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News of the Week

WINDING-UP MEETING OF THE C.M.U.A.

AN extraordinary general meeting of the C.M.U.A. is to be held at the Savoy Hotel, Embankment, London, W.C.2, on January 10, at 3.15 p.m., for the purpose of considering' and, if thought fit, passing a resolution voluntarily to wind up the Association and appoint a liquidator for this purpose, also to transfer any property, after satisfaction of its debts and liabilities, to the R.H.A., T.R.T.A. and P.V.O.A., being institutions having objects similar to those of the C.M.U.A.

MANY OPERATORS FAVOUR GROUPING

AT a meeting of the National Associationciation of Road Transport Groups, held on December 14, in Grimsby, an address was given to A and B operators by Mr. F. Rudman. It was on the advisability of grouping and the fundamental principles connected with it. At the close many questions were asked, such as how grouping would operate to the advantage of the local hauliers. One query was as to whether a kroup, as such, would object to a member wishing to acquire additional tonnage. Mr. Rudman replied to the effect that the group, acting democratically, would examine each case on its merits and determine what action would be taken, assuming, of course, that the particular group interested

• itself in the matter of licensing. Eventually it was unanimously resolved that a company for grouping purposes should be formed in Grimsby, and a provisional committee of nine was appointed to discuss preliminaries and to report back to a general meeting.

DENNIS CHAIRMAN DEPLORES POOR FIGHT OF THE INDUSTRY I N the year ended September 30 last, Dennis Bros., Ltd., made a profit of £125,889, which, with the amount brought forward (£175,503), gives a total of £301,452. A sum of 225,000 has been transferred to the renewal and re-equipment account, whilst £5,000 is allocated to the employees' benevolent fund. An interim dividend of 4d. per share absorbed £25,041, and the payment of a final dividend of 11d, per share accounts for 08,803; the total of 1s. 3d. for the year is equal to 125 .per cent. After, deducting these items, the balance to be carried forward is £177,547.

At the a.g.m., which was held last Monday, two of the directors, Major R. E. Dennis and Mr. H. W. Dawes, who retired by rotation, were reappointed.

Speaking to us after the meeting, the chairman, Mr. N. P. Andrew, who looked remarkably fit, surprised us by saying that he was 78 years of age, of which he had spent 4,3 on the board of the company, 30 as chairman.

He commented upon the weak case which the road-transport industry was putting up against the railways' claim that road transport was making use of roads which had been provided free for it. Actually, in normal times, a sum of £90,000,000 per year was paid by road transport, practically enough to meet not only the cost of road upkeep, but also that 'of railway-track maintenance.

The railways were amongst the biggest, if not the largest, users of road vehicles. "Was it suggested by them that they were getting an undue advantage by running these vehicles over roads for which they had not paid? Mr. Andrews pointed out, incidentally, that the majority of the roads, in the first instance, was not,paid for by the State, but by landowners, each of whom had to provide a certain length of road adjoining his land.

M.O.W.T. POSTPONES CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS

WEare informed that the Minister of War Transport has made the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) Provisional Regulations, and the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Track Laying Vehicles) (Amendment) Provisional Regulations, dated December 7.

In brief, these have the effect of postponing the coming into force of certain of the provisions of the principal Regulations, in so far as they relate to such vehicles registered for the first time prior to certain specified dates.

The requirements will now come into effect on January 1, 1946, instead of January I, 1945. They concern, mainly, certain items, such as servobraking systems, diameter of wheels, the fitting of pneumatic tyres, etc. THE INDUSTRY'S BENEVOLENT FUND

AT the a.g.m. of the London Centre of the Motor and Cycle Trades Benevolent Fund Sir Albert Atkey revealed the fact that since 1937 £43,933 had been recovered from the Inland Revenue Authorities in connection with income tax on subscriptions paid under Deed of Covenant. He strongly urged all subscribers to pay in this manner, for, at the present rate of tax, this doubles their subscriptions at no extra cost to themselves.

SOUTH SHIELDS POST-WAR PLANS FOR TROLLEYBUSES

POST-WAR plans of South Shields Transport Committee include the running of trolleybuses over several routes at present served by buses and trams. The corporation has submitted a Bill to Parliament to' carry the scheme into effect. Under the new proposals outlying areas of the borough will be provided with transport

SAFE-DRIVING AWARDS TO A.E.C. DRIVERS

LaI AST week a number of awards was made to drivers of the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., for driving without accident during 1943. The Presentations were made by MajorGeneral the Rt. Hon. Sir Frederick Sykes, P.C., M.P., a director of the company. In all, six oak-leaf bars were awarded for 11-14 years of safe driving; one gold medal for 10 years; 16 bars to silver medals for 6-9 years; one silver medal for five years; and 24 diplomas for one year.

NORTH-WESTERN COhIMIT'rE E OF THE R.H.A.

THE first (nominated) committee for the Northwestern (Western Division) Area of the Road Haulage Association, . based on Liverpool, is composed of the following members :— Assaciate4 Road Operators: 34■0611.8. DGWiler, Kran E'eass, Thos. Lawrensou, Wm. McCready, Arthur Miller, P. Perris and Winstanley. Commercial Motor Veers Association: Messrs. T. IL. Allan, X. Burgess, T. J. Ellis, R. S. Heaton, S. E. Jones, H. T. Legge, It. B. Stackda'e.

National Road Transport Employers Federation: Messrs. J. D. Copp, J. r/. Crotchley, W. J. Hauer, A. Hughes (Film Carriers AseociatIonl, B. Parker, J. F. Supplies and Jos. Walker National Conference of Express Carriers: Messrs. 'Harold Bridges and R. W. mitoses Area Secretary: Mr. Allen Walter.

BRISTOL INDUSTRIES TRADING . SHOWS GOOD ADVANCE _

TN the year ended October 31 last, 'Bristol Industries, Ltd., made a trading profit of £107,487, compared with £66,585in the previous year. The amount available, after adding dividends on investments, etc. (£8,427), and the balance brought forward from

the previous year (£5,868), etc., is £121,795, as against £93,594 a year earlier. Depreciation takes £3,056, and interim and final dividends on the preference shares £13,000, whilst £76,170 is transferred to taxation

account. With these deductions and a contribution of £645 to war damage,

£28,924 stands to the credit of profit and loss. A dividend of 10 per cent. on the ordinary shares is maintained and will absorb £17,000, ana leave £11,824 to be carried forward, subject only to directors' fees.

The company's financial position is further strengthened by the addition of £10,000 to the general reserve, this being an amount over-reserved for taxation to October 31, 1942. RENEW YOUR VEHICLE LICENCES IMMEDIATELY

OWNERS of motor vehicles are asked to renew their vehicle licences as soon as possible for the quarter or

year commencing on January This will ease the heavy work normally experienced at this period. Renewal forms are obtainable from any money order post office. SOUTH WALES BUS CREWS HELPED D-DAY SUCCESS

THE busmen and women of South Wales played an important part in the success achieved in the initial landings of the Allies on the Continent. As has already been mentioned, the key to the gigantic task of landing our soldiers lay in the employment of the pre-fabricated harbours.

Some time ago, the •Ministry of Labour called upon the South Wales Transport Company to mobilize its resources to convey workmen employed on what the Ministry termed "a No. 1 priority job." This proved to be the construction in Swansea of these mobile harbours.

A small army of workmen was recruited from areas within a radius of 20 miles of the town. Labour was also imported from other districts and billeted at what was formerly a military camp, a few miles from the site. It was the work of the bus company and its employees to carry the workers to and from their task. The necessary transport was provided by day and night, in addition to the strengthening of the already heavily burdened normal services to cope with the increased demands. , In the first seven weeks, over 14,000 vehicle-miles were operated on these special services alone.

It was no ordinary work. The buses had to travel to the dock side over typical dock roads, crossed by innumerable railway lines, which set up major problems in spring maintenance and damage to rear platforms. Thus a heavy strain was imposed on the already depleted repair staff. Nevertheless, all the demands'were met, and not one of the ordinary services of the company was curtailed.

The mankging director of the company reinarked that " drivers, conductors, mechanical staff and all others concerned did a grand job."

GLASGOW HAS MORE MUNICIPAL BUSES

A T a meeting of Glasgow Corpora tion, last week, Councillor Ernest Greenhill, convener of the transport committee, said that the number of employees in the transport department to-day was 11,487, compared with 11,159 in 1939. The number of vehicles was 1,379, against 1,372 in 1939.

BONUSES PAID TO JOWETT APPRENTICES

'THERE is no job in our works that is beyond. the reaoh of an apprentice with s,ufficient ability and industry." So said Mr. H. Woodhead, chairman of Jawett Cars, Ltd., Bradford, in a recent interview with

one of our correspondents. .

Mentioning that :theparents were rbeing invited_ to he apprentic'es' first speech-day celebrationS,. Mr. Woodhead -remarked: "We want to build up among the parents a feeling of confidence that we are doing our best for their boys."

An incentive to motor-engineering apprentices has been introduced by Jowett Cars, Ltd., in the form of merit marks on the basis of which an accumulated cash bonus is paid to the young employee when he completes his apprenticeship. This could amount to £25 at the end of five years.

DEATH OF GLASGOW MUNICIPAL TRANSPORT OFFICIAL

THE death has occurred of Ma. W. ALLAN IRVINE, personnel superintendent of Glasgow Transport Department, aged 57 yeajs. He had been in the service of the department for 40 years, and was appointed in March, 1943, to the newly created post of personnel superintendent, in which he was responsible for selection and training, dealing with trade union representations on wages and conditions, and the supervision of welfare activities. He formerly served as a civil engineer with the department, and for a period of six years was traffic superintendent.

PERSONAL PARS.

Ma. F. A. STRATTON, A.M.I.MECH.E., has become assistant engineer to the Firestone Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd.

MR. R. 0. LUMSDEN, was recently appointed general works manager of the National Fire Protection Co., Ltd., of Richmond.

MR. S. H. WATERS, one of the Road Haulage Officers for 55 Area, has been elected an associate-member 'of the Institute of Transport.

SIR WILLIAM J. LARKE, K.B.E., M.I.MEcn.E., has been appointed chairman of the General Council of the British Standards Institution, in which position he succeeds Sox PERCY ASHLEY.

MR. C. P. HARTREY, advertisement manager of "The Commercial Motor," is recovering rapidly from his recent operation. and is now recuperating in Brighton. He would like to convey to all our readers, and particularly to those who have kindly inquired as to his health, his thanks and seasonable greetings.

DR. H. R. RICARDO, F.R.S., president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, is to receive the Rumford Medal from the Royal Society. This award is. made every second year to the author of the most important discovery or useful improvement whichshall have been made and published' in nay .part of Europe during the preceding two years in the matter of heat or light, preference being given to discoveries which, in the opinion of the Conncil,-tend most to promote the good pf mankind.

GOOD WORK BY GUY AUSTERITY DOUBLE -DE CK E RS

DURING the course of his speech at the annual meeting of Guy Motors, Ltd., the report of which, for the year ended June 30, was dealt with in our issue for last week, Mr. Sydney S. Guy, chairman, stated that during the year the company had, apart from military vehicles, continued, under the instructions of the Government, the large-scale production of double-deck buses, and approximately two-thirds of the bus operators in this country, including most of the leading corporations and chassis.

had been supplied with Guy

his

Several hundreds of these vehicles have now run over 150,000 miles, many under the most difficult conditions created by the war, and are giving general satisfaction. They are of the austerity -type, and are heavier than would otherwise be the case and do not provide the same degree of comfort and finish in bodywork. When supplies are available, it is the company's intention to give all operators an opportunity of obtaining improved parts which, in almost all cases, will be interchangeable with the old ones, so that their vehicles can then he brought up to date.

The company was one of the ve:ry few manufacturers which, in -the immediate pre-war years, at the request of the War Department, sacrificed some of its civilian business to give priority to the design and production of military vehicles. For this reason, if for no other, it was fitting that the company should recently have been given permission by the authorities to proceed with the design and production of post-war vehicles, as and when military requirements allow.

LECTURE COURSE ON LARGESCALE CATERING CATERING is a matter of consider able interest to road-transport workers, also to passenger-travel concerns, in so far as the provision of food for their " fares " is concerned. It is. therefore, of interest to note that the National Society of Caterers to Industry has arranged with Professor S. J: Cowell, M.B., F.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., Professor of Dietetics in the University of London, to give a course of 10 lectures on "Nutrition and its Application to Large-scale Catering," at 3 p.m., on Fridays, at the Royal Society -of Arts Library, John Street, Adelphi, LondOn, W.C.2., beginning on January 19.

' Whilst the lectures art 'intended primarily for members of the Society of Caterers and for canteen workers employed by them; it' will be glad Lo accommodate as many non-members as the capacity of the lecture room permits. At the end of the course, it is proposed to set a test and, possibly, issue a certificate to those who reach a satisfactory standard, whilst each lecture will be followed by a discussion.

The fee for the course is two guineas, and requests for tickets should be sent to the secretary of the National Society of Caterers to Industry, Mr. Arthur Lawson, 83, Pall Mall, London, S.W.1. NORTH OF SCOTLAND HAULAGE CHANGES

SEVERAL changes in North of Scotland haulage circles have been effected during the past few days. The well-known firm of Messrs. Watt and Davidson, haulage contractors, of Wellington Road, Aberdeen, have, we are advised, been dissolved, by the mutual consent of the partners. Mr. William Watt and Mr. A W. Davidson, and the former will, we learn, continue the business on his own behalf at the some address.

James Sutherland (Peterhead), Ltd.. has acquired the business of Mr. G. Muteh, who operated the St. Fergus carrier service. The office for this service is now at 2, Mealmarket Street, Peterhead, Mr. Archibald Nicol, of Monymusk, has acquired the business of Mr. William Nicol, haulage contractor, of Kenmay.

RESEARCH AS ENGINEERS' TRAINING GROUND

cl 'GGESTIONS for the stimulation

of progress in engineering development were made by Dr. H. E. Merritt, technical director of David Brown 'Tractors), Ltd., I I uddersfield , in a paper which he contributed at a recent meeting of the North-eastern Centre of the I.A.E. A notable visitor was the I.A.E.' 5 president, Mr. John Shearman, chief road motor engineer of the L.M.S. Railway Co.

Dr. Merritt, Whose paper was entitled " The Technique of Engineering Development," called for much more attention to experimental and research work, and stressed not only their intrinsic value, but their usefulness as a training ground for young engineers.

In referring more particuarly to the subject of training for design, the speaker said : " In spite of the glamour or prestige which the apprentice sees in the drawing office, premature transfer to it can do no good either to him or to the job. Skill in design is not developed by years of detailing hut by knowledge of other things. With the trend towards increase in volume production, and, the reduction in the standard of individual generalpurpose craftsmanship in the shops, facilities and encouragement for the more interesting work of the research and experimental sides are indicated as the best training for design."

DEATH OF A WELL-KNOWN HAULIER

WJF: regret to announce the death, at W the age of 51, of Mr. E. C. Bowler, managing director of Bowler and Mack. Ltd., the haulage contractor, of South London, following a connection with haulage work covering a period of 25 years. He has been succeeded in the business by his only son, Mr. E. G. Bowler.

UNION BID TO LOWER NUMBER OF STANDING PASSENGERS

A RESOLUTION suggesting that not /-1 more than eight standing passengers be allowed on Bradford Corporation buses, notwithstanding that under the Defence Regulations the permitted maximum has been raised to twelve persons, has been adopted by members of the Transport and General Workers' Union employed by the Bradford municipal undertaking.

NORTH RIDING'S PROPOSAL FOR AN AMBULANCE SERVICE

MORTH Riding County Council • proIposes setting up an ambulance service. Before the .war, it is stated, there were 21 ambulances in the Riding, these being owned chiefly by the Red Cross Society and St. John Ambulance Association. The public health committee has decided to set up an ambulance service to meet the needs of patients for whose treatment the

county council is responsible. The responsibility for setting up ambulance services for accident and emergency work where these facilities are not already adequate shciuld rest with the local authority, states the committee.

The capital cost of the plan, provided new vehicles are bought, will -be nearly £5,000.

DUNLOP'S PART-T1ME EDUCATION SCHEME SUCCESSES in the examination of the Institute of Transport and the Institute of the Motor Trade are included among those of the 16 educational bodies for which awards are announced by the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., to its employees taking part-time education under the company's free tuition-fee scheme.

Graduate membership of the Institute of Transport will be rewarded with a payment of £10, and 15 will 'he given to anyone qualifying as an associate member. Membership or associate membership of the Institute of the Motor Trade will be marked with

a payment of £5. • Apart from transpJrt, the new scheMe covers the examinations of institutions specializing in accountancy, secretarial and commercial work, general science, rubber technology and engineering. Exceptionally meritorious achievements, such as a good honours degree, may receive a special merit award.

VULCAN APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

WE are advised by Vulcan Motors, Ltd., that the company has appointed Jones Bros. (Treharris), Ltd., Commercial Garage, Treharris, GlamOrganshire, as distributor for South Wales.

The Vulcan concern also announces the recent appointment of Mr. R. M. Williams as technical adviser covering the Midlands and the West Country.

-CHOOSING A SITE FOR TYNEMOUTH'S BUS STATION

THE borough engineer of Tynernouth is to report on five different sites for the erection of a central bus station. At present the town's main bus centre is at Northumberland Square, North Shields. The sites to be considered are situated near Russell Street, 1..N.E.R. stables, Church Way, Wellington Street and Northumarland Square.