Bird's Eye View How It's Done— By The Hawk S IR
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JOHN ELLIOT, chairman of London Transport, delighted a packed (in more senses than one) audience at the Public Transport Association's dinner last week. I found him far more entertaining than the professional comedian who appeared later in the evening.
His final gambit, which brought thunderous applause, was a little dissertation on duty. "When we in London Transport reach a real point of difficulty," he said, "we always say: ' Where does our duty lie?' Then we open a new box of cigars, raise the fares and all's well ! "
—And How It's Not
THE chairman of the P.T.A., Mr. Robert T. Williams, had sitting next to him his local M.P.—Mr. Harold Watkinson, Minister of Transport. Mr. Watkinson's speech was rather less acceptable than Sir John's. Operators must have found it singularly difficult to stomach his injunction to them to cut costs, so as to give employees a good living and return something to the public in lower fares.
He did not explain how, with fuel tax at 2s. 6d. a gallon and wages constantly rising, his injunction was to be carried out. Probably the only remaining method of reducing costs is drastically to prune unremunerative mileage. What will the public say then?
Willing Slave
FEW men are greater slaves to their business than Mr. D. G. Stokes, Leyland's general sales director. His energy is enormous, but he confessed to me last week that he was beginning to feel the strain of a succession of late nights. If that was so, he concealed it successfully.
He has done more than almost anyone I can recall to promote British trade overseas and his influence in India is exceptional. A place in the Honours List would be a small reward for such devoted service to Britain.
Better Bottle-necks
THERE. is a possibility that new regulations, due to have I come into force on January 1 next, imposing "no waiting" in certain London streets from 8.30 a.m., instead of 11.30 a.m.. may have to be postponed. I gather that the necessary signs may not be ready in time. A bottle-neck appears to have occurred in a bottle-neck