News of the Week
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MINIMUM RATES FOR ALL CLASSES OF TRAFFIC MOT long ago the joint chairmen of 1 lithe Road and Rail Central Conference. visited Leeds to discuss with the Yorkshire Regional Road-Rail Committee a haulage rates stabilization plan which that committee has suggested to take the place of stabilization according to " streams of traffic." The plan is to have a schedule of minimum road rates applicable by adjust ment to all classes of traffic. As an outcome of the Leeds meeting, the joint chairmen of the Central Conference, Mr. Roger W. Sewill (road) and Mr. A. E. Sewell (rail), expressed their willingness to receive the proposals nationally, with a view to obtaining opinions upon them from all the other road-rail regional committees in the country. Steps in this direction are now beitTg taken.
The annual report of the C.M.U.A.'s North-eastern Division indicates that the move was initiated by the Yorkshire Regional Committee's road panel, because it came to the conclusion that the " streams of traffic " method of road rates formulation was far too cumbersome. Feeling that the problem might be tackled more satisfactorily by way of a schedule of minimum rates adjustable to all types of traffic, the panel tabled such a schedule as an example and sought the Yorkshire rail panel's support for the suggested .method. The rail panel supported the plan in principle knd, in consequence, the joint chairmen of the. Central Conference were invited to visit Yorkshire to discuss the suggestions.
EASTERN AREA TRAFFIC COMMISSIONER DIES learn with regret of the death, on .March 30, of Sir Ernest Haviland Riley, K.B.E.„ Chairman of the Traffic Commissioners: Eastern Area, since 1931.
He started as a railway man in 1891, eventually becoming passenger manager for London of the Great Northern' Railway. He left for New Zealand in 1913 and became general manager of the Government Railways For the whole of the period of the 1914-18 war, he was a Colonel on theNew Zealand Forces Headquarter, staff. Later he went to India as zi member of the Indian Government Commission on Administration, and returned to serve on the Royal Commission on the Local Government of Greater London. Up to 1928 be was chairman of the Rhodesian Railway Commission, and was, later, Licensing Authority for the Eastern Area.
SUCCESS OF BARR AND WALLACE ARNOLD TRUST
AT the a.g:m. of the Barr and Wallate Arnold. Trust, Ltd., Mr. Robert Barr, chairman, referred to the incr4sh4gly satisfactory-Position of the comPatiy,'which depends for its income upon dividends from subsidiaries. There was a credit of 217,729 on the
profit and loss Iccount, and the dividend of 8 per cent, for the year has been repeated. During the year the Trust purchased a controlling interest in the business of Wilks and Meade, Ltd., a.motor bodybuilding concern.
Mr. Barr added that in the hands of private enterprise road transport is never lacking in energy and ability to meet any new Situation or emergency. It could not be anything like so efficiently managed under nationalization. The M.O.W.T. Scheme for controlling long-distance haulage had received the co-operation of the directors of R. Barr (Leeds), Ltd.
During the year Wallace Arnold Tours, Ltd., steadily maintained its position. He suggested that essential war workers require a change to maintain their health and efficiency, and that excursions to places in the country within 25 miles of. Leeds area should receive Government support.
DEATH OF MR. M. S. HORNER
lypTH the deepest regret we YV announce the death, at,the age of 48, of Mr. Maurice Stuart Homer, during the night of April 5. He joined " The Commercial Motor" early in 1932 in the capacity of Technical SubEditor, later becoming Technical Editor. Previous to this he was a valued member of the staff of our associated journal, " Motor Cycling." joining it in January, 1929, in the capacity of Technical Editor.
He combined a wide practical and theoretical knowledge of engineering, particularly in connection with motorcycling and the heavier side of road transport. It was during the covering of trials for " Motor Cycling" that he met his future wife, Miss Nora Everitt, who was a keen trials rider. Mr. Homer had a large circle of friends in the road-transport industry, and his opinions on such matters as trials of motor vehicles, the equipment and operation of producer-gas vehicles, etc., were ‘eid eie sought and respected.
LEEDS ORDER TO EXPEDITE TRAFFIC
AN old controversy over the congestion, caused by practically continuous parking M the main streets of Central Leeds has been brought to a head, and probably settled, by the coming into force of the City of Leeds (Traffic Regulation) Order, 1942.
Over a period of some years prominent personalities in the city, including the transport chairman (Councillor F, Leach, J.P.) and the transport general manager (Mr, Vane Morland) have protested at the futility of allowing valuable street space to be taken up by stationary cars.
Mr. Vane Morland has painted out on many occasions that in many cities on the Continent and elsewhere, vehicles using main traffic arteries are allowed to stop only for the purpose of picking up and setting down. .
Recently the number of private cars on the streets has been greatly reduced And it is, therefore, anticipated that. the full effect of the Order will not be seen until the position becomes more normal, but the first effects noted are that for all practical purposes four lines of traffic—two in each direction—are now available, and the speeding up of the flow of traffic during peak hours should prove a gre?.t convenience to the public.
The new Order is exercised under the powers conferred by Section 46 of the Road Traffic . Act, 1930, and Section 29 of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933. It is to the effect that: (1) save as provided in paragraph 2, and unless he acts upon the direction or with the permission of a police officer in uniform, no person shall cause or permit any vehicle to wait between the hours of 4.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. an Mondays to Fridays inclusive or between the hours of 11.30 nra: and 1.30 p.m. on Saturdays, in any length Of .road specified in the schedule accompanying the Order. (2) Nothing in paragraph 1 shall prohibit any person from causing or permitting a vehicle to wait between the aforesaid hours on any of the roads specified: (a) to enable a person to board or alight from such a vehicle, (b) if the vehicle is being used in connection with building operations or demolitions, the removal of obstructions_ to traffic. Work on the roads, sewers, and other public utilities, provided that it cannot conveniently be used for the purpose in any other road, (c) if the vehicle is being used for the conveyance of goods or merchandise to or from premises situate on or adjacent to the restricted roads, WELL-KNOWN MIDLAND TRADER KILLED
ALARGE circle of his friends in the passenger-vehicle world will feel deeply the loss of Captain W. S. Yeates, of Loughborough, who was killed on March 28 as the result of an accident during a Home Guard 'exercise. We are informed that his business, W. S. Yeates and Co., of Derby Road, Loughborough, will be carried on, as previously, under the management of Mr. A. T. Moseley.
THREE TYRE TALKS A DAY
rniEE talks 'a day on tyre economy alCi maintenance are being given between now and the end of April at the Berkeley Court Exhibition by technical experts supplied by the Tyre Manufacturers' Conference, They are Mr. C. J. Bulmtr (Dunlop); Mr. N. V. Clarke (Goodyear); Mr. E. B. Morgan (Firestone); Mr. C. H. Schmidt (Avon); and Mr. R. G. Walker (Michelin).
Each of the speakers deals in his own way with the form of abuse, how to recognize it, what it does to the tyre, and how to correct it; a film illustrates the points made. The talks are given each week-day, except Saturday, at 10.30 a.m., 3 p.m., and 6 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday by special arrangements. Admission is by arrangement through the Exhibition Secretary, Mr. R. H. Lubbock, Ministry of Supply, Berkeley Court, Room 414. Baker Street, London, N.W,1.
SEDDON SALES AND SERVICE ' AGENT IN LONDON W/E are informed that Halls Car VV Sales, 'Ltd., Standard House, Odeon Parade, Finchley, London, N.12, has been appointed by Foster and Seddon, Ltd., as its official sales and service agent in the London area. The manager of the former concern's commercial-vehicle department is Mr, G. P. Tarn.
PERSONAL PARS
MR. R. M. FINCH, city engineer of Nottingham, ,has been 'nominated by the Institution of Municipal and County Engineers to serve on a special committee set up by the M.O.W.T. to consider the system of road traffic signals and other appropriate means for controlling traffic on the roads.
M. ROBERT HARRISON STORER., cleansing officer and transport superintendent to Gateshead Corporation, has retired after 36 years' service with various local authorities on Tyneside. He started with Tynemouth Corporation and was at Wallsend, before going to Gateshead in 1931.
MR. JAMES NEAL advises us that-he has relinquished his post as secretary of the Retread Manufacturers' Association owing to the increase in his duties with Tyresoles, Ltd., Palace 'of Engineering, Wembley, Middlesex, The new secretary took over his 'duties on the first of this month, and can be communicated with at the Retread Manufacturers' Association, Peat, Marwick, Mitchell and Co., York Mansions, 94, Petty France, London, S.W.1.
HYDRANT WATER FOR STEAM WAGON
WjE referred, in our issue dated VV March 26, to a case in which a haulage company using steam wagons was fined because one of its drivers took water from a street hydrant. The concern in question was Spencer's Transport Services, Ltd, Unfortunately, in the title the first word was omitted by our correspondent, •
P.M. EXPLAINS PURPOSE OF DEFENCE REGULATION ORDER
ADDRESSING the Prime Minister, Sir Herbert Williams asked, in the House of Commons, last week, vshether his attention had been drawn to the fact that Statutory Rule and Order No. 2533 of 1942 is made under the 'Defence Regulations, when precisely similar powers are provided for such an Order under the Road•Traffic Act, 1930, Section 30 (I) (a), Would he give an assurance, he asked, that Orders made under the Defence Regulations would not, in future, be used for the purpose of indirectly increasing penalties in cases where the law is not otherwise changed?
Mr. Churchill replied that while it is possible that a regulation in similar terms might have been made under Section 30 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, that provision was designed for the regulation of traffic in peace-time in the interests of public safety and the prevention of damage to road surfaces, and it would have been inappropriate' to use it to meef a war-time need for which it was never intended. The sole purpose of the Order is to conserve rubber as a measure of war economy, and as such it is appropriate that it should be made under the Defence Regula Lions.
INSURANCE OF MOTOR GOODS VEHICLES
INSURERS of motor goods vehicles 'agreed in December. 1942, to continue and extend, without any additional increase in rates, existing policies for such vehicles while used within a group scheme, despite the removal of certain restrictions on them by the Emergency 'Powers (Road Vehicles and -Drivers) Order, 1939.
The same concession has been agreed in respect of vehicles used for other purposes cm production of a certificate by an officer of the M.O.W.T. that such use is necessary. (1) to deal with an emergency or (2) because there are no other vehicles available licensed and insured for haulage. The certificates are issued by District Transport Officers, but not for (1), normal work for the Road Haulage Orgaitiation of the Ministry, (2) kir civil defence work, (3) use which could be put on a nonemergency footing.
The new arrangements will be in force until lime 30.
TEACHING SCOTTISH USE RS TO ECONOMIZE . 4 AN interesting meeting in the .interests. of saving fuel, rubber and man-power was convened at the end of March by Mr. John Smith, D.T.O., Lanarkshire, when he invited vehicle owners to attend at Hamilton to hear various speakers on the subjects'
mentioned. • Mr. J. Strang, Sub-District Manager, who was chairman, welcomed 200 operators and introduced Mr. A. Prentice, who dealt mainly with rubber. He referred to the processes Involved in its production from the raw state to the finished, article, these being illustrated bY lantern slides. The Regional Tyre Officer, Mr.. A. 13egg, followed this with information as to the care and use of tyres, and invited operators to 'inform him about any complaints regarding roads, so that they might be referred to the proper quarters.
Mr. Smith dealt with the rationalization and pooling of vehicles and how these 'Methods were saving esSential commodities.
PAPERS BEFORE THE L A.E.'
NEXT Tuesday, April 18, at the Royal Society of Arts, Jam Adam Street, Adelphi, London, W.C.2, at 6.15 p.m„ before the I.A.E., Mr. J. B. Osier will read a paper entitled " Repairs and the Repair Department. "
Other interesting papers. which will be read before the same Institution are:—May 4, " Post-war Motorcycle Development," by Mr. Edward Turner; June 1, " The Versatility of the Modern Tractor," by Mr. S. J. Wright; whilst on July 6 there will be an
informal discussion, to be opened by Mr. Cecil Kimber, on the question as to whether the British motor industry should retain its individuality of design or be well-advised to follow American trends; September 7, a paper on steering will be read by Mr. H. N, Charles, a, well-known engineer.
, OBITUARY
NI R.. JOSEPH GARDNER, superintendent engineer with the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., Bensham, has died suddenlY at the age of 49 years; he had been superintendent for 26 years.
We learn with great regret that MR. ALEXANDER GRANT, 0.B.E., our Parliamentary correspondent in the House of Commons, died_ on April 3. He had contributed to our columns for many years. "TOO MANY PROSECUTIONS" OF ROAD OPERATORS A PROTEST against road-transport 1-i prosecutions which, he suggested, were lint justified in present circumstances, was voiced by Mr. D. I. Sandelsort, solicitor to the C.M.U.A.'s_ North-eastern Division at its annual meeting in Leeds, last week.
Although the prOsecutions dealt with by the Division's legal department during the past year were appreciably less than in previous years, the number of prosecutions brought was still far too many, was suggested .by Mr: Sandelson.
Many' of the summonses issued .against operators, he Said, were in respect of the fitness of vehicles. Haulage contractors were about the most careful set of pectnle on the road, but in vehicle maintenance they were greatly handicapped at present by shortage of spare parts and manpower, and the difficulty of getting
running repairs carried out. Having regard to those difficulties; he suggested that prosecutions concerning the fitness of vehicles should' not be instituted unless the police had found there was indifference and carelessness. To avoid wasting the time of the courts, the police should mike certain, before bringing such prosecutions, that the proceedings were in the interests of the country.
SCOTTISH ASSOCIATION AP POINTS NEW ORGANIZERS
THE Scottish Horse and Motormen's Association has appointed the following new organizers: — Mr. A. Rutherford, East of Scotland: Mr. William Tayior, Fife: Mr. George Wardrope, Edinburgh. The following 'have'beeri appointed full-time agents;— Mr. Robert Brand, Alloa, Falkirk, and Stirling; Mr. David Drysdale, Airdrie, Bathgate and Whitburni
SCOTTISH DELIVERY POOL EFFECTS BIG SAVINGS
A N immense saving of transport has tAbeen achieved by the establishment of the delivery-pool system by Glasgow Stores, it was stated by Councillor 1'. R. Patterson, chaffman of the Scottish Retail Drapers Association, at a meeting held in Glasgow of the Committee of Management of the Departmental Stores Delivery Pool. The pool was formed only a year ago, but it already resulted in a drop 'in petrol consumption of 92 per cent, on the prewar total. He stated also that 86 per cam_ of the vehicles had been withdrawn, laid up, or_ given more essential work.
Apart from internal dispatch staff, 84 per cent. of the transport drivers and vanmen bad been relea.sekl.
VALUE or JOINT WORKING OF TWO ASSOCIATIONS RESULTS achieved by the Huff Joint Organization of C.M.U.A. and A.R.0 members in that district are cited by the C.M.U.A.'s Hull Sub-Area Committee, in voiding support, in principle, for the Joint Conference's scheme to merge operators' associations.
The sub-committee states, in the annual report of the C.M.U.A.'s Northeastern Division, that not the least important 4eature has been the fairly steady increase in membership; with only one central office covering the services required by operators, recruitment of new members has been found to be much easier.
Another outcome of the Hull Joint Organization has been the detailed work of sub-committees which has resulted in the correct alignment of responsibility as between long and short-distance work. The effect has been that long-distance hauliers have enjoyed much greater stability in
working, whilst by pooling through the medium of the Port of Hull Road Transport Control, Ltd., shortdistance operators have achieved a degree of co-ordination equal to anything that could have been expected by the pooling of effort. Control has been exercised on very large contracts, in which the small operator with one or two machines has had equality of treatment with operators of 60 or more machines.
TYNE TOLLS ON VEHICLES UP BY 50 PER CENT.
THE Tyne Improvement Commission .I. has been granted permissioa by the Ministry of War Transport to increase passenger and vehicular tolls on the ferries operating between North and South Shields. The increases are intended to offset deficiencies which have accrued againigt the undertaking in recent years. VAlicuIar charges are being increased $50 per cent.
SALVAGE OF PAPER
ALL local authorities have been instructed to organize the collection of waste paper. This helps both with the rates and the war effort. Anyone finding that any council is not giving good attention to such collection should write to us, marking the envelope "Waste Paper." We will report such cases to the Ministry of Supply, but to promote economy a direct reply will not be sent from this office.
BYpermission of the management of Tilling-Stevens. Ltd., and Vulcan Motors, Ltd., the Maidstone Squadrons of the Air Training Corps recently staged a boxing tournament in the company's canteen hall. This resulted in benefiting the R.A.F. Benevolent Fund to the extent of £56.
BETTER VEHICLE LIGHTING AND PROHIBITED ZONES
AFEW weeks ago we dealt with the new arrangements for providing better lighting on buses an trolleybuses, with the exception of certain security zones. Now, according to an M.O.W.T. notice, such vehicles operating mainly in areas where the higher standard of lighting is permitted may be allowed, except for certain security considerations, to retain the improved lighting when they cross into prohibited zones,
Arrangements for dealing with applications have been completed, and operators who wish to obtain the concession for any of their services should apply to the Chief Constable for those areas within the prohibited zones in which it is desired to use the better lighting. ' This official, in considering these applications, will consult the R.T.C. where he thinks it desirable.
A.R.O. SOUTH-EASTERN SUBAREA APPOINTMENTS THE South Eastern Sub-Areas 'of A.R.O. are in the process of holding their annual general meetings, and the following appointments are so far. announced:—Chatham Sub-Area: chairman, Mr. H. J. Taylor, Chatham, vicechairman, Mr. J. Atkins, Frindsbury, delegate to South Eastern Area, Mr. D. Richardson, deputy, Mr. J. Atkins; Chichester Sub-Area: chairman, Mr. B. C. Floyd, Littlehampton, vicechairman, Mr. J. H. p. Penfold, Barnham, honorary secretary, Mr. R. W. Angell, Bambara; Tunbridge 1,17 e 11 s Sub-Area: chairman, Mr. W. G. P. ArnoId,-Paddoci‘ Wood, vicehairman, Mr. A. Mortimer, Tunbridge -Wells. In the case of the Chichester and Tunbridge Nirells Sub-Areas, the chairman and vice-chairman were elected as representative and deputy representative to the South Eastern Area.