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Test Case Regarding Containers

A TEST CASE, affecting the use of

containers for transporting cattle, was heard in Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday last. Mr. George Dow Smith, of Invergowrie, was charged at the instance of the local taxation officer with having, on March 14, 1938, when he had taken out a licence for a mechanically propelled vehicle at a rate under the second schedule to the Finance Act, 1920, used the vehicle in an altered condition and in a manner and for a purpose which brought it within a class to which a higher rate of duty was applicable, in the respect that an additional body was placed on the vehicle for the carriage of goods, duty at the higher rate not having been paid.

A plea of not guilty was tendered and Mr. F. M. Burrell, Deputy Procurator Fiscal, for the prosecution, quoted the High Court case of McCowan against Stewart, in which it was held that a container was part of the load.. Since then, be contended; the law hadbeen, altered. Under Section 7 of the Finance Act. 1937, it

was laid down that the weight of containers had to be included for the purpose of taxation, unless the container was adapted or constructed for the purpose of being lifted on to a vehicle, with goods or burden contained in it.

Mr. Burrell said there had been some uncertainty amongst hauliers regarding the provisions of the 1937 Act. This was a test case and if Mr. Smith were found guilty, he did not ask for any larger penalty than would indicate that there had been a contravention.

For the defence, Mr. J. W. Laverock submitted that the container was exempt from Section 7 of the Finance Act.

'f-lure we have a receptacle," he said, "which has four sides, one of which is collapsible. It has a bottom and can be superimposed, and was superimposed on the lorry platform. Whenever you have a container which can he lifted or loaded, on or off a lorry, Section 7 of the Act does not . Sheriff_ Malcolm reserved judgment until September 10. MATTERS OF WEIGHT IN WORCESTERSHIRE.

Worcestershire County Council reports that, during the year, the inspectors have devoted 39 days to the checking of weights of heavy motor cars. In the course of the inspections 457 vehicles were stopped and examined, 166 of which were weighed. There were 94 infringements of the Construction and Use Regulations, and proceedings were taken in 38 cases. Although the number of infringements reported is greater than that for the previous year, it has lately been observed that the practice of overloading is declining.

Gas-combustion Lorries in U.S.S.R.

In the Priazovye district of the U.S.S.R., a gas-fining station for supplying natural gases, which abound in the district, has been opened. The station, when complete, will supply the fuel requirements of the collective farms; to begin with, the motor tractors will use natural gas under pressure, instead of ordinary fuels such as petrol, ligroin and paraffin.

Four lorries burning gas have already left for the fields. Two of them, belonging to two collective farms, are working for 24 hours a day, carting corn from the-new harvest. In the first five days of the work, each of the lorries showed economy to the extent of half a ton of fuel. From the beginning until the end of the harvest each of them, it is reckoned, will save five tons of petrol. One type of 3-ton gas lorry can cover 112 miles without refilling. In the next few months 18 more lorries and five more tractors are to be converted to gas fuel.

Official Orders in June.

Among the orders for motor vehicles given out by Government Departments during June last were the following:— By the Admiralty: for Bedford Lorries to Vauxhall Motors, Ltd. By the Air Ministry: for six-wheeled lorry chassis to Crossley Motors, Ltd., trailer bodies "to British Pressed Panels, Ltd.; van bodies and drivers' cabs to Mulliners, Ltd., and for van chassis to the Standard Motor Co., Ltd. By the G.P.O.: one for vans to Morris Commercial Cars, Ltd. By the Crown Agents for the Colonies: one for lorry chassis and complete lorries to Albion Motors, Ltd., and one for lorry chassis to J. I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd.

Charcoal Gas in Sweden.

The fuel problems of Sweden, in case of a serious international conflict, are at present a subject of great interest, says Reuters Trade Service from Stockholm. Among the questions being discussed is that of the use of charcoal gas as a motor fuel. An engineer, M. Kjellberg, has now invented a new type of vehicle for use with this fuel and is just asking the Government to make an allowance for trials. EIRE TRACTOR IMPORTS.

No fewer than 141 tractors, valued at £17,525, were imported into the Irish Free State during the first half of the current year, as contrasted with 120 machines (214,233) in the corresponding six months of last year.

Shipping Guide for Hauliers.

The following is the number of ships arriving at the London docks, wharves and jetties named, from August 12 to 20 inclusive :—Dockts : King George V, 8; Royal Albert, 6; Royal Victoria, 2; Surrey Commercial, 8; West India, 4; South West India, 2; Tilbury, 10; Tilbury Stage, 3; Millwall, 4; London, 2. WHARVES: Hays, 6; Mark Brown's. 1; Butler's, I. Tilbury jetty, 3.

Produce-carrying in the East.

According to a report from Haifa, Baghdad can now enjoy Whitstable oysters and Scotch salmon or fresh river trout in season, for the first time in history. As the result of the starting of a regular service, specially insulated lorries, with chemical refrigeration, are now travelling over the Arabian desert.

The vehicles bring lamb to Haifa from the Mosul hills, 680 miles away. the carcases arriving in perfect hardfrozen condition. The lorries are then re-charged with chemical for the return journey, thus making it possible to convey to Iraq all-British frozenproducts hitherto unobtainable so far east.

An Organizer's Reward.

Mr. Alexander Paterson, recently appointed commercial organizer for Scotland for the Transport and General Workers' Union, has been presented with a gold watch and albert, a gold replica of the union badge, and a standard lamp for his wife from members of the Wishaw branch, of which he was secretary for six years. From the Lanarkshire District Committee he received a writing set. POSITION WHEN USING CONTAINER.

Letters have passed between Preston Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Transport with reference to the taxation and speeds of vehicles with detachable containers.

The point put forward to the Ministry was this : Apparently under the Finance Act, 1937, the owner of a vehicle may pay the normal tax in respect of a goods vehicle weighing under 2 tons 10 cvrts. unladen, whilst being able to use a lOa.ded container, on and off, but under the Road Traffic Act, 1930, the Same 'class of vehicle, using a similar receptacle. can be defined as a heavy goods vehicle not entitled to travel over 20 m.p.h., and by not having the weight and speed also indicated on the vehicle the owner may be prosecuted and fined.

The Ministry has replied that the unladen weight for speed-limit purposes depends on Section 26 of the Road Traffic Act. 1930. The same vehicle classification does not arise in the question of taxation under the Finance Act, which is an entirely distinct one. It follows, therefore that, for the purposes of taxation, the unladen weight of a vehicle may be calculated in a different manner (having regard to the terms of Section 7 of the Finance Act, 1937) from that used for classification under the Road Traffic Acts.

Glasgow Bridge Development.

Glasgow Corporation Bridges Committee is to consider, at its next meeting, a report on the architectural features of Glasgow's £1,200,000 bridge, planned to be thrown across the Clyde at Finnieston. The plans must be approved by the Fine Art Commission before a grant can be obtained from the Ministry of Transport.

Fuel Pipe-line for Defence.

The French National Defence Petrol Committee is getting to work rapidly, and, amongst schemes already passed by it and approved by the French Government is the construction of a 450-kilometre pipe-line from the Atlantic port of Saint-Nazaire to Montargis (Lioret) about 80 miles south of Paris.

This is most interesting, as it will be the first important pipe-line in Europe to carry liquid fuel, and its object is to expedite the vast war stocking of petrol.

Safe Laundrymen.

Fourteen drivers of the Millbay Laundry Co., Plymouth, have been awarded the National "Safety First " Association's diploma for safe driving during the past year.

Death of French C.V. Industry Leader.

We regret to report the accidental death of M. Andre Lagache, a leading figure in the French commercial-vehicle industry.' Formerly a director of the Chenard and Walcker concern, M. Lagache founded the firm of Lagache ef "Glazrnann, trailer specialists, and A30 more recently, the Societe des Tracteurs Militaire, of which company he was managing director.

Andre Lagache was a man of varied activities. He combined the qualities of a first-rate engineer and designer with those of a capable business man and, rather unexpectedly, a racing driver of exceptional merit. In this last-mentioned capacity it may be remembered that, while connected with Chenard and Walcker, he led the Chenard team to victory at Le Mans in 1926.

The Passing of a Pioneer.

Mr. John Alfred Spencer, of West Bridgford, Nottingham, managing director of the Direct Delivery Service, Ltd., West Bridgford, passed away recently at the age of 66. He was originator of the oil-engined barges on the Trent. After 40 years with the Trent Navigation Co.. he began business on his own account, and started the direct delivery service. FURTHER TYNE-TUNNEL EFFORTS.

A deputation from the Tynemouth and. South Shields Town Councils will visit the Ministry of Transport on September 26 in a further effort to persuade the Ministry that the South Shields-North Shields line is the most suitable one for another crossing on the Tyne, either by tunnel or bridge.

It is believed Abet this will be the authorities' last attempt to secure the Ministry's approval to the scheme. A conference of local authorities, recently held at Newcastle, decided provisionally on a scheme for a new tunnel under the Tyne, east of the Tyne Bridge. The route. from Jarrow to Bowdon was favoured, but the Ministry of Transport decided that the views of the South Shields and Tynemouth Councils should be obtained, these authorities, for some years, having been pressing for cross-river facilities between the two towns.

A BRITISH COAL AND FUEL CAMPAIGN.

Admiral Sir Reginald Hall, K.C.M.G., 36, Curzon Street, London, W.1, who, together with Colonel J. Gretton, P.C., has consented to act as a trustee for the British Coal Campaign, has sent us a leaflet entitled " The Tragedy of British Coal." In this it is stated that one of the aims of the campaign is to give encouragement to enable home-produced fuels to be substituted for foreign petrol and oil fuel for road transport, etc.

Road Transport Courses at Ealing.

Ealing Technical College, Warwick Road, Ealing, London, W.5, has arranged an important syllabus of transport courses for the new session, which starts in September. The lecturer on road-transport operation is Mr. G. Smart, M.I.T.A., whilst the lecturer on transport finance and accounting, etc., is Mr. E. J. Trigg, A .M.Inst . T. , M . I. T.A.

The subjects will cover the examinations for the Diploma in road transport of the Royal Society of Arts, and associate membership and graduateship of the Institute of Transport.

The Royal Show for 1939.

The 98th annual show of the Royal Agricultural Society of England will be held next year at Windsor from July 4-8.

Brown Brothers' Extensive Telephone System.

An idea of the extensive business carried on by Brown Brothers, Ltd., can be obtained from details of the new private automatic telephone system which the company has installed at its head offices and warehouses in Great Eastern Street. It has been provided to afford rapid inter-working between the departments.

The capacity of the new equipment is for.200 lines, and this can be increased to 1,000 by the addition of another switching stage. There are also 33 exchange lines, with 258 extensions and 5 'further extensions from these. The daily average telephone traffic is 1,800 in-and-out calls. This involves the services of five operators, relief operators also being available.

Private exchanges are also situated at all the company's branches and works.

Conveyors to Aid Works Efficiency.

Manufacturers and others whose work justifies the employment of a conveyor system will be interested in the new brochure F and C 8338, concerning Webb conveyors manufactured by Fraser and Chalmers Engineering Works, Erith, the proprietor of which is the General Electric Co., Ltd.

Webb conveyors were originally developed for the automobile industry, and they have assisted greatly in promoting the efficiency and low-produc tine costs characteristic of this work. The booklet is thoroughly explanatory and well illustrated.

Paris Workers Coach to Riviera.

According to Reuter, many of the 250,000 metal workers in the Paris district, who commenced their holiday last Friday, will go to the South of France, particularly the Riviera, by means of motor coaches. S.M.M. AND T. REGISTER REVISED.

We have received from the S.M.M. and T. the Register of the Motor Trade, dated July, 1938. This is the 25th edition and completes the revision of all entries, which has been conducted over the past three years.

It contains a complete list of members, divided into England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, details given regarding members including the nature of their businesses and, where appropriate, the equipment they possess, in the way of petrol pumps, breakdown vehicles, etc. The size of the register can be gathered from the fact that it has over 800 pages.

Cosigner and 'Carrier Works Change Hours.

Consequent upon the coming into operation of the new Factory Act, the offices and works of the Commer and Karrier Works at Luton will be closed from 12.30 to 1.30 p.m., and the hours for the delivery of vehicles will be from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 1.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturdays.

New Territory for Oswald Tillotson.

Oswald Tillotson, Ltd., has taken over the Manchester and Liverpool territory in which G. W. Smith and Co, (1925), Ltd., recently acted as local distributor for A.E.C. vehicles. The respective addresses will be " Olympia," Knott Mill, Manchester, 15, and 35, Hatton Garden, Liverpool. The Tillotson head office and works at Burnley, and the depot at Bradford are, of course, retained.

We have been asked by the Sheepbridge Stokes Centrifugal Castings Co., Ltd., Chesterfield, to point out that its cylinder liners are of special nitrogenhardened cast iron and not of steel. We referred to them as being of the latter material in our article on new premises of Parr's Garage, Ltd., of which we gave details last week.

KARRIERS WIN LARGE OVERSEAS ORDER.

Rootes, Ltd., has received an order from the South African Railways for a fleet of 100 Karrier Cob Junior tractors. This is the fifth repeat order from the same source and makes a total of 300 units of this type for service in South Africa.

The Cob Junior is a three-wheeled machine of the mechanical-horse type with a four-cylindered engine developing 40 b.h.p. and capable of hauling trailers carrying pay-loads up to 4 tons.

Paid Holidays for Crossley Workers.

The works of Crossley Motors. Ltd., reopened on August 8, after the annual holiday. All employees received one week with pay, a benefit which will be continued in future years.

Listard Competition Results.

R. A. Lister and Co., Ltd., Dursley, recently promoted a competition for the most original advertisements for Listard, the new chrome-hardening process used in all engines of this make.

Each prize was a free trip to the Empire Exhibition, together with a luxury tour of, and entertainment in, Edinburgh, London, Stamford and Dursley. For the purpose of the competition Britain was divided into four areas, and there was an additional prize for overseas competitors, which was won by a lady from South Africa. The other winners came from Kilburn (London), Edinburgh, Dublin and Llangadock.

Austin Ambulance Prices Unchanged.

The Austin Motor Co., Ltd., has notified us that, whilst delivery vans and utility vehicles of this make have been reduced in price, the prices of the ambulances remain unchanged. Those for the chassis are £258 in the case of the 18 h.p. model and £430 for the 20 h.p. type.

First of a Gnu Fleet.

A 40-seater luxury coach body has just been completed, on a Leyland Gnu chassis, by Duple Bodies and Motors, Ltd., The Hyde, Hendon, London, N.W.9. We understand that this is the first of this model to be delivered in England, and it has been built for the City Coach Co., Ltd., which concern intends operating a fleet of these machines.

Readers will remember that the Gnu is a six-wheeler with two steering axles. At Earls Court, last November, where it made its debut, it aroused great interest, being the first passengervehicle, of recent years, to employ this wheel arrangement. NO FUTURE FOR COAL-GAS BUSES?

Glancing through a recent issue of the Gas Times we were a little surprised to come across a candid comment on the decision of Cardiff Corporation to experiment with buses operated by coal gas.

It ran as follows:—" We are not going to prophesy on the outcome of the Cardiff trials, but we would venture to mention that the trolleybus would use corporation electricity. Just to show that we are not entirely without bias let us say that we have a pretty high opinion of the trolleybus. It operates on coal and it has many good points; against it are the twin trolleywires to which it must cling. Now the gas bus has not that limitation to check its activities, but we still do not see a great ,future for the gas bus in times of peace. In case of war, when all normal considerations are blown sky-high, the gas bus would, as it did in the last war, serve a useful purpose in reducing the imported oil-fuel requirements. To that extent it is well that some pains should be taken in exploring the field and establishing policies—on a war basis. We think that the gas industry, having recovered from that exuberant period of some two or three years ago, when the enthusiasts foresaw the end of the petrol engine and the Diesel, now realizes that, as a general proposition, gas for traction is only feasible in a national emergency."