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WHEELS of INDUSTRY "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.

LICENSING HEAVYNEFIICLE DRIVERS: DRAFT REGULATIONS.

A draft of the Regulations governing the licensing of drivers of heavy goods vehicles, known as the Heavy Goods Vehicles (Drivers' Licences) Regulations, 1934, has been circulated by the Minister of Transport to national associations ofoperators and local authorities for their consideration.

Under the _Regulations, applications for such licences have to be made to the Licensing Authority for the area in which the applicant resides. The latter may be required to give evidence as to his age, that he is acquainted with the provisions of the Highway Code, submit a medical certificate and undergo a driving. test.

The fee for a licence for less than two years will be is.; for two years, but Jess than three years, 2s.; and for three years, 35. Licences must be signed, and changes of address must be notified to the Licensing Authority within seven days.

A licence must be produced for examination, or the licensee must state the address at which the licence will be available during the next Ave days, if required to do so by a police constable, a certifying officer, vehicle examiner, or by any other authorized person.

If a licence be lost or destroyed, the Licensing Authority shall, on payment of is.. issue a duplicate. If a licence be defaced, a duplicate will be issued on the surrender of the original one. In the event of the suspension or revocation of a licence, the licensee shalt, within five days, surrender it.

Markings on Vehicles Using Trade Plates.

An unusual point concerning the markings on vehicles which are being operated under general trade plates was raiged at Midhurst, last week, when a case involving Ilifultiwheelers (Commercial Vehicles), Ltd„ was heard.

During the early part of July, the company was called upon to remove a disabled vehicle near Portsmouth and a Multiwheeler oil-engined tractor carrying general trade plates was sent out for the purpose. On the return journey the driver was pulled up by the police on the charge of exceeding the speed limit, and it was noticed that the tractor was not marked with the maximum legal speed applicable when not coupled up to a trailer, nor was the unladen weight marked. •

At the hearing of the case at Midhurst, the chairman of the bench ruled that minor technical offences had been committed and a fine of 5s. was imposed on each count. Mr. W. Langley, of 1Vlultiwheelers . (Commercial . Vehicles). Ltd., asked the clerk of the court and the inspector of police

B20 IMPORT AND EXPORT RETURNS FOR JULY.

The Board of Trade returns for July, 1934, show that the value of commercial vehicles, cars, chassis and accessories imported during that month amounted to £381,031, contrasted with £165,702 in the comparable month of last year, and £234,129 a year earlier. The increase is, again, mainly brought about by heavy imports of cars.

The export of complete commercial vehicles in the same month showed a slight falling oil in number (190 as compared with 208 in July, 1983), although their value increased from £42,815 last year to £45,096 in July, 1934.

The exports of commercial chassis are being well maintained, and the figure of 508 for July, 1934. compares with 522 for July, 1933, and 313 for July, 1932, their value having shown a prog-rrssive increase from £42,803 two years ago to £114,646 for July of this year ; last year's figure was £74,826.

More Appeal Hearings Fixed.

The appeal of the Ewhurst Haulage ,Co. (announced in last week's issue) against conditions attached to a B licence by the Metropolitan Licensing Authority, will be heard at King's Buildings, Smith Square, London, S.W.1, on September 11, at 10.45 a.m.

On September 18, at 10.30 a.m., the appeal of Messrs. J. Enston and Son, of Tryddyn, near Mold, prvill be heard, at the Town Hall, Chester, 'whilst On the following day, at .10.30 a.m., at the same place, an inquiry will be held into the appeal of Mr. J. P. Wilson, of Tarporley.

Silence-zone Regulations in the London Area.

On August 17, the Minister of Transport issued an announcement dealing with the establishment of silence zones in London, under provisions of Section 9 of the Road Traffic Act, 1934. The zone extends for a radius of five mites from Charing Cross, and, during the hours between 11.30 p.m. and 7 a.m., the use of horns or other warning instruments on motor vehicles will 1.e prohibited.

It is not proposed toerect signs to denote the limits of the zone, but the boundary can be defined by the following points :—Woodman Hotel, MusWell Hill ; Hackney Marsh, Clayton; Bow Bridge, Bow ; Blackwall Tunnel ; "Marquis of Granby,' New Cross ; Dulwich College ; Streatham Hill Station ; Putney Station ; Wood Lane Station ; Clock Tower, Golder's Green. It is proposed to bring the regulations into force on Monday next, August 27, and it will be noticed that only motor drivers are affected by the Order. A FLEET OF BOXVANS REQUIRED IN EGYPT.

The Commercial Secretary to the Residency, Egypt, reports that the Mechanical Transport Department, Ministry of Communications, is calling for tenders, which have to be presented in Cairo by September 15, 1934, for the supply of two 3-ton pneumatictyred chassis and 20 12-cwt. boxvan chassis. Concerns in a position to supply vehicles of United Kingdom manufacture may obtain further details from the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, London, S.W.1, reference GY14175 being quoted.

Mobile" Schools " for Mechanics.

The Ford Motor Co., Ltd., is equipping and staffing several instruction vans of the type shown in accompanying illustrations, which are to visit all the concern's dealers with the object of still further increasing the " facilities' organization of the company. In reality, the vans are travelling repair shops or mobile schools of instruction for mechanics, Each carries the necessary equipment for maintenance work and running repairs and is in charge of a qualified instructor.

A halt of two days will be made at the premises of each Ford main dealer, During the day the instructor will give individual advice to mechanics on

major repair operations, whilst in the evening classes will be held for the instruction of mechanics in maintenance and minor repairs, and other Ford dealers in the area will be invited to allow their men to attend. The instructor will also be qualified to advise dealers on such matters as repair-shop layout and equipment.

The use of travelling instruction vans is an extension of the company's " facilities " school at Dagenham, to which Ford dealers may send their mechanics for a course of up-to-date instruction.,

• Examinations of the I stitute of the Motor Trod .

The 18th examination f the Institute of the Motor Trade vill be held in London and Provincia centres on November 30, commencin at 10 a.m. The council is offering gol , silver and bronze medals to the thre candidates securing the highest ks in this year's examinations. Fu particulars of the syllabus and re lotions, together with copies of p pets set at recent examinations, may be obtained on application to the In titute, 157, Great Portland Street, Lo don. W.1. RAILWAY C.O.D. SCHEME EXTENDED TO ROAD MOTORS.

A few weeks ago the railway companies announced a scheme whereby they undertook the collection on delivery of the value of parcels and goods handed to them for conveyance by rail. It is now stated that the scheme has been extended to traffic conveyed by railway motor vehicles throughout, including cartage within town limits.

Under this arrangement the sender of the goods completes a " C.O.D. value" contract form, indicating the sum to be collected, and is supplied with a special address label. An advice form

is then sent to the destination station, which arranges to collect the amount from the consignee when delivering the goods, and advises the sending station that the money has been collected and can be paid out to the sender.

It is expected that the new facilities will result in additional quantities of farm produce and other commodities being purchased on cash-on-delivery terms.

A Brown Bros. Retirement.

After completing 50 years' service with Brown Bros., Ltd., Mr. Walter Cotgrove has recently retired. During his earlier years, his territory extended from Liverpool to Penzance, bat he will be best remembered by motor dealers and garage proprietors on the South Coast.

Mersey Tunnel Traffic Figures.

Statistics relating to the volume of traffic that has made use of the Mersey Tunnel since its opening give some indication of the value of this artery to road users, and point to the extent to which it may be used in the future. During the first four weeks, 226,891 vehicles and trailers passed through the tunnel, the total when motorcycles and cycles are included being 340,210; passengers numbered 523,822. REMARKABLE GROWTH OF THE ROAD HAULAGE ASSOCIATION.

" Five months ago there were 60 members in Cornwall and 17 in Devon," said Mr. Charles Hodgson, chairman of the Devon and Cornwall area and delegate to the National Council of the Road Haulage Association, when addressing an open meeting of hauliers at Torquay last week. " To-day there are nearly 500 members in the two counties, and if we can do that in five months, what can we do during the next five years? These figures reflect the growth of the association as a whole, for it now possesses 6,000 members."

A member asked whether a neutral committee composed of persons not operating vehicles and with no haulage interests, could be set up to control rates, so that no bias would enter into the matter? Mr. Hodgson replied that it was, to him, an entirely new idea and quite a good suggestion. Whether it would be practicable, however, he could not say, but he thought that wages should first be stabilized before setting up any committee whether of operators or unbiassed persons—to deal with rates.

A special welcome was extended to Mr. W. T. Way, of Dartmouth and Paignton. It was stated that he was the first haulier in the district to own a lorry, having purchased, 30 years ago, a Halley two-cylinder 30-cwt. machine, with which he was able to .make the journey from Dartmouth to Plymouth in five hours. Perhaps the Licensing Authority would agree, said Mr. P. Rossiter, the chairman, that this was claimed tonnage !, Boiling Water Carried in Glass-lined Tankers.

Loads of boiling water in milk tankers were sent from Liverpool to Southport this week, in order to enable the caterer at the Southport Flower Show to serve quick teas.

S. Reece and Sons, Ltd., Liverpool, the catering contractor, operates a large fleet of vans and lorries, and the boiling water was carried 20 miles with only a comparatively small loss of temperature. At Southport, it was placed into portable boilers and again brought to boiling point. This procedure has been B22 found from experience to be quicker than that of putting cold water into the boilers and bringing it to boiling point in the usual way.

The Reece concern uses glass-lined tankers for bringing supplies of milk from Cheshire farms to its dairy in Liverpool.

Transformer Transport by Trailer.

R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Co., Ltd., Forth Banks Works, Newcastleupon-Tyne, recently constructed for the North Eastern Electric Supply Co., Ltd., a 6-ton for-wheeled trailer for

carrying transformers. The loading platform has a length of 13 ft. 6 ins. and a width of 7 ft., the loading height being 3 ft. 10 ins. The weight of the trailer, . including a spare wheel, is 38 cwt. The chassis is built up of steel channels, which are braced and electrically welded throughout. The wheels are equipped with Goodyear 36-in. by 8-in, pneumatic tyres, the rear wheels having internal-expanding brakes, operated from the tractor through the Westinghouse air system and by hand lever from the near side of the trailer. The front end is carried on a swivelling table, permitting a 90-degree lock on each side. We understand that the trailer has given every satisfaction since it was put into service sonic weeks ago.

Road-accident Returns.

Ministry of Transport returns of persons killed or injured in road accidents during the week ended August 11, 1934, show that, in England, 101. persons were killed and 4,751 injured, whilst 33 died as a result of previous accidents. The figures for Scotland were 9 killed and 493 injured, whilst in Wales, 16 were killed and 351 injured.

NEW STEP IN PLAN TO STABILIZE WAGES IN SCOTLAND.

A conference is to be called, on September 7, by the Ministry of Labour, to consider appointing a conciliation committee for the administration of the fair-wages clause in Scotland, under the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933. The three employers' organizations have been invited to take part. The Scottish Horse and Motormen's Association and the Transport and General Workers Union favour the scheme.

Mr. John Veitch, of the Transport and General Workers Union, stated that if the unions and some of the employers favour the setting up of a committee, the scheme can proceed, and that it is

not necessary for all the parties concerned to concur.

On the other hand, an announcement was made, a few days ago, by Mr. D. Mackay, secretary of the Scottish Contractors Association, that the Board will not be set up unless all parties are in agreement. It is intimated that the Minister of Labour regards the scheme as purely tentative.

Bedford Dealer's New Depot at Scarborough.

Mr. A. F. Palmer Phillips, director of sales of Vauxhall Motors, Ltd., recently opened new premises at Scarborough for the Station Garages, Ltd., and these are being devoted exclusively to the sale and servicing of Bedford lorries and Vauxhall cars. The managing director of the company is Mr. H. A. Whitaker, other directors being Mr. F. W. Plaxton and Mr. A. Tait.

The new premises are centrally situated on the main ScarboroughYork road and are open by day and night. On the ground level there are showrooms for 30 vehicles, and the equipment includes electric, pumps, an eight-point oil fountain, and air and water fountains installed by S. F. Bowser and Co. (London), Ltd., at the entrance to the service station. The upper floor serves as a spacious garage. In the basement is the spare -parts store, and further space for vehicles.

WAGES BOARD FOR BRISTOL AND DISTRICT.

At a conference held at Bristol of road-transport employers and employees, it was unanimously decided that an area board, as recommended by the National Joint Conciliation Board, in connection with the hours, wages and conditions of employment of goods-transport drivers and attendants, should be set up for the district. The conference was attended by representatives of the Road Haulage Association, the Transport and General Workers Union, and the Port of Bristol Employers Labour Association, Mr. S. C. Parkin, secretary of the lastnamed, presiding. Another meeting is to be held at an early date.

It is said that the decisions of the area board will affect 7,000 employees in the goods-transport industry. Its activities will extend over Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire, and parts of Dorset.

A Register of the Motor Trade. .

The 1934 edition of "The Register of. the Motor Trade," issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, is now available. It is a cornprehensive register of the whole trade, and, in this year's edition, a new system of revision has resulted in a number of corrections to trading titles, addresses, telephone numbers, etc.

The published price is one guinea, including quarterly supplements of additions, alterations and deletions. The preferential price to members of the Society, the Scottish Motor Trade Association and the Motor Agents Association is 10s. 6d. Applications for copies should be addressed to the registers department of the Society, 83, Pall Mall, London, S.W.1.

Holland's Trade Improvement.

So far this year there has been a distinct revival of activity in the commercial-vehicle trade in Holland, although the imports now consist mainly of chassis.

During the first half of this year, 178 complete vehicles, valued (taking guilders at 7.5 to the £) at £24,135, were imported, as compared with 221 and £36,665 respectively in the first six months of 1.933. Of the total, 49 vehicles are credited to elgium, 45 to the United States, 31 to Germany, 29 to England and 24 to Fraisce.

The imports of comnercial chassis have risen from 925 units (£199,735) in the first six months o last year to 2,473 (£372,935) this ye4.r. Although 1,460 of the chassis arej credited to Belgium, it is understood that these are American units assembled in that country ; 828 chassis came direct from the United States. The number from Great Britain increased from 22 to 78.

Brockhouse to Build Works in Scotland.

It is understood that J. Brockhouse and Co., Ltd., West Brorawich, is to build works in Squire Street, Scotstoun, Glasgow, for the manufacture of trailers and for general iron work. The factory will also serve as a depot for the company's laminated springs.

Records Regulations Now Issued.

The Goods Vehicles (Keeping of Records) Regulations, 1934, have now been published by the Stationery Office (price 2d.), and will come into force on October 1. They do not differ materially from the draft of the Regulations published in rise Commercial Motor dated July 13,

PEDESTRIAN-CROSSING PLACES EXPERIMENT EXTENDED.

The Ministry of Transport, in collaboration with the local authorities concerned, has arranged to extend the experiment with marked pedestriancrossing places, which was recently instituted in a number of streets in Westminster, Holborn St. Pancras, Poplar and Stepney. '

The new proposals provide for pedestrian lanes over a number of important routes, and in most cases the crossings will be indicated by two parallel lines of metal studs set 18 ins. apart. The herring-bone markings on some roads will, in certain instances, be continued for the present, but both forms of marking will be legal during the period of the experiment. It is, however, not proposed to erect any " C " signs at the new crossing places.

Aids to Keeping Drivers' Records.

The Charnwood Publishing Co., Coal. villa, Leicester, specializes in the making of account books and forms suitable for use by commercial-vehicle operators. The company has now seized the opportunity presented by the compulsory filing of drivers' records in accordance with the provisions of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933 (operative in this respect from October 1 next), to provide forms suitable for the purpose.

In one series, references 15/1, 15/2, 15/3, 15/4, provision is made for the information as required by the Act, the sub-indices 1, 2, 3 and 4 relating to the • corresponding form numbers in the Act. In another series, 16/1, etc., the forms are amplified so as to allow of the entry of those items usually embodied in a driver's report. Book No. 17, another publication, combines forms 3 and 4 of the Act.

Book No. 16, which embodies 100 forms well printed on good paper and each sheet perforated, costs 2s. 6d. Book No. 17 also contains 100 forms and costs 2s. There is 6d. additional for postage in each case.

CONCILIATION REPORT TO BE DISCUSSED.

Yorkshire critics of the report of the sub-committee of the National joint Conciliation Board for the Road Motor Transport Industry (Goods), will be able to meet a member of the Board, Mr. James France, at a mass meeting of operators to• be held on Tuesday next, August 28, in the Y.M.C.A., Albion Street, Leeds, at 7.15. p.m.

Although the meeting is being held under the auspices of the Northeastern Division of the Commercial Motor Users Association, members of all other operators' associations in the Yorkshire Area are invited to attend.

The report will also be discussed on the trade-union side, at a mass meeting of members of the Transport and General Workers Union, at the Textile Hall, Bradford, on August 26.

Road and Rail Co-ordination: A Survey

of Conditions in 41 Countries,

The inquiries being conducted by the International Chamber of Commerce into the question of road and rail coordination are nearing completion so far as the first stages are concerned, and the results will be published at an early date. They will give a comparative survey of facts and figures dealing with the administrative, legislative and technical conditions under which railway transport and road mechanical transport are operated in 41 different countries.

It will be remembered that an introductory report. prepared by a committee of independent experts, dealing with various solutions of the road and rail transport problem was published at the end of last year.

New Wages Schedules Explained to • Birmingham Workers.

At a recent meeting, in Birmingham, convened by the Transport and General Workers Union, the report of the subcommittee of the National joint Con. ciliation Board appointed to consider hours, wages, and conditions of employment in the goods road-transport -industry was explained, Councillor J. Crump, area secretary, presiding. He said that the sub-committee faced a difficult task, and its recommendations represented one of the greatest achievemewls brought about on behalf of a section of workers.

• Mr. S. Brooks, who was a member of the sub-committee, made a reference to the definite advance in the working conditions of employees in the industry as a result of the recommendations, A Book on Rubber-producing Companies.

In view of the extent to which rubber is employed in the motor and allied industries, many persons engaged in them will be interested in "Rubber Producing Companies-1034," an informative volume published by The Financial Times, Ltd., 72, Coleman Street, London, R.C.2, at the price of 7s. 6d. As a guide for investors in rubber shares it is an invaluable work of reference, but the particulars of crops. acreage, production and other activities of hundreds of concerns also comprise useful data.

50 NEW L.M.S. LORRIES FOR YORKSHIRE.

Authority to acquire to additional lorries for use in Yorkshire has been granted to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co., by the Yorkshire Licensing Authority. Application was made for 51 vehicTes. The railway company's application, as previously indicated in The Commercial Motor, met with strong opposition from roadtransport operators. There were 250 objections from members of the Commercial Motor Users Association, and. 21 from members of the Road Haulage Association.

N.Z. Tariff Amendments.

The Customs Bill introduced in the New Zealand House of Representatives, on Tuesday of this week, provides for an increase in the duty that is payable on motorcars, motor lorries and chassis, of 10 per cent, in the British tariff and 55 per cent, in the general tariff, until December :31 next; thereafter, on unassembled vehicles, 5 per cent. and 50 per cent. respectively, and on assembled vehicles, 15 per cent. and 60 per cent. respectively.