OPINIONS and
Page 31
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UERIES
PLAY'FAIR WITH THE SMALL HAULIER
THE situation in the labour market to-day is of such
stringencY as to make any new development a subject of wide reader interest. It is in that belief that I am relating the facts of a raw deal which recently befell a small operating company with which I am associated, but in order to avoid personalities I am omitting the names of the companies or persons concerned.
It is a short story and it opens with the approach to a small haulier's traffic clerk by the manager of a large operating company. (The company is part of a large combine.) The manager drew a word-picture of what, in his, opinion, was the future of the industry, which lay. he said, with the big combine concerns. He stressed the forlornness of the hope of small operators and clearing houses, and indicated that only by working for a big combine would this clerk have any hope of Advancement.
This initial contact, which was made over the telephone, was followed tip by a letter from a director of the combine, in which an attractive offer was made to the man and, although this man had been paid a good salary ahd had been perfectly happy and contented in his job, the temptation proved to be too much for him and he accepted the offer which, I understand, carried with it the promise of a special-position.
The public aspect of the matter is this: Here is a combine concern which, incidentally, is controlled by the M.O.W.T., baiting the staff of a smaller operator. This may possibly be an isolated instance but, on the other hand, it may be part of the general policy of some of thd bigger companies, tending to squeeze out the small operators. It is partly with a view to discovering whether this is an isolated case or part of a widespread scheme that I am asking you to give publicity to the matter.
In any event, I think you will agree that procedure such as this, so far below what is regarded as a reasonable standard of business ethics, on the Part of a Government-controlled undertaking, is something which should be pilloried and, if possible, stopped.
London, W.6. INDIVIDUALIST.
AUSTRALIA'S TRANSPORT PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO BRITAIN'S
WE have received the " C.M." Tables of Operating Costs and thank you very much for these. A Very similar basis for our working costs has been built up here, and it is most instructive to find that they are so closely alike,
It is very interesting to notice, in reading your journal,
how road-transport problems seem to be world-wide. What is applicable to us here (according to your journal) is also a problem for you. Although we are so many thousands of miles away, we can see that all our problems are the same. We have recently formed the Australian Road Transport Federation, to cover all forms of road transport, both goods and passenger. I have asked the Executive Officer of the Federation to send you a copy of our Constitution.
Our idea of this Federation is to see, if possible, that we can bring about an orderly control in the period of transition from War to peace times. We are controlled in Australia through a pooling system which was formed voluntarily by a number of the larger operators, and .'ha since spread through the whole of the Commonwealth of
Australia. It is still voluntary, but indirectly controlled by.the Commonwealth, Land Transport Board.
We are very hopeful about the arrangements here, as they allow a practical man to control the operations of civilian plants. A number of us subscribes to your journal, and we find an enormous amount of interest in it.
Again thanking you for the trouble you went to in sending us the schedule. F. C. MOAT, M.I.T. Sydney, N.S.W.
PROSPECTS FOR MOTOR EXPORTS TO THE ARGENTINE
WE have noted with considerable interest the article on page 355 of your issue dated June 16, drawing attention to the opportunity of post-war expansion in the Argentine for British motor manufecturers.
Having operated in the Argentine .through our subsidiary company, Rootes Argentina S.A. Buenos Aires, for the past 14 years in the importation and distribution in Argentina of Humber, Hillman, Sunbeam-Talbot, Commer and Karrier vehicles, we can confidently say that these British-made cars and. lorries have demonstrated their suitability and dependability to a remarkable degree.
We are looking forward to a considerable expansion of business after the war, as, from our first-hand knowledge, we can say that the demand for both private and commercial vehicles will be very great. Naturally, we shall welcome the friendly competition of other British manufacturers, who are careful to study local requirements, as this will be all to the good in increasing the demand for British products.
J. G. CHALDECOTT, Export Director London, W.1. (For Rootes, Ltd.). THE GARAGE FOR THE POST-WAR HOME
THE president of the Guild of Master Motorists, Sir I Noel Curtis-Bennett, writing in " The Commercial Motor" dated June 9, certainly brings home a very important matter when he reminds planners of new houses that a larger number of the public, when buying or renting a house, will expect a garage either as part of the house or independent of it.
My chief object in writing this letter is to bring to the notice of architects and builders the need for building a garage worthy of the name.
I, and many others, also know of so-called garages which are so narrow that one has to get out of. a car before entering and then push the car into the garage, owing to the fact that there is not enough room to open the car doors when the vehicle is in the garage.
Another point worthy of note is that garages should be built long enough to take a modern car and, if possible, have room for a perambulator and perhaps a couple (7f cycles. I would suggest a useful size would be: length 20 ft., width 8 ft., and height 7 ft. 6 ins, Southsea. W. PARKER THOMAS.