War Office and Petrol Lorries.
Page 4
Page 5
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Treasury Expects Registration of Numerous Vehicles upon Inadequate and Uncommercial Terms.
Provisional Scheme for the subsidizing of Petrol Motor Lorries already manufactured and owned by Civilians. Such scheme to come into force pending the issue of the full terms under which the War Department will subsidize vehicles built to certain specifications.
Schedule of Terms for the Enrolment of Petrol Motor Lorries by the War Department under the Provisional Subsidy Scheme.
t. CLASSES OF PETROL LORRIES. For the purpose of this schedule, petrol lorries are divided as follows :— Class "A."—Those capable of carrying a useful load of 3 tons.
Class "B."—Those capable of carrying a useful load of 30 cwt.
'2. ENROLMENT.—The vehicles will only be purchased in case of national emergency, and will not be enrolled for hire purposes or manoeuvres.
:3. SUBSIDY.—Motor lorries will be subsidized for a period of two years, and the owners will receive :— (a) Initial subsidy. (b) Annual subsidy.
The initial subsidy, in accordance with the following scale, will be paid when a lorry is first enrolled :— An annual subsidy of 1:15 per lorry will be paid halfyearly in arrear after satisfactory inspection, provided the conditions governing the payment are complied with.
CONDITIONS GOVERNING GRANT OF INITIAL SUBSIDY, ETC.
4. (a) Lorries must have been built subsequent to 1st January, 1910.
(a) ENG1NES.—Engines must be of the internalcombustion type, using ordinary commercial spirit (petrol) for fuel.
All engines in class " A " must have four cylinders. Minimum bore to be 110 mm., or 4-i in.
Class " " 30 cwt. lorries ; preference will be given to those having four-cylinder engines with a minimam bore of 90 mm. or 3 in. But vehicles with two-cylinder engines may be accepted at the discretion of the War Office.
(c) TOWING HOOKS.—Four towing hooks of War Department pattern must be fitted to each lorry, two at the rear of the chassis and two in front.
Detail drawings are attached. [See page 75.—ED1 (n) BODIES.—Platform bodies will not be accepted unless they have substantial sides and ends of a minimum height of 1 ft. 8 in.
Van bodies, and a certain number of box bodies will be accepted.
(z) PLATFORM AREA.—Platform area to be not less than 11 ft. 6 in. by 5 rt. 6 in. in the ease of class "A," and not less than 8 ft. 6 in. by 5 ft. 0 in. in the case of class "B."
(r) IGNITION.—Preference will be given to lorries fitted with high-tension magneto ignition.
An addition of 210 will be made to the " Initial " subsidy if a second magneto is carried ready for use and merely requiring attachment to the base. Such magneto to be considered the property of the War Department until the expiration of the original term of agreement.
An efficient cover of insulating water-proof material to be provided on the working magneto.
(G) LAMPS.—Every vehicle to be fitted with two side lamps, one tail lamp, and at least one head light and generator.
(n) GARAGE.—Every vehicle to be kept in a garage, or other suitable covered-in building, where the necessary protection from frost will be ensured.
(x) DRIVERS.—Vehicles to be at all times driven by a properly qualified driver.
(n) SPEEDS.—Class " A " to average 10 miles per hour fully loaded. Class " B " to average 12 miles per hour fully loaded.
CONDITIONS GOVERNING GRANT OF ANNUAL SUBSIDY.
5. INSPECTION.—Prior to being subsidized, any vehicle proposed for enrolment shall be inspected by an Inspector appointed by the War Department. Every subsidized vehicle will be subsequently inspected once every six months by a War Department Inspector, in order to ascertain that it is maintained in a thoroughly efficient condition. The dates of inspection to be arranged by mutual arrangement between the owners and inspectors. So far as may be possible the inspection will be carried out during the ordinary working of the lorries.
If a vehicle is found to be unserviceable or in a bad state of repair at any half-yearly inspection, the halfyearly subsidy will not be paid unless the owner, with the written permission of the War Department, puts it in a thoroughly serviceable condition within a reasonable time. Failing this, a proportion of the initial subsidy fee, and of any money which has been paid under Clause 4 (r), calculated on the unexpired portion of the period of enrolment, shall be returned to the War Department by the owner.
6. PURCHASE.—If His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the War Department shall certify in writing under his hand that the country is in a state of national danger, or if a proclamation shall be issued under the Reserve Forces Act, 1882, then, while such proclamation continues in force or such certificate remains unrevoked, the War Department shall be entitled to purchase, as hereinafter mentioned, any motor vehicles enrolled hereunder.
7. NOTICE OF PURCHASE.Notice by telegraph or in writing of the intention to purchase any vehicle shall be given to the owner by the War Department, and the owner shall, within three days after receipt of such notice, deliver the vehicle together with its spare parts by road to the War Department at the place ordered with every part in thorough working order. The inclusive cost of taking the vehicle to the place ordered is included in the purchase price.
8. TERMS OF PURCHASE.—The purchase price to be paid by the War Department shall be the then value. plus 25 per cent., provided the value thus calculated shall never be greater than the original cost of the vehicle and never less than 30 per cent. of such cost. The then value of the vehicle shall be arrived at as follows :— The actual purchase price of a vehicle shall be ascertained (this shall include only those spare duplicate parts which form. part of the free outfit of the vehicle), and it will be depreciated at 7per cent. per half year.
Such depreciation coming into force at the beginning of each half-yearly period from the date at which the vehicle was delivered to the owner on purchase by him from the manufacturer.
For example, if the purchase price of a vehicle were 1600, the prices paid for it during the first four years of its life would be as under:— initial subsidy fee, and of any money which has been paid under Clause 4 (s) calculated on the unexpired portion of the period of enrolment shall be returned to the War Department by the owner.
10. WITHDRAWAL FROM ENROLMENT.—An owner will not be allowed to withdraw a vehicle from enrolment without the permission of the War Department, and then only on repayment to the War Department by the owner of a proportion of the initial subsidy fee and of any money paid under Clause 4 (F) calculated on the unexpired portion of the period of enrolment.
11. SALE OF VEHICLE.—Should an owner desire to sell his vehicle during the period of enrolment, he will apply to the War Department for permission, giving the name and address of the prospective purchaser. Should the purchaser be prepared to take over this contract, and should the War Department sanction that arrangement, the new owner will be liable from the date of purchase, as if the contract was originally made by him. Otherwise the provisions of Clause 10 shall apply.