Answers to Queries.
Page 17
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Hiring Motor Lorries.
[1,654] " CARDIFF" writes:—" We would be greatly obliged, and esteem it a personal favour, if you would send us any names of firms you know, who are catering for the hire of commercial motors. We are requiring to hire three motor lorries, with platform bodies; two of them must be capable of carrying two tons each, and one to carry one ton. We may add that we have been subscribers to THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR for many years past, and have found it indispensable.
ANSWER.—There are Commercial Car Hirers, Ltd., of Cambridge Circus, W.C., McNamara and Co., Ltd., of 12, Castle Street, Finsbury, B.C., and French's Garage, of 214, Balha.m High Road, S.W., as London contractors for this class of work. You might also try the Commercial Autocar Co., of Hereford, and the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd, You would probably obtain the names of contractors who are nearer to you if you inserted a. suitable small advertisement in this journal
Carriage-lax Points.
[1,655] " MERCHANTS " write :—" Your journal has been mentioned to us as a reliable source from which we can obtain information in respect of taxation on motorcars. We have four motorcars on the road, all of which we contend are used for business purposes solely; three are driven by travellers, and one is kept for the firm. We bave approached the inland Revenue in respect to the taxes, but without result, and we shall be glad if you will inform us what constitutes a commercial vehicle, and what we can do to avoid paying such taxes. The cars are two 6 h.p. Rovers. (two-seaters), one 8 li.p. de Dion (two-seater)—all with goods boxes fitted at backand one 15-20 li.p. Darracq (four-seater)."
ANSWER.—Any vehicle which is used occasionally, or even once a year, for a private trip, will have to pay the full private-car taxes. The other vehicles, if they are properly lettered, will be exempt from a carriage tax, and you will be able to obtain a rebate of Lid. per gallon on the petrol consumed by their engines. See answer to similar query on page 402 of issue dated 14th July.
11,656] " LONDON DEPOT " write :—" With regard to the increased taxation for private-hire motorcars, we shall be glad to hear from you if this will affect a car which was registered under the old rating in March of this year ? "
ANSWER.—Any car liable to the increased taxation (carriage duty) is affected. You have until the 30th inst. to take out the licence on the new scale, the said licence being for the year ending the 31st December next, when you will be credited any amount that has already been paid. A previous full answer to a query upon this subject is No. 1,649 (issue of the 7th July).
[1,657] " Puzzeso PROPRIETOR " writes :—" I have been endeavouring to satisfy myself as to the scope and extent of the various taxes on road vehicles, and so far have only succeeded in confusing myself. May I ask you to be good enough to explain to me the difference in the taxes payable upon the various classes of motor vehicles ?"
ANSWER.--We agree with you that the whole subject of the taxation of the various classes of road vehicles is a complex one, and requires some little elucidation. We, perhaps, can briefly put the situation to you as follows. First of all, no commercial vehicles, i.e., vehicles " used solely for the conveyance of any goods or burden in the course of trade or husbandry," are liable for Inland Revenue duty under the new Finance Act, 1910. In Paragraph 3, Section 86, of this same Act, it is expressly stated that there shall be no increase or alteration under the new Act to the " duty payable in respect of any motorcab, motor omnibus, or other vehicle being a hackney carriage within the meaning of Section 4 of the Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1888." This means that the old Excise duty of two guineas for light locomotives between
one ton and two tons weight unladen, or three guineas for light locomotives exceeding two toms unladen, still applies to all vehicles which come under the category of hackney carriages. Previously, this same Excise duty also applied to all ordinary private motorcars, but the tax, in this respect, has been superseded by the new horsepower rating tax of the Finance Act of 1910. To sum up, therefore, we may note that there arc now, for the purpose of taxation, three distinct classes of motor vehicles. Firstly, the commercial-motor vehicle proper, which pays no Excise tax; secondly, the hackney carriage, which includes the motorcab and motorbus, which still continues to pay the two or three guineas Excise tax of the Act of 1888, together with the wheel tax, as a hackney carriage, of 15s.; and, thirdly, the ordinary motorcar, which is now taxed according to the horse-power rating.
Mr. Markham recently asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he would say why his department issued notices relating to the taxes payable for motorcars, omitting all reference to the allowances which are allowed by statute in respect to water and petrol used for propelling such vehicles, and if he would direct his department to state fully on all tax demand notes the allowances allowed by statute? Mr. Hobhouse replied : " Until the passing of the Finance (1909-10) Act, 1910, the duties payable upon licences for motorcars were charged partly by reference to the number of wheels and partly by reference to weight unladen, and it was provided that, in calculating the weight unladen, the weight of any water. fuel, or accumulators, used for the purpose of propulsion should not be included. By the recent Act, the duties on licences for motorcars, except motoreabs, motor omnibuses and vehicles previously charged as hackney carriages, have been made to depend solely on the unit of horse-power, and accordingly no question of weight is considered or specified in the form of declaration applicable to these motorcars, The Board of Customs and Excise are con, sidering whether there should be an addition to the effect stated in the question when the form of declaration ap plicable to motorcabs, motor omnibuses, and hackney carriages is reprinted.'' About the G.E.L.M.O. Co., Ltd.
[1,658] " NORTHERN " writes:—" I have been offered a post in the garage of the Great Eastern Motorbus Co., of London, and in consequence would like to make a feu inquiries about the garage and the work carried on there. I must apologise for bringing these inquiries to you, as I know it is not in your ordinary way of business, but I have been unable to get the information elsewhere. I understand that the works are in Waltha.mstow, and employ 200 hands, and that all work is undertaken, except actual building, such as all running repairs, overhauling and rebuilding, etc. Is this so? Could you inform me as to the number of buses used by this company ? Would it, in your opinion, be a good place to learn motor work, as at present I am not in a firm who handle petrol vehicles. I should also like to know the exact address of the works."
ANSWER.—The Great Eastern London Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., is the second largest owner of motorbuses in the Metropolis. At the present time, it has 89 motorbus licences. You are correct in your surmise that this company's central works are in Walthamstow, and that the whole of the running repairs, overhauling, etc., are carried out there. We are unable to advise you as to whether you would be able satisfactorily to learn motor work " in these shops, as you do not say what position you are hoping to take up in the industry. So far as actual knowledge of running repairs is concerned, you would probably do as well in a motorbus company's yard as anywhere. The address of the company's works is Green Street, Forest Gate, and the head office is at 2, Bank Buildings, Leyton.