News of the Week
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THE NEW MINISTER OF WAR TRANSPORT 'THE man selected by Mr. Attlee as 1 his Minister of War Transport is Mr. Alfred Barnes. He was for 21 years chairman of the Co-operative Society, from which he retired, last Easter at the age of 58, saying' that this was to make way for a younger man. However, with Ministers, youth does not, seem to be one of the essential qualifications, neither, apparently does any extensive knowledge of the particular subjects with which they are called upon to deal.
R.H.A. AND N.A.R.T.G. DEFINE ' RESPECTIVE SPHERES
D EPRESENTATIVES of R.H. A. 1‘and N.A.R.T.G. have held a meeting to discuss and define their -respective spheres of action. There was complete agreement to the effect that, broadly speaking, the activities of R.I-I.A. are ,political and non-trading, whereas those of N.A.R.T.G. are trading and non-political. A liaison committee is being set up to maintain contact between the two bodies and to ensure that each deals with matters coming within its own particular sphere
' COMPANY FORMED TO LINK LONG-DISTANCE HAULIERS IN our issue dated May 18, under the heading " Linking Up Long-distance Hauliers," we reported a meeting held in London on May 12, when it was resolved to form a private limited company to co-ordinate the services and facilities of a number of long-distance hauliers. This company has now been" formed under the title " Associated Road Transport Contractors, Ltd." Applications for membership at present exceed 30, involving a fleet-capacity tonnage of about 3,000.
One of the outstanding features of this group is the manner in which the membership is strategically distributed over the coentry, ensuring to traders a useful network of services operated by inter-linked hauliers. It is anticipated that by the time the directors meet to consider applications, the full complement of 50 members will have been reached, when the tonnage capacity will probably he about 5,000.
R.H.A. NATIONAL SCHEDULE FOR BEET HAULAGE . _
WE are informed by the R.H.A. that its Sugar Beet Functional Committee 'has prepared a national scale of rates for the haulage of sugar beet from farms to factories. Related to presentday coatings, it is practically the same as that in operation in the Eastern Area during the 1944-45 season. The schedule applies to transport by road throughout to factory of wet and dry sugar-beet pulp. It is subject to the following conditions:—(a) The beet must be placed beside a hard road or other suitable surface; (b) payment for haulage must be made through the factory, unless otherwise agreed. In
addition, growers are to give all possible assistance in loading, but where loading assistance is provided in excas of man for man, allowances from the rate may be made by the haulier as follow : —For one additional man, 6d. per ton; for more than one additional man, a total of 9d. per ton.
Examples of the rates agreed are as follow, the first figures being lead miles, and the second the rate : —Up to 3 miles, 5s. 3d ; 5 to 6 miles, 6s. id.; 9 to 10 miles, 75. 4d.; 13 to 14 miles, 8s. 7d.; 21 to _24 miles. I Is. 3d.; 33 to 36 miles, 13s. 2d.; 42 to 45 miles, 145. No higher mileages are given.
C.M. LEAGUER AVAILABLE
APOSITION as traffic or garage manager or any other calling for a good knowledge of all types of motor vehicle, is required by a man, age 41, who joined the Royal Tank Regiment in 1919 and has been consistently employed with motor ',vehicles and Tanks since that date, serving for many years as a warrant • officer instructor in the Armoured Fighting Vehicle School, particularly in advanced courses for officers. After 1940 he was in charge of the administration of an escheIon comprising 120 vehicles of all types, including 50-ton transporters. Later he was with the Military Testing Branch of the M.O.S., responsible for a large number of British, American and German fighting vehicles, heavy lorries and cars. Letters addressed " C.M. League," care of the Editor, will be forwarded.
MORE BODY FREEDOM FOR 1946 P.S.V. CHASSIS THE M.O.W.T. has sent to the. 1 representative p.s.v. associations a letter concerning the arrangements for p.s.v. production-in 1946, so far as it has been possible to finalize these with the M.O.S.
It is known that the following makes of bus will be available in that year:— Doubleand single-deck large p.s.v. chassis—A.E.C., Albion, Bristol, B.M.M.O., Crossley, Daimler, Dennis, Foden, Guy, Leyland, Thornycroft and Tilling-Stevens. Single-deck chassis for large coaches—Maudslay. Single-deck for light service—Bedford and Commer.
It was intimated that the M.O.S., after the end of this year, did not intend to continue the direction of bus. chassis manufacturers to particular bodybuilders. The M.O.W.T. will, therefore, work on that understanding and concern itself only with the allocation of chassis. So that arrangements can be made with the M.O.S. for the increased production programme and to enable bodybuilders to make their plans in advance to meet the needs of operators requiring specialized bodies, the Ministry has. circularized the R.T.C.s to the effect that details of all operators' requirements for these new vehicles must be sent to headquarters without further delay. Applications in hand are being held until all orders are
• received, so that the demand may be balanced against anticipated supply. We would add that the supply of bodies will probably still be difficult next year, and that operators should collaborate so far as possible in asking for similar features, instead of pressing for detailed individual modifications.