News of the Week
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LAWSUIT OVER "CLOSED SHOP"
LLEGAL action is to be taken by one of four employees who were dismissed from Leeds Transp o rt Department in consequence of their refusal to join "an appropriate trade u i o n." These dismissals were carried out after a stoppage of services had b een threatened by an intimation that members of the Transport and General Workers' Union would refuse to work with nonunion employees (reported in "The Commercial Motor ").
On October 30, Mr. Donald Wade, of Messrs. Booth, Wade and Lomas Walker, stated that this firm of Leeds solicitors were acting on behalf of a dismissed bus driver, Mr. Albert Edward Wright. Writs were being prepared, said Mr. Wade, for issue against Leeds Corporation; Mr. W. Vane Morland, general manager; Mr. J. W. Veitch, secretary of the Leeds passenger branch of the T.G.W.U., and against certain other members of that Union.
Stating that counsel's opinion had been taken, Mr. Wade said that, apart from the general question of alleged wrongful dismissal, there was the issue as to whether the dismissal of Mr. Wright, who served in the Grenadier Guards during the war, involved a breach by the corporation of its obligations under the Reinstatement in Civil Employment Act.
Damages would be claimed against Mr. Vane Morland and Mr. Veitch for alleged conspiracy to induce a breach of a statutory duty; against Mr. Veitch and certain other members of the T.G.W.U. for alleged inducing of the breach; and against Leeds Corporation for alleged breach of statutory duty.
MINISTRY SUPPORTS BUS OPERATOR'S APPEAL
PIA N official of the Ministry of Transport supported an appeal by Monty Moreton. Ltd., at Nuneaton, last week, against 'Nuneaton Borough Council's refusal to allow the company to park buses on derelict land at the junction of Highfield Road and Attleborough Road. It was stated that this land had been used for six months and no complaint had been made.
During the war the company's fleet was increased from 15 to 20 vehicles. mainly to carry workers to the pits and to munition works at Coventry. The existing garage was inadequate to house all the buses, and it was stated that if the appeal were rejected the company would have to consider selling its surplus vehicles.
Mr. W A. Blenkinsop, of the Ministry of Transport, said that the Ministry regarded Monty Moreton, Ltd., as making an important contribu
A28 tion to public amenities and supported the appeal. Mr. Plenkinsop was willing to sponsor, with the Ministry of Works, Mr. Moreton's' application for a building licence, so that the garage could be extended.
The inquiry was held on behalf of the Ministry of Town and Country Planning.
5,950 TONS OF TOMATOES . CARRIED IN NINE WEEKS I N nine weeks, 952,000 14-lb, trays of tomatoes, equalling 5,950 tons, have been conveyed from Jersey to destinations in England and Scotland. The sum of £15,900 was paid for road transport alone.
Portsmouth Dist rict Transport Group, Ltd., Harbour Office, Camber Quay, Portsmouth, completed this movement. The group was responsible for chartering ships, stevedoring and road transport. Work for other groups was also provided by this big operation.
SUPPORT B.T.C., SAYS T.R.T.A.
EVERYTHING should be done to L-lensure the success of transport services under public ownership. This advice is included in a statement issued by the national council of the Traders' Road Transport Association.
The statement adds: "A change from private to publ:c ownership does not necessarily and inevitably mean the realization of the hopes and expectations of the protagonists of public ownership on the one hand, or the fears and forebodin,s of its opponents on the other. The outcome must clearly be awaited and not prejudiced."
PRODUCTION RECORD SET UP COMMERCIAL-VEHICLE producN---tion ir. September reached the record figure of 16,650 units, Sir Stafford Cripps announced last week. Output was about II times higher than before the war.
TILLING-STEVENS INTRODUCES TWO NEW PASSENGER CHASSIS
r0 new passenger chassis—one for 3/2-seater coach service and the other for a 32-36-seater bus—were announced on Tuesday by Tilling-Stevens Motors, Ltd., Maidstone. The coach, designated the K6LA7, has a Gardner six-cylindered oil engine, and the bus, known as the K5LA7, the Gardner five-cylindered, engine. The coach has a cranked chassis extension capable of carrying 15 cwt.
of luggage. • The two chassis follow conventional lines and have David Brown five-speed gearboxes, Borg and Beck clutches, and Clayton Dewandre triple servo braking systems. The engines are suspended at three points by the Gardner patent method.
A full, illustrated description of the new models, which have been on the stocks for some time. Will be published next week.
MR. CALLAGHAN CALLS FOR LOCAL CONTROL
Isi giving a warning that a crisis in road and rail transport was likely this winter, Mr. J. Callaghan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, urged the greatest measure of decentralization of responsibility for decisions and action" in the transport industry. He was addressing the Metropolitan section of the Institute of Transport, on Monday.
If local control be accepted by the Government as the solution of the country's pressing transport problem, it is difficult to understand why nationalization was undertaken.
SENTINEL SHARES QUESTION
IT is reported that Metal Industries, 1 Ltd., which already controls the company, has made an offer for the remainder of the shares of Sentinel (Shrewsbury), Ltd. The Sentinel directors state that they are considering increasing capital by some 000,000 to repay part of a loan from Metal Industries, Ltd., and to provide working capital.
SON SUCCEEDS FATHER AS HAY'S WHARF G,M.
W. J. ELLIOTT has retired al from general • managership of Hay's Wharf Cartage Co„ Ltd„ which controls :21 companies, including Pickfords and Carter Paterson& -• He will continue to serve on the board of these and other subsidiary concerns.
Mr. Elliott joined -Pickfords in 1905 and became general -manager of Hay's Wharf group in 1933. He was appointed a director in 1941.
His son, Mr. Harold Elliott, assistant general manager, has been appointed general manager. Mr. Harold Elliott joined Pickfords 22 years ago. In 1940 he became controller of road transport for the Ministry of Supply and later was director of transport, Middle East Supply Centre, Cairo.. He is one of the few Europeans to have crossed the desert of Saudi Arabia from the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf and to have been entertained by King Ibn Saud.
The Hay's Wharf group operates 3.376 motor vehicles, has a staff of 12,000 employees and, in its household removals department alone, 146 branches and 240 depositories. Last year the group handled 34,000,000 " parcels," ranging from small packages to loads of 150 tons.
Mr. Harold Elliott will be responsible for the transfer of the group, which is owned by the railways, to the British Transport Commission.
LONDON COACH HIRE SCHEME SUCCESSFUL
A STATEMENT issued on Monday fl by the London and Home Counties Area of the Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association says that there is every indication that London Transport's effort to ease transport difficulties by the hire of some 350 coaches has been fully justified. The London Coach Hire Committee of the Association undertook initial arrangements and negotiations, and is administering the scheme.
The vehicles were examined and passed at the Board's Chiswick works within seven days.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION FOR AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT
DURING the past 12 months or so the British and American military authorities have sold nearly 10,000 trucks and cars to the Austrian Government. These vehicles are being put into service, but there are difficulties because, in the case of nearly every make, technical and working instructions are missing.
Apart from any technical literature available, the following information is required:--Bore, stroke, capacity in litres, maximum b.h.p. and r.p.m., in connection with G.M.C, 4 by 4, Ii-ton and 3-ton; 6 by 6, 2i-ton; 4 by 2, 3-ton; 6 by 4, 4-ton. Leyland: 6 by 4, 3-ton and 10-ton oiler. F.W.D.: 4 by 4, 4-ton. Thornycroft: 6 by 4, 3-too oiler. A.E.C.: 4 by 4, 5-ton oiler. Dennis: 4 by 2, 6-ton oiler. Foden: 4 by 2, 6 by 4, 6and 10-ton oilers; White: 6 by 4. 10-ton oiler.
Tractors. F.W.D.: 4 by 4, 6-ton. Scammell: 6 by 4, 12-ton oiler. Tractor-trailers. Albion: 6 by 4 by 4, 15-ton. M.26: 6 by 4, 40-ton. Federal. 6 by 4 by 4, 20-ton oiler.
Some of these are, of course, of American make.
The information should be sent to:— Dipl. Ing. Dr. Techn. Gerhard Seidel, Moto olleratung, Margaretenstr. 87, Vienna, /V55 Austria.
PRAMS HUNG FROM BUSES D ACKS for perambulators are being fitted to new buses being supplied to Dunedin Corporation, New Zealand. A rod is mounted in front of and a little above the radiator, and six perambulators can be suspended from permanently fixed hooks.
The corporation is buying 11 Leyland motorbuses and 31 H.U.T. trolleybuses.
LIMIT ON CARROT TRANSPORT
As from November 1, carrots may not be consigned from any place in Scotland. Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire, Cumberland, Westmorland, Lancashire and Cheshire, to any place in Great Britain outside that area. On and after April 1 next, carrots may not be sent to Scotland from England and Wales,
LATEST INDEX AVAILABLE INDEX to Volume 85 of "The Corn1 mercial Motor," covering issues dated February 7 to July 25 of this year, is now available. Copies can be obtained from Temple Press Ltd., Bowling Green Lane, London, E.C.1, price 7d. by post.
ADVICE FOR APPLICANTS
HAV1NG as its object the review of 1 1 licence applications, including assistance to applicants and, where necessary, the lodging of objections, a hauliers' organization in Perthshire has been put on an official basis and will be known as the Perthshire Haufiers' Advisory Board.
40,000 VEHICLES FOR STATE DETWEEN August 1, 1945, and
July 31 last, Government departments took delivery of 40,063 vehicles, costing about £22,928,000, of which 7,580 were for the Post Office, The Post Office was to have 5,659 of the 7,699 vehicles that were on order at August 31 last. Mr. Glenvil Hall gave this information in the House of Commons last week.
PETROL FOR TOURS: NO CUT
OPFRATORS of coach tours and private-hire work were assured by Mr. Callaghan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, in the House of Commons last week, that no change would be made at present in the petrol allocation for such work. The position would, however, be carefully watched.
The title of Halls Car Sales, Ltd. (incorporating Halls Commercial DivisioU) has been changed to Halls (Finchley), Ltd. The company's activities remain unchanged. GIVE HAULIERS FULL WEEK'S WORK
IN a message to the National Con1 ference of Road Transport Clearing Houses, the chairman, Mr. H. Rossington, says that one of the most serious problems affecting road transport has been brought about by the recent change to the five-day week in many industries. This has the effect of reducing the working week of hauliers to little more than four days.
The transport departments of many industries concerned appear to lose interest in their job from mid-day Friday until Monday morning. This has the effect of reducing to one the number of journeys per week which many hauliers are able to carry out between such places as Liverpool and London.
Mr. Rossington seeks views on how to bring to the notice of industrial concerns the need for assistance, so that they can arrange their traffic ahead of time to allow hauliers to provide for a full week's transport work, otherwise rates will rise with the additional cost of operation.
UNNECESSARY HIRING, RAILWAYS ALLEGE
APPLICATION was being made because of the difficulty of hiring to meet requirements, said Beaumont Bros., Ltd., Ripponden, when seeking A licences for 24 vehicles and seven trailers (III tons) and leave to acquire six additional vehicles (26 tons).
The Yorkshire Deputy Licensing Authority, Mr E. Russell Gurney, said: "In this case the hiring is remarkably high, compared with the majority of cases we get here."
He granted licences for the 24 existing vehicles and gave permission for one additional vehicle of 6.1 tons.
Among supporters of the applicant was David Brown (Tractors), Ltd. Meltham, the sales manager of whit said the applicant carried the company's tractors to the docks for export. With other concerns, the vehicles sent seemed to be unsuitable, whilst the applicant's drivers knew the routine.
For railway objectors, Mr. A. Goss said that there had been no increase in the applicant's business and during 1941-1943, the company chose deliberately to hire.
BIGGER ENGINE MAY DO MORE M.P.G.
T'ESTS carried out by Leyland Motors, Ltd., show that the new 125 b.h.p. oil-engined buses to be supplied to Southport Corporation are likely to have a lower fuel consumption than the Leyland 100 b.h.p. bus.
"Under conditions of five stops per mile," said Mr. S. Markland, chief engineer of Leyland Motors, Ltd., "it may well be that the larger engine will give the best possible results as expressed in terms of m.p.g. With the larger engine it is possible to engage a higher gear rnoie quickly, with the result that the engine can be kept working at or around its most efficient operating speed."
Southport Corporation is buying 12 56-seaters with bodies 8 ft wide. (29
Personal Pars
LORD BRABAZON OF TARA has been elected first president of the Manchester Motor Trades Luncheon Club.
SIR ANDREW R. DUNCAN, MR. J. H. LORD, C.A., and MR. A. R. MACKAY GEDDES have been elected directors of the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd.
MR. ALFRED BARNES, Minister of Transport, is reported to be suffering from pneumonia and pleurisy, and to be making favourable progress. • MR. C. A. BIRTCHNELL, C.B., has been appointed a deputy secretary of the Ministry of Transport in succession to SIR REGINALD HILL, K.B.E., C.B.
MR. G. J. RACKHAM, chief engineer of the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., Southall. is progressing satisfactorily after a recent operation.
MR. A. E. MIDDLETON has been appointed Comptroller of the British Transport Commission, in which position he will be completely responsible to the Commission for its financial affairs.
MR. FRANCISCO GARCIA, of Francisco Batista Russo and Irma°, Lisbon, Albion concessionnaire for Portugal, recently visited Albion Motors, Ltd., Glasgow, to discuss the placing of further orders for chassis.
MR. RAYMOND BIRCH. a former director of the British Omnibus Companies Public Relations Committee, has succeeded SIR JOSEPH NALL, D.S.O., as chairman. Sir Joseph remains a member of the executive committee.
MR. C. E. FRANKS, for 25 years managing director of the Wayne Tank and Pump Co., Ltd., is shortly returning to America to take up the position of executive vice-president of the Wayne Pump Co.. Fort Wayne, Indiana.
LORD NATHAN IS to carry out the duties of chairman of the London Passenger Transport Board on the resignation of Loan ASHFIELD, who has been appointed a member of the British Transport Commission. The vacancy caused by his resignation IS not to be filled. Lord Nathan is chairman of London Transport Executive.
MR. G. S. SEDGWICK has been appointed chief engineer to the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Co., Ltd. Until recently he was engaged in the export business and returned, a short time ago, from Nigeria. During the war he held the rank of major in R.E.M.E. and was in charge of a section of the workshops at Tel-elKebir. Egypt.
MR. J. L. GRAHAM, Dunlop director of overseas sales, has resigned because of ill health. He is 61, and joined the company as assistant manager in Italy 29 years ago, becoming a director there in three years, and managing A311 director in 1923. In 1925 he went to Paris as Continental superintendent, and 'took over his latest position in London in 1940. He is a director of Dunlop companies in India, South Africa and New Zealand and of many associated companies overseas. He will remain available as a consultant on export matters.
MR. T. T. Stmexatto has been appointed to the new position of rolling-stock engineer (road services) of London Transport. The control and co-ordin3tion of all maintenance at the Board's garages and depots for motorbuses and coaches, trolleybuses and trams will be his responsibility. Mr. Shepharcl was formerly a process engineer with the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd. He joined the London Gen'era! Omnibus Co., Ltd., as a cadet. In 1935 he was appointed district engineer in the country area, being promoted divisional engineer (country area) in the followingyear. In 1938 he was appointed an officer of the Board and in 1941 was transferred to the central area as " C " divisional engineer. Earlier this year he was attached to the office of the chief mechanical engineer (road services) for special duties, which he now relinquishes to take up his new appointment TOKEN STRIKES OFF
THE Saturday token strike staged during the past two weeks by 400 drivers and conductors of Youngs Bus Services, Ltd.. Paisley, is to be discontinued. This decision, pending negotiations on the employees' grievance over the company's new winter duty schedules. was taken at a meeting of the workers On October 31.
ROAD HAULAGE NEEDS KEEN PUBLICITY
rp many occasions "The Commercial
Motor" has emphasized the importance of adequate public-relation activities being conducted on behalf of hauliers, and the Transport Act makes these rather more than less necessary.
Both the T.U.C. and the Government have for their object the education of public opinion in the direction If a completely nationalized transport service. In these circumstances, road hauliefs must maintain an equally effective organization to prevent their case going by default, also to press for the implementing of the increased measure of freedom promised by the present Parliamentary Opposition when the or porttmity occurs.
To assist this, the Road Haulage Association has arranged with Aims of Industry for a useful measure of cooperation between the two bodies. The latter is non-political. It conducts public-relations work in the interests of industry as a whole, Under an agreement now reached, its resources will be available to the R.H.A. In return, the R.H.A. will put the machinery of its area organizations at the disposal of Aims of Industry, working for the latter on an agency basis. but the area committees will be free to decide whether or not to participate. The majority has already agreed to do so.• There will be no merger of the two bodies. Mr. R. W. Sewill, director of the R.H.A., will act in the same capacity on behalf of both bodies for a trial period of six months:
£100,000 LOSS THREATENS COVENTRY
A N annual loss of £100,000 'faces
Coventry Transport Department in the future unless some drastic action is taken by the transport Committee. The present annual profit of about £45,000 would be replaced by this disturbing loss through loan charges on new buses, amounting to over £150,000 a year, and through the revised conditions of service and wages.
The annual wage bill, following recent strike action and the resultant agreement, will rise by £21,000 a year.
The finance committee, reporting the danger, states that operational costs can be met until late 1948.
PIONEER MOTORING JOURNALIST DIES
ALINK with early motoring journalism has been severed by the death, on November 2, of Mr. C. J. Webb. Born in Manchester in 1867, he became sub-editor of an engineering weekly journal in London and attended most of the early automobile displays. He held executive positions on several journals until he retired in. 1924. Since then he has contributed to many British and American journals.
He was a member of the Fellowship of Old-Time Cyclists and of th: Fellowship of The Motor Industry. He was also active in the sphere of technical education,' and was largely responsible for the initiation of the repair certificate scheme. TAX EXEMPTION ORDER PASSED
PRISON vans, bullion vans, mobile cinemas, mobile canteens, travelling libraries, mobile shops mobile printing presses, horseboxes and pantechnicons are among the vehicles which are exempted from purchase tax under the Purchase Tax (Exemptions) (No. 3) Order. 1947, which was approved in the House of Commons last Friday.
The Order was made necessary by the had drafting of the No. 2 Order, which was intended to bring shooting-brakes within the scope of purchase tax.
Mr. Glenvil Hall pointed out during the debate that prison vans and fire tenders had been subject to purchase tax since 1940. He said that where tax had been paid on the vehicles now exempted, individual cases Would be dealt with by Customs and Excise.
PAY RAISED: MEN STRIKE
TWO days after Birmingham Corporation had agreed to give increased spread-oyez payments and a quarterly attendance bonus to its transport operatives, some of the men began an unofficial strike, which, by the beginning of this week, had caused a complete stoppage of the municipal services.
For several weeks the men have refused to work overtime, and an emergency committee of the National Joint Industrial Council intervened. The municip.I transport committee agreed, without insisting that normal working should first be resumed, to receive officials of the Transport and General Workers' Union to discuss points /eferred for local consultation by the emergency committee. The men claim an increase of £1 per week in pay, although this demand was rejected by the J.I.C.
HAULIERS VISIT AMERICA 'THREE Yorkshire hauliers recently had a seven-week trip to the United States and Canada, during which they attended the Rotary International Conference at San Francisco. They were Mr. William Storey, of Ackworth '1 ransport Co., Ltd.; Mr. Donald Robinson, of Castleford Transport Co., Ltd.; and Mr. Tom Jackson, of Bowyer and Jackson, Ltd., Dewsbury.
While at San Francisco they took part in a transport conference—one of the specialist branches of the main Rotary conference—at which relationships between operators and their employees and clients were discussed.
WINTER TOURS REPLACE HOLIDAYS OVERSEAS WITH the ban on foreign travel, VI' South Midland Motor Services, Ltd., Oxford, is trying to make winter travel in England more popular. The company's summer and autumn tours of the Wye Valley were so successful that they are being continued during the winter. Patrons stay at the Anlawa ter Hotel, Newnham-on-Severn, throughout the tour, which operates from Monday to Monday.
ONLY 11 EXAMINEES
REGRET that the number of candidates was not greater than 17 was expressed at the first examination in
Yorkshire, held at Leeds recently, under the scheme for the award of Ministry of Education craftsmanship certificates to motor mechanics. There was a feeling that employers had not sufficiently encouraged employees to enter for the examination.
Mr. C. Harding, of Longwell Green Coachworks, Ltd., will address the Bristol branch of the Industrial Transport Association at the Grand Hotel, Bristol, at 7 p.m. on November 11. His subject will be "Motor Bodybuilding."
LIMIT ON HYDROGENATION ALLEGED
IN the House of Commons last Friday I Sir E.. Graham-Little alleged that International Hydrogenation Products Co. was restricting the production of synthetic petrol in this country.
Mr. II. Wilson, President of the Board of Trade, who presumed that reference was made to the International Hydrogenation Patents Co. said he was not aware that production was being limited, and offered to consider any information that could be given in support of the allegation.