C.M.U.A. Annual Report (1915).
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The C.M.U.A. has kept in close touch with the military and naval authorities during 1915, and has as occasion required given its assistance to these authorities in various directions. Fifteen members of the C.M.U.A. General Committee are serving in His Majesty's Forces. Every member of the C.M.U.A. staff (secretarial, legal, and engineering departments) of military age and fitness has enlisted. The Association is continuing its work in connection with the organization of the Mechanical Transport Column of the City of London National Guard, and tentative arrangements are being made to visit Brighton at Easter for manceuvres. The conveyance of wounded soldiers is an important branch of tie work of the column.
Notwithstanding the war, it is. very satisfactory to report that the membership of the C.M.U.A. at the end of 1915 showed a slight increase on the year. The Committee regrets to report the decease during the year of Mr. E. E. Rudge (Gas Light and Coke Co.), who had been a valued member Of the General Committee since 1912.
Opposition to Applications for Prohibition Orders.
It is the policy of the Association to oppose the closing of any highway or bridge to commercial motor vehicles. The C.M.U.A. was represented at a recent inquiry by the Local Government Board into the proposals for the further restriction of the use of the Norfolk Suspension Bridge, Shoreham, (1) by prohibiting its useby any motorcar, the weight of which, when laden, exceeds two tons, and (2) by restricting the speed of all motorcars to five miles per hour. It was stated that the bridge was bought for the low price of £8500, in the year 1903, from the Duke of .Norfolk, by the West Sussex County Council ; that the sum of 210,500 had been invested out of the tolls Since the bridge had been acquired in the year 1903; that there were still 16 years to run during which tolls could be taken ; and that the alternative road added 15 miles to the journey between Worthing and Brighton, or the reverse. The inspector intimated that he thought a five miles per hour limit was necesSary, and that he would leave it to the Local Government Board to fix a limit of time for the rebuilding to be carried out. The decision of the L.G.B. has not yet. been announced.
Ninth Annual Inspection.
The ninth annual inspection of commercial motor vehicles, organized by the Commercial Motor Users Association (Incorporated) with the object of encouraging drivers, by means of money prizes and other awards, to take a personal interest in the driving and condition of their vehicles and to run them without accident, took place in London during the month of May, 1915; but the usual assembly, or Parade of vehicles', was not held, owing to the difficulty of sparing vehicle.s from service during the present period of stress. Prizes were awarded to drivers for results obtained in written and in oral examinations, coupled with inspection of their vehicles under running conditions. In this way it is hoped to carry on the educational work among drivers, which has been one of the aims of the Association since its formation. Series of lectures were specially prepared by the inspecting engineer to the Association—six for steam drivers, six for petrol drivers, and one for electric drivers. These lectures, which were sent. to the drivers by post fortnightly, constituted a correspondence course of technical education for drivers. They have since been reprinted and published by the C.M.U.A. under the title of the " Commercial Motor Drivers' Handbook" (1s. 9d. each, post free), which has been described as " the best publication for drivers ever issued." Petrol Tax Rebate.
The C.M.U.A. was successful in obtaining a very valuable concession for users of petrol vehicles.
mimediately the new petrol tax of 3d. a gallon was announced, ale Association forwarded a, memorandum to the Chancellor of the Exchequer urging that commercial motor users should be allowed a rebate, as on the former tax. As a result, the Chancellor asked that a deputation should put forward the views of the Association on the subject, and the C.M.U.A. was subsequently informed that, after consideration of the arguments advanced by the Association, the necessary clause had been introduced in the Finance Bill to secure a further rebate of 1:13d. a gallon, making 3d. a gallon total rebate.
Icpplication for Injunction Against Steam Wagon Owner.
The Kensington Borough Council, at the end of 1914, endeavoured to obtain an injunction to restrain one of the members of the C.M.U.A. from using their. motor wagons and tractors in any of the streets of the Borough. Such an injunction, if obtained, •would have constituteda very serious precedent, and the C.M.U.A. at once took steps to defend the action. It is satisfactory to report that, in order to avoid unnecessary and embittered legal proceedings in war time, arrangements have been made for the action to stand over until after the war, when it is hoped that terms may be amicably arranged to dispose of it entirely.
L.G.B. Committee on Heavy Motorcars.
Early in the year the Local Government Board appointed an Expert Committee to inquire into the sufficiency of the existing laws and regulations relating to the construction kind:use.of heavy motorcars, and the C.M.U.A. was invited tegive evidenee before the Committee on commercial motor Users. The Association at once took steps to obtain the -Views of its members and other interested parties on the subject, and the hundreds. -of repliei":.reeeived 'werecarefully analysed. Mr. E. S. Shripnell:SMith (hon. treasurer), who was nominated by the C.M.U.A. to give evidence on its behalf, placed the claims of commercial motor users very fully before the Departmental Committee, The report is not expected for some months.
The Shortage of Drivers.
The Association has been active and prompt in taking steps to lessen the serious shortage of commercial motor drivers. A deputation was received by the Reserved Occupations Committee of the Board of Trade on the matter, when the C.M.U.A. urged that all remainiog drivers should be placed on the " certified " list. The efforts of the C.M.U.A. were successful, and an official announcement was subsequently made that carters, lorryrnen and draymen (horse and power), not delivering to private houses, had been placed on the list of " Certified Occupations."
In addition, the C.M.U.A. approached the Local Government Board to reduce the minimum age for the holding of motorcar driving licences, subject to satisfactory safeguards, and so increase the number of available drivers for civilian transport purposes. This matter is still under consideration.
Employment Bureau Tor Discharged Army Motor Drivers.
A Special Employment Bureau has been established by the C.M.U.A.. to place_ discharged Army motor drivers into immediate touch with membera who are in need of drivers for their commercial motor vehicles. The Association, with the co-operation of the War Office and the National Association for ts29 Employment of Ex-Soldiers, has arranged for each driver on discharge to be handed particulars of the Bureau, and his name is at once put on the register for employment. In addition, the National Association for Employment of Ex-Soldiers is transferring the names of all motor drivers on its register to the C.M.U.A. Employment Bureau for Discharged Army• Motor Drivers.
The Association is also repres.ented on the Central Committee for Employment of Discharged Soldiers and Sailors connected with the motor industry.
C.M.U.A. Badges.
The C.M.U.A. Vehicle Badge continues to be very popular, nearly 4000 having now been issued. The badge secures the ready attention of the Road Touring Guides who are stationed in various parts of the country, as well as facilitating recognition on the read between drivers in the employ of members. Its use also gives status to any vehicle. The badge, which measures az ins, in diameter, is made in gilding metal, with blue enamelled border and red and white quartered centre, in three fittings, as follow —
(a) Dashboard ; (b) Radiator (c) Smoke-box. The Committee hopes that the badge will be exhibitbd on all the vehicles of every member. The price is 6s. each. A member's personal badge is made in solid silver and red, white and blue enamel, with pin attachment, and issued at a price of 3s.
Finance The income of the Association for the year 1915 was 21849 2s. 9d., and the expenditure £1797 8s. 4d., leaving a surplus a 251 14s. od. The total balance. in hand at the 31st December, 1915, was £243 Os. 4d. A copy of the balance-sheet and income and expenditure account, which have been audited by Messrs. Andrew W. Barr and Co., accompanies this report.
• Income Tax Deduction.
Arrangements have been made with the authorities whereby subscriptions to the Association will be allowed as a charge in members' accounts when arriving at the assessment for income tax. If any difficulty is experienced with local surveyors of taxes they should be referred to Mr. J. P. Hancock, Surveyor of Taxes, Premier House, 48, Dover Street, London, W.