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Drivers for the Home Guard

22nd May 1942, Page 18
22nd May 1942
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Page 18, 22nd May 1942 — Drivers for the Home Guard
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Leeds, Leeds City Region

MANY operators are being notified that it is proposed to issue to their drivers OT to themselves directions to enrol in the Home Guard. Employers may, if they wish, appeal against this dEcision to their Regional Transport Commissioner within 14 days.

The main difficulty, however, appears to relate to the time required for training, and the M. of W.T. fully appreciates that, as drivers probably work for longer hours than most operatives in industry, their leisure is extremely short and, in some cases, not taken at

home. T h e Ministry, therefore. generally agrees that drivers who are employed as drivers in the Home Guard should need only the minimum of

training, and it is prepared to investigate cases, where they are being required to undertake unnecessary drills. In addition, in view of the overriding consideration as to the maintenance of essential production and services, men will be employed on such Home Guard duties and at such times as are approved by the managements of their undertakings.

In any event, it would appear that road-haulage workers should be enrolled in category B, i.e., not available for immediate muster. These and most other difficulties can be cleared up by consultation and co-operation with the commanding officers of the units concerned.

QUICKER TURNROUND AT LONDON MARKETS

WE understand that, following cornV V plaints from hauliers and their representative associathans, the Ministry of War Transport has been inquiring into the terminal delays which occur in London markets. The loss of time from this cause has not been diminished to any appreciable extent as the result of the campaign for a quicker turnround.

It is understood that, as the result of these investigations, the Ministry is satisfied that the complaints are fully justified. Wholesalers in the markets have pointed out that they have peculiar difficulties of their own, most of them arising out of war conditions, but, even so, it is felt that some efforts should be made to improve matters. As one step to that end it has been suggested that a conference of all interested parties should be held at an early date. This, we gather, is likely to be brought about and both sides are .electing delegates.

FOOD WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION SCHEME POSTPONED THE introduction of the sector scheme for the wholesale distribution of groceries and provisions has been postponed. Retailers and caterers should, therefore, not make any nominations until further instructions are issued. This will afford these and suppliers further time in which to make the arrangements which will be required under the scheme, the object of which is to save transport by the nomination of a restricted number of suppliers.

HAS MARK II PRODUCER COME INTO ITS OWN?

COMMENTING on the Government's producer-gas unit in the Upper House„ last week. Lord Sempill suggested that road trials of the various units should be organized by the R.A.C. in order to show which was the best plant. Operators might thus be convinced that they would have the most efficient apparatus that British genius was able to design. His suggestion prompted Lord Leathers to say that in making its decision, the Government had not acted without proper advice or without knowing what the B,C.U.R.A. apparatus could do. However, he did not want the present small step to be looked upon as a move that seriously impeded the development of the B.C.U.R.A. apparatus.

He added that he hoped those concerned would persevere, and perhaps. under such future long-sustained tests, as were necessary, this plant would stand out as one that could then come into its own.

[May we then regard the Government's improved plant as standing out through having come into its own after long-sustained tests ?—En.)

HIGH SPEED CAUSES RUBBER WASTAGE

D EFERENCE was made by Lord 11■Maugham in Parliament last week to steps taken in America to reduce maximum speed of all vehicles on the roads with the object of diminishing expenditure on petrol, oil, tyres and upkeep.

Agreeing with his Lordship on this matter, the Minister of War Transport indicated that it had not been lost sight of, and much had been done to educate road users in the necessity of easing their speed with a view to economy in rubber in particular. EXPORT TOTALS FOR YEAR'S FIRST QUARTER

DURING the quarter ended March 31, 1942, new commercial vehicles to the value of £650,174 were exported from the United Kingdom, whilst in the same period the number of commercial chassis exported was valued at £25,563. The value of tractors, except agricultural types, exported totalled £16,571.

E50 FINE FOR NOT KEEPING FUEL RECORD

AT Blackburn, last week, Lloyd Bros. (Haulage), Ltd., Audley Bridge Mills, Blackburn, was fined £50 for failing to keep a record of oil fuel received and used in heavy vehicles. The Customs and Excise alleged a discrepancy of 5,000 gallons during months between the records submitted to them and those sent to the Ministry of War Transport.

The defence was that there was no question of the unlawful use of oil, nor of any attempt to defraud.

DUNLOP PROFIT FOR 1941 SHOWS INCREASE

FOR the year 1941 the net profit of the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., amounted to £3,186,269, compared with £3,001,855 for 1940. With the addition of £632,011 brought forward from the previous account, the amount available is £3,818,280. The directors have transferred £1,924,620 as provision for taxation and £650,000 to income-tax reserve towards the 1942-43 liability, whilst the contingencies reserve receives £100,000.

The preference dividends paid for 1941 amount to £187,500 and a dividend on the ordinary stock, at the rate of 8 per cent, less income-tax, will absorb £333,321, leaving £622,839 to be carried forward.

SAVE PAPER ON VEHICLE RECORDS

THE vehicle records which have to be submitted when applying for fuel supplies for goods vehicles are at present made out on a fortnightly basis on Form 2/F/5A, and these are received to the number of well over 1,000,000 a year. Operators themselves arrange the printing, usually with local establishments, and, in most cases, the forms are of foolscap size, printed on only one side. The Ministry of War Transport, therefore, suggests that these could easily be reduced to

• quarto size and printed on both sides, thus saving a considerable amount of paper.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE ASSOCIATION APPOINTS OFFICERS

AT the recent annual meeting of the Electric Vehicle Association, Sir Felix Pole was re-elected president, whilst Mr. A. W. Barham was appointed chairman, Mr. A. J. Fippard vice-chairman, Mr. H. M. Drake honorary treasurer, and Mr. A. C. tramb secretary.

It was reported that a number of electric-vehicle makers had recently met the Ministry of Supply, when the question of standardization was • strissed, and the manufacturers agreed to investigate the subject of closer

collaboration. During the past year the Association appointed a standardization sub-committee and progress has been made.

Since the annual meeting the electricvehicle manufacturers sub-committee has decided to study the problem of standardization to conform with the desires of the Ministry of Supply, and regular weekly meetings are being held. THORNYCROFT DIVIDEND PAYMENTS

-r-HE following interim dividends, 1 less income tax, are to be paid by John I. Thorny-croft and Co., Ltd., in respect of the year ending July 31, 1942:-3 per cent, on the cumulative preference shares; 31 per cent, on the participating preferred ordinary shares; 5 per cent, on the ordinary shares.

HOW MOBILE CANTEENS ARE FUELLED

,THE Secretary for Petroleum was I asked in Parliament last week by Sir R Glyn what were the arrangements for the supply of fuel for the mobile canteens of various organizations, how much petrol and oil was provided, and what sort of control was exercised to ensure that no needless mileage is run? Mr. Lloyd answered that mobile canteens of the various organizations that catered for the Forces were, in general, regarded as commercial. vehicles, and were subject to the same control by the Ministry of War Transport, but, in addition, they were supervised by the Services concerned. Mobile canteens for Civil Defence purposes were, in general, fuelled by local authorities, who controlled the issue of

petrol for them. He regretted that information as to the quantities of petrol and oil used in mobile canteens was not available.

FEWER VEHICLES BUT MANY

MORE BUS PASSENGERS lkilILEAGE savings amounting to 0148,000 a year have been effected recently on Leeds Corporation bus services by a shortening of routes.

The system of "decanting " bus passengers at the outer termini Of tram or troffeybus services during non-peak hours may have to be extended to inter-town bits undertakings, stated Major F. S. Eastwood, Transport Commissioner for the North-eastern Region, at a Leeds conference, last week. In Leeds alone, he said, such an extension would mean a saving of 70,000 miles a year and 100,000 gallons of petrol.

The Commissioner illustrated the war-time pressure on passenger road transport by stating that 23 undertakings in Yorkshire had carried 72,000,000 more passengers than before the war, notwithstanding the fact that there were fewer vehicles, staff and spare parts, and that the aggregate mileage had been reduced by 19 per cent. In one Yorkshire toWn 13,000.000 more passengers a year were carried.

BETTER ROAD-SIDE REST HOUSES NEEDED

I N the course of a recent debate in the House of Lords, Lord Strabolgi said

there was still room for improvement in amenities of road transport drivers. Men who drive heavy vehicles crn Tong journeys, he remarked, needed more and better canteens and rest places, and, whilst the Ministry had done something, there was still room for improvement.

Lord Leathers stated that for some time, in conjunction with the Ministries of Food and Labour, the Transport and General Workers Union and an employers' representative of the Road Haulage Central Wages Board, he had been dealing with the problem of wayside feeding and sleeping accommodation for drivers.

The establishments concerned had now been graded by the Ministry of Food, and steps had been taken to ensure that their proprietors knew how to obtain their per supplies. Some difficulty had been experienced in finding suitable labour, but the M. of

W.T. was asking the Ministry of Labour to treat the establishments as works canteens, and in appropriate places it is supporting applications for deferment of call-up. These cafés are usually not large and depend greatly on the personal work of the proprietors. He would make every effort to see that these people continue to give this service.

PERSONAL PARS

M. S. C. VINCE, M.I.A.E., A.M.Inst.T., has been promoted to the position of chief assistant engineer of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Ca., Ltd.

Lx.-Cot. H. BRADWEI,L, T.D., senior partner in the firm of Messrs. Whittingham and Bradwell, solicitors, Nottingham, and coroner for the County of Nottingham, has been appointed a Deputy Transport Commissioner for the North-Midland Region. He took up his duties on May I.

MR. J. F. E. PYE, J.P., A.M.Inst.T., F.I.A.C., has been elected chairman of the Metropolitan Area, A.R.O., for the ensuing year, whilst Ma. J. James, of John I. Thoruycroft and Co., Ltd., has been re-elected vice-Chairman. Mr. Pye is also a member of the Metropolitan Committee of the Hauliers' National Traffic Pool.

WE have been asked by the M. of W.T. to point out that Mr. R. D. Hunter should have been given as representing A.R.O. on the Joint Conference on the Government Producer Gas Scheme (Public Service Vehicles) instead of Mr. F. R. Lyon. TRANSPORT ASSESSORS APPOINTED FOR NORTH-EAST

APANEL of assessors which the Minister of War Transport has appointed f o r the North-eastern Division, in connection with the Road Haulage and Hire (Charges) Order, 1942, includes the following road representatives : —Mr. L. W. Morton, chairman of the Road Panel, Yorkshire Road-Rail Regional Committee; Mr. R. E. Britton, of Hull, chairman of the Yorkshire Area of A.R.O.; Mr. A. E. Whiteley, of *Leeds, acting secretary, North-eastern Division, C.M.U.A.; Mr. Harry Clark, of Leeds, manager and secretary, Federation of Yorkshire Road Transport Employers; Mr. J. T. Rodwell, of Barnsley; and Mr. J. Newton, of York.

The other assessors are representative of various trades using transport', the members of which might apply for an inquiry under the Order if they be charged haulage rates to which they object. A Regional Transport Commissioner holding such an inquiry sits with assessors drawn from his panel.

A.R.O. EASTERN AREA ACTIVITIES

AT a recent Eastern Area A.R.O. committee meeting, Mr. Frank Bullen, who has been chairman for three years in succession, relinquished this office 'owing to increasing commitments, and Mr. J. W. Calvert was elected to the chair.

Difficulties owing to de-reservation of drivers are mentioned in the Area Bulletin. Some men of 41 have received notices of de-reservation as from June 1, employers often being under the impression that in protected establishments the men were 'reserved at 30 or over. This is the result of not paying attention to warnings which haVe appeared in the road-transport Press and which have been issued by the associations. It is essential that application for further deferment should be made some weeks in advance.

U.S. MOTOR LEADER TO ORGANIZE INDIAN PRODUCTION

PRESIDENT of the American Society of Automotive Engineers and head of the Marmon-Herrington Co., Inc., Mr. A. W. Herrington has been appointed by Col. Louis Johnson, first U.S. Minister to India, as technical adviser and consultant in the gigantic task of organizing the producing power of India to provide equipment for the armies of the United Nations in the Orient.

s In view of this appointment, it is 'interesting to recall that the Marmon.Herrington Co. started conversion to war production long before the Germans commenced their invasion of Paland. Mr. Herrington was in that country at the outbreak of hostilities. Marmon-Herrington's present production is three times as great as last year and is now running 1,200 per cent. higher than in August, 1939.

Mr. Herrington has served many foreign countries, as well as the United States, as a consultant on military mechanization and transport. He started to develop special heavy-duty vehicles after his experiences in the 1914-18 war.

IMMOBILIZING THOSE OIL. ENGINEDVEHICLES

DIFFICULTIES have been experienced in immobilizing oil-engined vehicles which are left unattended, and the M. of W.T. is considering the question of amending the regulations. The scheme would involve the compulsory-fitting of a steering-wheel locking device. This would be in addition to any other means which might be adopted at the option of users.

We understand that other simple and effective methods of achieving the desired result are under consideration by technical m e n, therefore the Ministry should not be too hasty in issuing its revised regulations: TRADING RESULTS OF RANSOMES, SIMS AND JEFFERIES

1N 1941, Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, Ltd., made a profit of £77,401, after .deducting interest on debenture stock, transfer to reserve for income-tax, etc. Adding £55,723 brought in and deducting £11,000 in respect of the dividend on the preference shares to December 31 last, there is a balance of £122,124. The directors recommend the payment of a dividend of 7i per cent., less tax, on the ordinary stock, which will take £37,500, and that 30,000 be transferred to the reserve for post-war reconstruction and contingencies, leaving 454,624 to be carried forward.

GOVERNMENT "TREADING ON THE GAS" j N the House of Commons last week Wing-Commander Hulbert asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the M. of W.T. when the Government-designed producer-gas equipment for commercial vehicles would be available.

air. Noel-Baker replied that he could not yet say when the first producer-gas units, provided in accordance With the recently announced Government scheme, would be available, but plans for production were being pushed forward with all speed.


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