Charter for Mobile Radio Users
Page 41
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THE Postmaster-General, Earl de la Warr, has invited Capt. L. P. S. Orr, M.P., chairman of the Mobile Radio Users' Association, to discuss a charter which the M.R.U.A. have drawn up.
The charter proposes that the Government should recognize mobile radio as an important service to the country and make available to users an adequate supply of frequencies. These should be guaranteed subject to no change for at least 10 years, state the Association, also some frequencies, such as those reserved for guided missiles, might well be allocated to civil users during peace time.
It is felt that civil users should have some say in the allocation of frequencies, at present almost wholly decided upon by Service departments.
Considering that it is now too late for the Government to rescind their decision to clear Band III (174-216 mics.) of mobile radio users for television, the M.R.U.A. propose that those who will be dislodged be given new frequencies up to 174 m/cs. Compensation should also be paid to these users (among them all the ambulance authorities and all London radio taxicab owners) to cover the cost of altering equipment.
HIGHER PAY NOT PULLING IN LABOUR
CIGURES given by the Midland regional office of the Ministry of Labour, last week, suggest that recent wage awards are having virtually no effect on the staff situation there. In fact, the position has deteriorated since the West Midland Licensing Authority, Mr. W. P. James, drew attention to the seriousness of the matter five months ago..
Birmingham Transport Department are short of 982 drivers and conductors compared with 824 in October. The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., are reported by the Ministry to be in need of 379 drivers and 322 conductors, but an official of the company said recently: "We are about 1,000 short, with a ratio of about 600 drivers and 400 conductors."
Among measures which B.M.M.O. are taking to improve the position is the use of a mobile booking office for recruiting labour.
Coventry Transport Department are short of 466 drivers and conductors, Wolverhampton 60, Walsall 46, and West Bromwich 45.
BRITISH PORTS LAG WITH FORK-LIFT TRUCKS
" FORK-LIFTING appliances are used less in British ports than in any of the large ports of any foreign country." Mr. Francis H. Cave, deputy general manager and secretary of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, made this statement when he addressed the Merseyside and District Section of tho Institute of Transport last week.
In America, he said, fork-lift trucks had been in universal use for several years, 'but the Americans sometimes overdid palletization and wasted time and labour stowing unsuitable mixed cargoes on pallets for stacking. When they were handling a large volume of convenient and homogeneous cargo, they made a magnificent job of it, he stated.
The normal method of moving palleted cargo between the warehouses and the vessels was by means of small tractors drawing three or four bogies each carrying a pallet. The primemover truck, which was widely used in this country, was hardly ever seen in America, and the number of mobile quay cranes there was not as great as in this country because of the extensive use of fork-lift trucks.
CONCESSION TEST CASE A N application by Nottingham Trans
port Department to reduce fares for old-age pensioners on one of their services was rejected by the East Midland Licensing Authority on Monday. It was regarded as a test case. Four bus companies were among the objectors.
STANDARD-ROVER MERGER?
A N amalgamation be the 1—IStandard Motor Co., Ltd., and the Rover Co., Ltd., is under discussion. The basis is a payment of 6s. 6d. per 5s. share in the Standard company and 28s. per 8s. share in the Rover concern.