Co., extolled the virtues of private enterprise and the profit motive—and Mr. Herbert Morrison, a former Minister of Transport and One of the architects of nationalized transport in Britain, had to listen to him. Maj.-Gen. G. N. Russell, chairman of British Road Services and president of the Institute, was seated between Mr. Crump and another champion of private enterprise, Mr. Harold Watkinson, the present Minister. On Mr. Watkinson's left was Mr. Peter G. 1Vlasefield, who abandoned nationalized air transport for free-enterprise aircraft manufacture. On Mr, Masefield's left was Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter, Mr. Watkinson's predecessor in office.
Mr. A. T. Lennox-Boyd, who preceded Mr. Boyd-Carpenter, made a foursome of Ministers of Transport, past and present.
A Pioneer Retires
THE man who made possible regular road haulage services from Britain to the Continent has retired—but not before he has seen the realization of at least some of his plans. He is Lt.-Col. Frank Bustard, founder and a director of the Atlantic Steam Navigation Co., Ltd., and of Frank Bustard and Sons, Ltd.
Beginning immediately after the war with converted L.S.T.s, he founded the Transport Ferry Service from Tilbury to the Continent and the Pi eston-Larne ferry. He has the satisfaction of having introduced the two most up-to-date ferry ships in the world—m.v. " Baedic Ferry" and m.v. "Ionic Ferry "—and of having opened up new spheres of activity for trade and industry.
In the News
r-t A REPORT on Press publicity submitted yesterday to the public relations committee of the Road Haulage Association was prefaced by a quotation from the leading article in The Commercial Motor of October 24. The article commented on the good relations existing between the R.H.A. and the Press and the wide coverage given to the Association's conference at Torquay. When the leader was written, the exact amount of space devoted to the conference by the Press was unknown, hut, apart from the reports appearing in the transport journals, it has now been computed at 970 column-inches. Members certainly have no cause to complain that the R.H.A. and freeenterprise road haulage pass unnoticed.
Left Flat
AS a fascinating sidelight on the workings of the Parliamentary system, 1 commend a small contretemps in the House of Commons last week. Mr. Rupert Speir, Conservative member for liexham, rose at 10.11 p.m. to inaugurate an adjournment debate on transport in rural areas. Before he could utter a word, Mr_ George Wigg, from the Opposition benches, objected that the subject scheduled for discussion was violence in Cyprus.
For the next 37 minutes the only topic not under review was transport in rural areas. And when the unfortunate Mr. Speir was about to launch belatedly into his address, the House packed up and went home.