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WHEELS of INDUSTRY

3rd August 1934, Page 32
3rd August 1934
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Page 32, 3rd August 1934 — WHEELS of INDUSTRY
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

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.

SCOTTISH HAULIERS OPPOSE CUTS in MILK HAULAGE RATES.

Under the auspices of the Scottish Commercial Motor Users Association, a meeting of Scottish hauliers was held in Glasgow, on July 25, to consider the new rates for milk haulage suggested by the Scottish Milk Marketing Board. There was a large attendance, presided over by Mr. Archibald Rodger, J.P., of • the Scottish Co-operative Milk Trade Association. This report reached us just too late for inclusion in last week's issue.

The chairman explained that a joint haulage committee, consisting of representatives of the Board and various haulage and milk-distributing organizations, had been set up by the Scottish Milk Marketing Board.

The committee had drawn up the following scale of rates for milk haulage :-1-5 miles, id. per gallon; 6-10 miles, id. per gallon ; 11-20 miles, Id. per gallon ; 21-30 miles, 1id. per gallon ; above 30 miles, lid. per gallon. These rates had been strongly criticized, and the Board proposed to amend them, after November, as follows :—Up to 10 miles, id.; up to 20 miles, ed.; up to 30 miles, 1c1.; up to 40 miles, Lid.; above 40 miles, lid.

Various members expressed the opinion that the business could not withstand any reduction in rates. It was pointed out that the railway was offering to collect milk in Dumfriesshire and deliver it in Edinburgh for an inclusive charge of 1.34d. per gallon.

After further discussion it was unanimously resolved to oppose the suggested reductions and it was left to the representatives of the Scottish Commercial Motor Users Association and the Scottish Horse and Motor Contractors Federation to express the mind of the meeting to the committee.

R.H.A. Vice-Chairman Favours Merger With the C.M.U.A.

Mr. Donaldson Wright, vice-chairman of the Road Haulage Association and chairman of the West Midland Area, addressed a general meeting of the Association at Truro last Friday, when Mr. C Hodgson (St. Austell) presided. Soon you will have the opportunity of giving Our personal vote on the proposed fusion between the R.H.A. and the C.M.U.A.," said Mr. Donaldson Wright. "We must have a 75-percent, poll, and I trust you will record your vote in favour of the proposed merger. Should it come into effect, it will be the greatest thing that has happened to the industry for the past 10 or 15 years."

They would at once realize what great power such a combination would have with the Minister of Transport B20

and the Government, the speaker continued. It would be felt in .Governmental quarters that such a body was truly speaking on behalf of every roadtransport user. Should the proposed merger come into effect, one large national council would be set up, and, by means of sectional councils, the constitution of the new Association would be such that no section could override the interests of another.

Mr. Hodgson mentioned that the R.H.A. was nearly 6,000 strong.

Liverpool Hauliers and Customs Hours.

Mr. R. B. Steckdale, of the Road Haulage Association, at Tuesday's meeting of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the need for Customs hours being brought into line with the conditions in the port. It was a wasteful condition that certain bonds should close an hour before the normal work of the port was finished. The road-transport interests of Liverpool strongly supported the efforts that were being made to bring about the desired alteration.

Big Increase in Imports of American Chassis.

Statistics issued by the Board of Trade in respect of the second quarters of 1933 and 1934 show that three complete commercial vehicles were imported into this country from the United States in April, 1933, one in May, 1934, and five in the following month. Chassis figures are, however, higher.

112 April, May and June, 1933, 24, 36 and 12 chassis respectively were imported from the U.S.A., the figures for the corresponding months of this year being 150, 147 and 135 respectively.

A.E.C.s for the G.W.R.

Amongst important orders recently received by the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., is one from the Great Western Railway Co. for 20 Monarch 6-ton goods vehicles.

Sanitary Inspectors' Conference.

The annual conference of the Institute of Sanitary Inspectors will be held in Southport from September 3-8, and the programme includes a visit to the works of Leyland Motors, Ltd. ULSTER HAULIERS APPROVE POLE REPORT.

At a special meeting of the Northern Ireland Provincial Hauliers' Association, in Belfast, on Monday night, it was agreed to support the Government in putting into effect the recommendations of Sir Felix Pole in relation to road and rail transport in Ulster, which were reported in last week's issue. Major J. McGown, MC., president of the Association, which represents 86 hauliers from all over the Six Counties, stated that virtually every proposal the Association had put before Sir Felix at the inquiry in May had been incorporated in the report.

A resolution proposed by Major McGown requesting the Government to arrange a conference of all the interests concerned, with the object of discussing differences and difficulties, was passed. The resolution also requested that Sir Felix Pole, who is to help to draft the scheme for the Government, should preside at the conference.

The Latest Road-safety Campaign.

At a meeting of Press representatives called by the National " Safety First" Association on Wednesday last, an appeal was made for all classes of road user to exercise special caution, particularly during the month of August. This month is the worst in the year for road accidents, due to its being the holiday period. The accident position this year has been aggravated by an increase of over 100,000 in the number of vehicles registered and, in addition, a big rise in the number of cyclists.

The National " Safety First" movement has now 60;000 professional drivers registered in the Association's safe driving competition, and Sir Malcolm Campbell is the chairman of a new committee formed to develop the Road Fellowship League, which aims to enrol all classes of road User, including children, in the full scheme.

Goods-vehicle Records: Deputation to the Minister.

At Monday's meeting of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, attention of the members was drawn to the doubt which appears to exist regarding the goods-vehicle records which have to be kept by traders under the terms of the Road and Rail Traffic Act. The Association of British Chambers of Commerce is, accordingly, being asked to arrange a deputation, comprising . representatives of the Association, the Federation of British Industries, the National Union of Manufacturers and the National. Chamber of Trade, to wait open toe Minister of Transport, so that .proposals which affect traders may be brought to his notice. PUBLIC SITTING PLANS.

As a rule the Traffic Commissioners suspend sittings during the greater part of August. There are, however, several sittings to be held this month.

The Northern Scotland Licensing Authority concludes a hearing at the Town House,. Aberdeen, to-day (Friday), whilst in the Eastern Area sittings will be held at the Shire Hall, Cambridge, on August 9, 10.30 a.m., and at the Council Offices, Cromer, on August 16 and 20, 11 a.m.

Application to Vary Drivers' Hours.

The Commercial Motor understands that the National Benzole Co., Ltd., has made an application to the Minister of Transport for a variation of drivers' hours under Section 19 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, to overcome the difficulties created by seasonal business. The matter will be referred to the Industrial Court for arbitration, but no date has yet been fixed for the hearing.

Big Increases in Soviet Production.

According to preliminary figures recently issued by the Soviet People's Commissariat for Heavy . Industry, 25,796 lorries were produced at the three factories in Moscow, Yaroslavl and Gorky during the six months ended June last, as compared with 17,463 units in the corresponding half of 1933. During the same periods the output from the tractor works at Stalingrad, Kharkov and Cheliabinsk increased from 30,126 to 44,762 units.

An Egyptian Call for Tenders. •

The Commercial Secretary to the Residency, Egypt, reports that the Tanzim Department, Ministry of Public Works, is calling for tenders, which have to be presented in Cairo by September 15, 1934, for the supply of three heavy lorries, three flushing wagons, a light lorry and an electric vehicle. Those concerns in a position to offer products of United King

dom manufacture can obtain further particulars from the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, London, S.W.1, reference G.Y.14092 being quoted.

30,000 Traffic-light Offences.

The Home Secretary states that in the Metropolitan Police district during the six months ended June 30 approxi mately 30,000 alleged offences against traffic-light regulations were reported by the police and 5,889 summonses were issued. Of the cases dealt with by summons, 4,966 resulted in conviction and in a further 776 cases the Court decided that the charge was proved but no conviction was recorded.

Official' Orders in June.

In June last the G.P.O. authorities ordered Morris-Commercial chassis and vans, Morris chassis, and bodies from the Duple, Bonallack and Morris Commercial concerns. The Air Ministry ordered Thomycroft six-wheelers. f PERSONAL PARS.

Mr. John F. Dawson has been appointed vice-chairman and managing director of G. D. Peters and Co., Ltd.

Mr. A. J. Robinson, district superintendent of the Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., at Truro, has been appointed an assistant in the road. transport department of the Great Western Railway at Paddington.

The employment of wireless sets on motor vehicles has become so popular that the Philco concern has made a separate division of this branch of its organization, and has placed it in the charge of Mr. Alan F. D. Knight, who has been sales manager of the car radio department of Philco just over a year.

Captain R. Gambier-Parry has been appointed as contact representative between the Philco concern and the British vehicle manufacturers.

Mr. H. 0. Farmer, B.Sc., has been appointed chief designer to Petters, Ltd., Yeovil. He obtained his degree at Birmingham University, saw war service in the R.F.A., and then joined Crossley nros., Ltd., Manchester, leaving that company to take up work on oil engines for road transport. As early as 1927, he was testing out an old vehicle equipped with an oil engine, which he had already helped to design, make and develop. Following this, he spent five years at the Ricardo works, vacating this position to take charge of work in connection with the equipment of Commers with oil engines.

Institute of Patentees Progress,

The Institute of Patentees has recently changed its address and now occupies premises at 10, Victoria Street, London, S.W.1. The Institute is now ,able to offer inventors and patentees improved facilities, including writing and reading rooms, whilst there is a sufficient space to arrange, in the future, for laboratories, workshops, etc.

Road-accident Returns.

The Ministry of Transport returns of persons killed or injured in road accidents during the week ended July 21, 1934, show that in England 94 persons were killed and 4,575 injured, whilst 21 died as a result of previous accidents. The figures for Scotland were 11 killed and 459 injured, whilst in Wales nine were killed and 228 injured.

Well-known Scottish Haulier Dead..

The death occurred, last week, of Mr. Archibald Watson, aged 65 years, a partner in Wordie and Co., Ltd., the well-known Scottish haulage concern. For 20 years he was a partner with Mr. William Wordie, but he had been associated with the company throughout his business life. For some years he. was a director of the Glasgow. Chamber of Commerce.

TRANSPORTING TRAMS BY ROAD.

An interesting task is being undertaken by H. Viney and Co., Ltd., the well-known northern haulage concern, which is transporting by road from Preston to 131ackpool 37 single-deck open-type trams. These are being built by the English Electric Co., Ltd., Preston, to replace old-type, toast-rack trams which have proved popular in Blackpool during the holiday season. A Leyland SQ2 vehicle is being employed to carry the bogies and other equipment and to tow a trailer which has been constructed by Viney and Co., Ltd., •especially for this task, the tram itself being carried on the latter.

The picture which we publish on this page shows one of the trams in course of transport to Blackpool, and it will be noticed that its design is a distinct departure from previous practice.

The Act to Help Small Hauliers.

During his first appearance in Fife as Northern Scotland Licensing Authority, Mr. Henry Riches said that he had heard that the Road and Rail Traffic Act was intended to squeeze out the small man. That statement was not true. Under the Act, the small man's business, once licensed, would become stabilized and secure. He had the same right to carry on his business as prior to the passing of the Act. There would, he added, always be a sympathetic feeling towards the small man, because the larger operator generally had the advantage of a trained advocate.

Safety Release Valve for Oil Units.

The importance of regular cleaning of the injector nozzles on oil engines is fully recognized by most operators. Trouble may be caused by dirt in the nozzle, resulting in a built-up pressure that has no means for release. A similar excessive pressure may be caused by the injector valve sticking in the closed position.

In order to obviate such trouble, a neat patented release valve is shortly to be placed on the market by the Massa Sparking Plug Co., Ltd., 178, High Street, Teddington, Middlesex.

The Massa release valve is a small sealed accessory which• is easily fitted between the pump outlet and the delivery pipe, and it can be adjusted to B22 lift at any predetermined pressure. The valve consists of a ball held down by a powerful spring on to the end of a small passage, this passage being open at the other end to the pressure in the delivery pipe. The ball makes a secure joint by bedding itself into the mildsteel housing. This useful accessory is to be marketed at the moderate price of 12s. fid.

R.H.A. Brooch for Carlisle.

A meeting of hauliers was recently held at Carlisle under the auspices of the Road Haulage Association, when a temporary committee was formed to take the necessary steps to bring into being a branch of the Association for Carlisle and district. Mr. M. B. Hughes, of Carlisle, presided, and Mr. F. Milton, area secretary from Newcastle-on-Tyne, dealt with the activities of the Association. The former was appointed chairman of the committee, the other members being Messrs, A. Robinson, j. D. Johnston, T. Hutchinson, T. W. Nixon, A. Potts, R. Murray and J. J. Storey.

Educating Apprentices.

Mr. George Guest, B.Sc., LL.B., Deputy Director of Education for Manchester, recently visited the school conducted at Park Works for the education of apprentices employed by Mather and Platt, Ltd., to address the boys on the occasion of the annual distribution of prizes. The chairman of the company, Mr. L. E. Mather, introduced Mr. Guest and gave a brief résumé of the work of the school.

Prizewinners this year came from the electrical, pump, textile and fire:engineering shops.

RATE-CUTTING BY L.M.S.?

Important allegations concerning rate-cutting were made, on Tuesday, when the L.M.S. Railway Co. applied_ to the Yorkshire Licensing Authority for licences for road vehicles to work from 18 centres. Objections were lodged by members of the R.H.A. and -C.M.U.A. A railway official stated that the total of non-rail-borne traffic in Yorkshire had fallen from 73,549 tons in 1931 to 37,945 tons in 1933, whilst this year's total was expected to be 30,000 tons.

The hauliers alleged that the railway was carrying cloth from Marsden to Leeds at 24d. per piece (haulier's rate 9d.); wool from Bradford to Huddersfield by road for 8s. 4d. per ton (rail rate 12s. 6d.); and textile goods from 13radford to Leeds for 9d. per cwt. (haulier's rate is.), and from Bradford to Keighley at 4d. per qr. (haulier's rate 6d.). These statements were denied.

Vulcans at a Lancashire Show.

At the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show, held this week at Bolton, the Vulcan Motor and Engineering Co. (1906), Ltd., had two of its products on view, these being a 2f-ton forwardcontrol lorry equipped with Edbro hydraulic tipping gear, and a 5-ton standard lorry fitted with a detachable sided body. A feature of the former was a sunshine roof to the driver's cab.

Marelli Trailer-brake Control.

We are asked by Feeny and Johnson, Ltd., the maker of the Mardi vacuum brake gear, to state that, when its servo motor is used on a trailer and the towing vehicle is also Marelli equipped, one vacuum valve, giving synchronized braking, will operate both units, and that it is not necessary to employ two valves.

.Road Safety Drive in Yorkshire.

On the proposal of Mr. Harry Clark, organizer to the North-eastern Division of the Commercial Motor Users Association, the Leeds "Safety First" Council, at its meeting last Friday; . decided to convene a conference of all the "Safety First" Councils in Yorkshire, with a view to formulating a plan for a propaganda drive on road safety. CHEMICAL FIRES: HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM.

A valuable treatise entitled " Chemical Fires" has recently been published by the Institution of Fire Engineers; 20, Melville. Street, Edinburgh, 3, the handbook having been edited by its secretary, Mr. A. Pordage, O.B.E. M.I.Fire E. It has been prepared to provide a handy, comprehensive and inexpensive guide (its price is 3s. 6d. by post) for the use of fire-brigade officers, transport managers and others who may be called upon to deal with emergencies arising from fires and accidents in which dangerous gases and chemicals are involved. It gives de tailed procedure for dealing with different classes of fire, as well as chemical and medical firstifid notes, so that it also has an interest for the roadtransport driver. The data included covers the subejct in a sound manner.

First Russian 5-ton Oiler.

The Moscow Weekly News reports that the first 5-ton oil-engined lorry constructed in Russia has recently been subjected to a fuel-consumption trial in Moscow, whensatisfactory results are stated to have been obtained. The engine is said to develop 90 b.b.p. at 1,600 r.p.m. and was built at the works at Yaroslavl. CORNWALL R.H.A.'s INCREASING STRENGTH.

Eight new members of the West Cornwall sub-area of the Road Haulage Association were enrolled as a result of a meeting at Penzance, over which Mr. Alexander Fallon presided. A district committee was formed for Penzance, comprising Messrs. J. Hicheus, J. Matthews, L. Nicholas, S. Perry, I. Mann, J. G. Brewer, H. Ingram, E. Gundry, Woolcock and Pollard.

Addresses were given by Mr. Donaldson Wright, R.H.A. vice-chairman, on the proposed fusion with the C.M.U.A., and Mr. Humphrey Cooke, the Devon and Cornwall area secretary.


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