Robbing Peter to Pay Paul
Page 14
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WHAT hope is there for the "home front," when impetuous methods and indiscriminate official action place insurmountable obstacle,s in the way of carrying on and accomplishing vital work?
How is the position of the country strengthened by robbing Peter to pay Paul—by blindly preventing the continuance of civilian transport of national importance in order, presumably, to swell the ranks of service fleets, the need for which it is difficult to regard as greater?
All of us in this industry are ready and willing, in this time of emergency, to make big sacrifices, but we cannot be expected to condone measures which defeat their own object. Allowances for mistakes, for inefficiency in the working of the hastily established and newly started machinery are being made •and a reasonable attitude is adopted. We appreciate the difficulties of the situation and are glad to co-operate in overcoming them, but surely some elasticity in applying certain of the measures is desirable?
Care Required in Vehicle Impressment.
The impressment of vehicles is causing consternation. Operators have arrived at manufacturers' works to take delivery of orders, only to discover that the impressment officer has beaten them at the post and commandeered their lorries, possibly painted, lettered and paid for.
Small fleets are being reduced by impressment by as much as 60 per cent., and, as a result, the Al 2 haulage work upon which they were engaged—possibly of the utmost national importance—has been seriously retarded. Cases of the impressment of vehicles working on the construction of aircraft factories, for instance, have come to our knowledge.
Impressment officers, it seems, are doing their duty too conscientiously, but one does not necessarily blame them, although they have to takE the grumbles. There is, however, a need for discretion and discrimination somewhere.
Some Good Vehicles in Bad Hands.
In many cases the requisitioned vehicles formerly driven by experienced paid drivers, an now in the hands of unpaid volunteers, so, as direct result, many men are thrown out o employment, and, as an indirect consequence, cir culation of money and the country's revenue ar adversely affected.
Manufacturers are making praiseworthy effort in the face of shortage of materials and skille labour, to meet operators' needs, while satisfyin the prior claims, and production for civilian tran5 port, in the majority of cases, is being continue( Doubtless, in time, a position of greater stabilit will develop and the present tangle will straighte itself out.
In the meantifne, patience and indulgence mu be forthcoming on the part of makers and open tors, and some forbearance is called for on ti part of the authorities.