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NEWS of the WEEK

The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport. at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs.

-John Beattie Crozier.

vehicles, valued at £560,193, were exported.

The exports of commercial chassis were well below last year's total, the . 859 chassis, valued at £119,198, for October, 1935, comparing with 1,401, valued at £207,370 for October, 1934. In the 10 months ended October 31 last, 9,449 commercial chassis, valued at £1,447,235, were exported.

S.T.R. Visiting Manchester.

Continuing his series of lectures on " Operating Costs and Their Proper Use in Assessing Rates and Fares," S.T.R., The Commercial Motor costs expert, will speak at the Exchange Hotel, Manchester, on December 2, at 7.30 p.m., at a meeting of Associated Road Operators.

General Manager Required. .

A general manager is required by a successful commercial-vehicle manufacturer. He must be between 35 and 40 years of age, know something about present-day production methods, and be an engineer, but without fixed ideas; an essential is a high degree of tact. A suitable man will be paid from 21,000 to £2,000 per annum, according to his capabilities. Letters, marked private, should be addressed to " G.M.," care of the Editor.

Profit of S. Smith and Sons.

The trading profit of S. Smith and Sons (Motor Accessories), ltd., in the year ended August 3, amounted to £185,098, compared with £160,794 for the previous year, whilst the net profit, after providing £12,262 (against £4,406) for income tax, amounted to £137,383, contrasted with £125,356. Dividends on the ordinary capital are unchanged for the year, at 14 per cent. on the preferred ordinary and 25 per cent, on the deferred ordinary shares. The general reserve again receives 230,000, which raises it to £330,000. The amount to be carried forward is £66,218, compared with £64,395.

More Daimlers for Birmingham.

During the course of the Commercial Motor Show, at Olympia, the Daimler Co., Ltd., received an order from Birmingham Corporation Tramways and Omnibus Department for 52 C.O.G.5-type double-deck chassis, incorporating Fluid-Flywheel transmission and pre-selector self-changing gearboxes. This order will bring the total number of buses of this make used by Birmingham Corporation up to 337. ANOTHER GOOD YEAR FOR DENNIS BROTHERS.

In the year ended September 30, 1935, Dennis Brothers, Ltd., of Guildford, made a net profit of £119,882, compared with £104,956 for the previous year. In our issue for last week we mentioned that a final dividend of Is. 2d. per share (less tax), making, with the interim dividend of a total of is. 6d. for the year, was to be paid. After making provision for this disbursetnent and placing £2,000 to the employees' benevolent fund, there is a balance of £115,815 to be carried forward, as compared with £110,619 brought into the accounts.

Vauxhall's Big Interim Dividend.

The directors of -Vauxhall Motors, Ltd., have declared an interim dividend of 50 per cent, on the ordinary shares of the company. Despite the fact that large additions have been made to the factory at Luton, many sections are still heavily stressed. It is anticipated that profits will be well maintained this year, in spite of the heavy extensions and renewals that have been undertaken.

Transport Workers Strive for Unity.

A special general meeting of the National Union of Railwaymen was held in London, this week, to consider the formation df a single organization to represent rail, road and air-transport workers. We understand that such a scheme was mooted about two years ago.

The Transport and General 'Workers Union, on the other hand, includes in its ranks employees other than those engaged in transport, and an amalgamation with the projected association would break up the Union. The scheme 'therefore, unlikely to receive the approval of the T. and G.W.U. executive, which would probably con sider only a complete amalgamation.

Drivers' Hours and Christmas Deliveries.

The joint council for the retail distributive trades' section of the roadtransport industry has made an application to the Minister of Transport for a variation of the periods of time laid down in Section 19 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, as amended by Section 31 of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933. for the employment of drivers cf road motors of certain types. It asks that the period of 11 hours may be increased to 12 hours on December 19, 20, 21, . 23 and 24, 1935, the variation to apply only to persons in England and Wales engaged in the delivery of goods from retail shops and/or stores to their customers.

The Minister has referred the matter to the Industrial Court, which will-liear parties to the application OIL Moil*, December 2, at 10.30 a.m., at 5, Old Palace Yard, London, S.W.1.

OIL-FUEL RECORDS.

As the requirements of the regulations as to the keeping of records relating to -oil fuels used in motor vehicles have given rise to some difficulty, the Commercial Motor USers Association made representations to the Commissioners of Customs and Excise urging that provision be made to permit these records to be kept on a weekly basis instead of the daily one required. The Commissioners have now undertaken to -consider any individual case of difficulty which May be experienced by operators in this connection.

Experienced Transport Manager Available.

We know of a man, who, for the past 10 years, has been•in entire" controt of stock, forwarding and road transport, and of the depots throughout England, of an important biscuit manufacturer. He is a council member of the Industrial Transport .Association, has a wide experience of works management, progress, technique and sales promotion. Letters should he

addressed to TM.," care of the Editor_ Terminating a Rationalization Agreement.

Ruston and Hornsby, Ltd., and R. A. Lister and Co., Ltd., in a joint letter to their distributors, announce that the rationalization agreement entered into between them in 1930 is being tern:Mated by mutual consent on March 31 next. The reason for the termination, we are advised, is a gradual change in basic factors affecting the respective businesses which could not have been envisaged at the -lime the agreement was entered into.

Steel for the Trade: Sir Herbert Austin's New Venture.

It is confirmed that a company, with the title. Tunstall Steels,-, Ltd., with registered Offices at Lombard House, Birmingham, , has been formed to manufacture steel for the motor trade, two of the directors being Sir Herbert Austin and Mr. E. L. Payton, who is deputy chairman of the Austin concern. It is stated that the capital put up amounts to nearly £700,000 and that a 50-acre site has been acquired at Wolverhampton, although . the works may not necessarily be located in that town.

Merryweather Fire-fighter for Dublin.

Dublin Corporation has placed an order with Merryweatherand Sons, Ltd., Greenwich 'Road, London, S.E.10, for a motor turntable fireescape, with an all-steel ladder reaching to a height of 100 ft. The ladder will be equipped with a water-tower I) ozzle, life-saving apparatus and a telephone, and the machine will have a Hatfield pump capable of delivering 275 g.p.m. The fire pump can be operated, either simultaneously with, or independently of, the ladder movements, which are effected by power from the petrol engine of the chassis.

FISH-TRANSPORT DISPUTE.

Hull Fish Merchants Protection Association has put into operation a scheme for sending. in bulk, consignments of fish to a Liverpool contractor for distribution from the local railway station amongst wholesalers on the wholesale fish market. Liverpool consignees have protested against the innovation being made ,without any consultation with them'.

A.E.C. Dividend.

In respect of the year ended September 30, 1935, the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., is paying a final dividend of 10d. per unit of £1 stock, free of tax, which, together with the interim dividend of 5d. per unit already distributed, makes a total dividend for the year of 15d. per unit, free of tax, equal to 81ie per cent., subject to tax.

New Beru Combustion-chamber Thermometer.

In addition to its successful oilengine heater plugs, Bern, A.G., Ludwigsburg, Germany, is now producing. an interesting form of pyrometer, expressly constructed for ascertaining the temperatures existing in the combustion chambers of compression-ignition engines.

It consists of a thernio-couple, designed to screw into the cylinder to replace, temporarily, the heater plug, and a gauge upon which the temperature is recorded. The only connection between the two units is, of course, the double cable between the terminals of each Temperatures from 20 degrees C. to 1,200 degrees C. are accurately indicated.

The F.W.R.A. Autumnal Dinner

Prominent among the guests of the Furniture Warehousemen and Removers Association at its autumnal dinner, held on November 13 at the Hotel Victoria, London, were Sir Cyril Hurcomb, K.I3.E., CB, Major J. B.

Elliott, 0.B.E., and Mr. Sidney E. Garcke. M.Inst.T., M.I.Mech.E.

The importance of unity seemed to be the keynote of the speeches, the Association being quoted as a fine example of what unity should be,' its steady growth being evidence of its success. The need for preserving this unity among its members and its various centres was especially stressed.

In the same connection mention was made of the interdependence of the furniture remover and the bus operator. Each served the other, as it were—for instance, when new residential districts were opened up—and both were ser vants of the public. This led to a reference to the importance of maintaining fair charges.

Hereford Toll Bridge Bought.

Hereford County Council has purchased the Holme Lacy-Fownhope tell bridge, on the old Hereford-RossGloucester road, for £.900.

Coachwork Designer Required.

A Manchester concern requires immediately the services of a coachwork designer. Applicants with good experience should write to "Designer," care of the Editor. PERSONAL PARS.

Mr. TUDOR REES has been appointed deputy chairman of the Appeal Tribunal for England and Wales.

Pontardawe Council has appointed Mr. SIDNEY' PENNELL, of Gellygaer Fire Brigade, to be chief officer of Pontardawe Fire Brigade.

Mr. D. A. PEARSON, managing director of Snnsaloon Bodies, Ltd., in the recent municipal election was elected to Birmingham City Council as member for the Sparkbrook Wald,

The Commercial Motor Users Association has appointed as its consulting engineer.

MAJOR E. GUY BEAUMONT,

Mech.E., M.I.A.E.,

M.Inst.T. Major Beaumont is

a Past President of the Institution of Automobile Engineers, and a wellknown figure in the industry, in which his father, the late Mr. Worby Beaumont, was also a shining light. •

His appointment is for the purpose of carrying on one of the benefits of membership of the C.M.U.A., which, since its establishment in 1903, has given free advice to its members on engineering matters affecting the construction and use of commercial-motoivehicles.

What Is a Dangerous Load? .

A Knottingley driver who was said to have carried 33 persons in a lorry was accused at Pontefract Police Court, last Saturday, of carrying a dangerous load. The magistrates dismissed the case, holding that the statute under which the proceedings were taken did not apply to the case in question.

For the prosecution, it was stated that the defendant 'carried 83 peapickers on a lorry having a body only 12 ft." long by 6. ft. wide. Mr.' Will Bentley, for the defence, said that, according to the section under which the proceedings were brought, the term "dangerous load" applied only to inanimate objects, and not to human beings.

A Trade-name Change.

By reason of the fact that the trade name "Molloy," which the fiTIO has used, is similar to the registered trade name of another concern, Messrs. C. L: Jones, 18-26, Church Street, Islington, London, N., has abandoned the use of this name and has substituted the word "Jones." OVER 100 M.P.s SUPPORT ROAD TRANSPORT.

Associated Road Operators has received written replies from 280 candi dates for Parliament. Out of that number, 92 Members have been returned to Parliament .definitely assuring the Association that they will become members of the Road Transport Committee of the House of COMmons, to hold a watching bnef for the industry. Well over 300 other candidates have been approached, but owing to lack of time and for other reasons the A.R.O. has not received their replies.

Every area throughout the country was approached with the A.R.O. questionnaire. In one alone, out of 106 candidates over 100 were directly approached. The Eastern Area returns are also extremely satisfactory; these are supplementary to the figures already given. ,

One interesting sidelight is that Mr. j. H. Thomas, Member for Derby, who was interviewed by the A.R.O., said that, whilst he was unable to give any pledge, he realized that the heavy road-transport industry was overtaxed, and that he would be delighted to receive a deputation from the A.R.O. on this question so soon as the house" met.

It is estimated that road-transport interests in the House of Commons will be represented by over 100 members.

Railway Alleges Road Rate-cutting.

Allegations of rate-cutting were made against Mr. John P. Kirk, Murray Street, West Stanley, Co. Durham, by mt. P. Merritt, for the London and North-Eastern Railway Co., when he applied, on Monday, to the Northern Licensing -Authority, for a renewal. Mr. Merritt questioned him regarding a removal, in April last, when, he stated, Mr. Kirk removed furniture and three people from Annfield Plain to Hayes, Middlesex, for £9. The applicant admitted this, and said that the £9 charged was for removing the furniture, there being no charge for the three passengers,

Mr. Merritt said the railway company had offered to carry out the removal for £7. 18s. 6d.. With railway tickets for three persons the cost would have been much more. than £9. Mr. Kirk denied that he' made a practice of carrying passengers, and that he secured long-distance work . by this method. The case was adjourned.'

Big Government Orders for Crossleys.

Crossley. Motors, Ltd., Gorton, Manchester, has recently received some important contracts from Government Departments, these including orders for 304 six-wheeled chassis, as well as 65 fire-tender six-wheeled chassis for the Air Ministry, and 47 six-wheeled chassis for the War Department.

• In the case of each of these vehicles, the engine is a four-cylinclered petrol unit with a bore of 4T5g ins, and a stroke of S ins., developing, in the case of the fire-tender chassis, 100 b.h.p. at

3,000 np.m. There are the usual two gearboxes, one giving four forward speeds and a reverse for normal use and the other an extra-low gear range of four speeds for use under extreme conditions. The wheelbase of the firetender chassis, measured to the centre of the bogie, is 13 ft.

F,W.R.A. 1936 Conference.

By invitation of the East and West Lancashire centres, the Furniture Warehousemen and Removers Association will hold its annual conference, next year, at Chester, on May 14-115.

Ferodo's Cardiff Depot.

. To deal with increasing business, the Cardiff office/ and stock depot of Ferodo, Ltd., has been transferred, as from November 18,to 60, Charles Street. Mr. D. H. Gully remains in charge in the Cardiff area.

Professional Drivers Abusing " Leniency "1•

" Professional. drivers • seem' to be

abusing the leniency shown to them," . .

remarked' Sheriff Malcolm, in Dundee Sheriff Court, when he imposed a fine of £6 on al,Ochee man for driving a van in a careless manner. 'The driver had his licence suspended for three months.

. .

Uniformity in Removal Charges: At the recent Autumnal Conference of the Furniture Warehousemen and Removers Association, reference was made to the need for more uniformity in prices in the trade, and a resolution was passed recommending general adherence to a suggested schedule of charges drawn up by the Costing .Committee, subject to any necessary rectification by centres to meet local conditions.

Coachwork Competitions to Foster Body Design.

We have received particulars of 'the prize drawing and handicraft competitions for 1926, arranged by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers of London and the Institute of British Carriage and Automobile Manufacturers. There are six individual competitions, one being for a working drawing of a luxury touring coach. .

• Fuller particulars may be obtained from the secretary of the joint committee, the Institute of British Carriage and Automobile Manufacturers, 201, Great Portland Street, Wi, and the closing date for entries is May 23.

Progress of Severn Bridge Scheme.

At a meeting held on November 18, Gloucester County. Council agreed, by 68 votes to 1, to proceed with the promotion of a Bill in Parliament, in conjunction with Monmouth County Council, for the building of a new bridge across the River Severn at or near English Stones. An article on the project appeared in our issue dated September 20 last.