News of the Week
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UNOFFICIAL EARMARKING OF VEHICLES I NFORMATION has come to the notice of A.R.O. which appears to indicate that there are cases where hauliers have entered into voluntary arrangements with local authorities to place vehicles at their disposal in cases of emergency. The local council surveyor may, perhaps, have booked up lorries for use if roads become " blitzed," whilst other vehicles may have been arranged for service with the A.F.S., or as ambulances.
Hauliers are warned that unless such arrangements have the sanction of the Ministry of War Transport, through the Regional Transport Commissioner and the haulier's District Transport Officer, such earmarking is null and void and the local authority may find itself without vehicles in the event of any emergency arising.
It cannot be too clearly stated that the Ministry of War Transport is the only department with authority to requisition vehicles and the only one capable of sanctioning the earmarking of vehicles for special emergency service. If an operator be in doubt, he should consult his 12,T.O. 'to -ascertain if his vehicles are aficially earmarked or not.
A.R.O. SUBSCRIPTION INCREASE . MOOTED
THE National Council of Associated Road Operators is of opinion that there should be an increase in the Association subscription, to take effect as and from April 1, which is the commencement of the Association's financial year. The views of areas and sub-, areas are being invited, ' The increase is deemed to be justified on the ground that substantial reserves should be built up for post-war activi
ties. It is pointed out that the probabilities are that considerable funds will le required after the war to finance the extra amount of-work which it is anticipated will be necessary to maintain that recognition of the industry which has come of its war-time activities.
It is suggested that, in view of the increased wear-and-tear allowances which the Association has recently obtained for hauliers, members will no doubt fully appreciate the wisdom, of setting aside adequate reserves, so that the Association may be enabled to continue its good work in the lean years which may lie ahead.
HOW WASTE PAPER MAKES ARMS
AST Tuesday Mr.A. N.T. Alexander,
• First Lord of the Admiralty, opened at the Ford showrooms, Regent Street, London, W.1, an exhibition which demonstrates, in a most interesting manner, how war weapons are made from waste paper. The show will be open for a month, and will -enable the public to see how old newspapers, cigarette cartons, etc., can help to win the-war. Experts are in attendance to answer questions. Included amongst the exhibits are a German naval torpedo, 23 ft. long, also British mortars, bombs and shells.
This demonstration has been organized by "The Evening Standard."
BUS CHASSIS DESIGNER REQUIRED ME know of a vacancy for a firstIT class designer of bus chassis. He must have had long practical experi-.
ence. Applications, which will be treated as strictly confidential, should be addressed " Designer," care of the Editor. BETTER ORGANIZATION FOR SPARES AND REPAIRS THE Certificate of Nced in respect of spare parts was introduced originally to prevent hoarding, but is now employed to a greater extent for the allocation of parts in short supply. Operators and _repairers should note that when such a 'certificate does not produce the necessary parts within 21 days, they can ask for a Spares Shortage Certificate. This meets two needs, It produces the parts required by the operator as quickly as possible by progress action; secondly, it acts as a source of information concerning the shortage of spare parts and thus gives statistics which can be presented by the M. of W.T. to the Ministry of Supply, with the object of increasing production. Therefore, it is important that operators should make more use of these certificates in their own and the national interest.
At the same time, everyone is expected to do his best to obtain parts first, so that the Ministries will not he flooded out with requests. It is also the opinion of the authorities that dealers might do much more to help themselves, particularly in respect of the interchangeability of spares. Slight alterations to a part of one make may result in it becoming suitable for another type. For example, one iepairer got 12 vehicles running by using other and more easily available parts slightly modified.
It is also suggested that operators might group themselves in their Regions in respect of repairs. Thus one operator might have facilities for repairing bodywork, and another would be specially concerned with injectionpump maintenance. Big operators should get small outside repairers to take over some of their smaller jobs at first, and lead them up to the more important work. AREA MANAGER WANTED FOR TRAFFIC POOL
A PPLICAT1ONS are invited for the tI position 01 manager of the Eastern Area Traffic Pool. The appointment requires residence in or near Cambridge and is for the period of the war. Applications in writing only and stating experience and salary required should be addressed to the chairman, Eastern Committee, care of Giles hnd Bullen. Ltd., North Everard Street, King's Lynn, Norfolk.
BASIC RATION ABOLITION UNFAIR?
THE Secretary for Petroleum was asked by Mr. Lipson, in Parliament last week, why he had abolished the basic petrol ration for commercial. vehicles whilst retaining it for private cars. Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd made this enlightening reply: " The issue of basic rations to private cars is affected by considerations different from those applicable to goods vehicles."
Mr. Lipson then remarked that operators of commercial vehicles had a grievance in that their basic ration was stopped, whilst private owners would etill have theirs with which to do as they liked, and he suggested that it would have been more in the National interest to have started by terminating the basic ration for private motorists rather than that of commercial users.
SCHEMES FOR IMPROVING TYNE TRANSPORT FACILITIES
AFTER considering three different schemes for improving cross-Tyne transport facilities, a joint committee of Northumberland and • Durham County Councils and ,Newcastle-onTyne City Council has 'agreed that the best plan will be the erection of a highlevel fixed road bridge west of Newcastle. The committee has also been considering the plan for a Tyne tunnel at Jarrow.
It has been agreed to proceed with' the preparation of plans and sections for both bridge and tunnel provided the Ministry of War Transport contributes 75 per cent, towards the cost of the work, including the promotion of Parliamentary Bills.
A.R.O. LOSES AREA CHAIRMAN: TRIBUTE TO MR. SMART
BBECAUSE of his new appointment as road haulage officer of the southwestern division under the Ministry of War Transport haulage scheme, Mr. George Smart, M.B.E., has found it necessary, temporarily, to give up his work with Associated Read Operators, with which he has for many years been closely connected.
As a token-of the esteem in which he has been held by fellow-metribers of this 'Association, Mr. Smart was recently entertained to luncheon, when a presentation was made to him by Capt. J. W. Jones, R.M.A., who, besides being chairman of the Association, has recently taken over the position of chairman of the western area, in succession to Mr. Smart. Capt. Jones and Councillor Frank Strickland paid high tribute to the work of Mr. Smart.
SIGNATURES FOR LIVESTOCK • LOADS
INSTRUCTIONS have now been issued 1 to District Chairmen of Auctioneers to obtain signatures from carriers who transport Ministry of Food livestock from collecting centres to slaughter
houses. It is, therefore, urged that each carrier will, in his own interest, ensure that he signs for only the load which he knows he has on his vehicle, because in the case of a claim for shortage he will be responsible.
HOW GOODS ARE MOVED IN THE UNITED STATES
A CCORDING to a ' recent survey 1-carried out in the United States, road motors were responsible for 6.58 per cent. of goods movement in that country in 1940. The ton-mile figures given for each transport agency, are as follow :—Railways, 375,285 million ; road transport, 38,459 million ; Great Lakes transport, 95,000 million ; inland waterways, 21,651 million; pipe-lines, 53,622 million.
COMPULSORY RETURNS OF UNWANTED METAL
UNDER a new Defence Regulation the Minister of Works has been given powers to make an Order calling upian-owners.and -occupiers of specified categories of premises to disclose any metal suitable for scrap which is on such premises on a specified date. The Order will provide for compulsory returns of all disused machinery, plant, etc., containing unwanted metal, but there is no intention of scrapping valuable machinery which must be preserved for use after the war. In particular, that belonging to concerns closed down under concentration schemes approved by the Board of Trade will not be requisitioned, nor will a return of this be required.
REORGANIZING DISTRIBUTION TO SAVE TRANSPORT
NNOVES are being made by Govern111-ment authorities and trading 'interests to secure transport economies by the reorganization of the distribution of commodities from the factories of manufacturers, as well as from 'wholesalers to retailers.
One such scheme concerns sugar confectionery—chocolate, toffee and other sweets. The plan is to allocate the output of each works of members of the manufacturers' association, the Sugar Confectioners' Alliance, to a particular region most suited to its geographical position, so as to minimize the use of transport in distribution. For example, under this plan chocolate made at York will no longer, be sent to south-west England, and chocolate made at Bristol will not be sent to the north.
This regionalization of distribution is facilitated by the fact that members of. the Sugar Confectioners' Alliance have agreed on an arrangement whereby the goods they make are grouped into certain standard classifications.
.Similar schemes Concerning:a number of other commodities are in course of formulation. They will link up with arrangements for saving transport in wholesalers' deliveries to retailers. ESSENTIAL WORK ORDER AND SERVICE DEFERMENT
SOME misunderstanding appears to exist as 'hi the effects of scheduling under the Essential Work Order. It cannot be too clearly stressed that it does not give the scheduled establishment the right of retaining men who are liable for service with the Armed Forces. No doubt the fact that a concern was so scheduled would be an added argument when applying for deferment for any of its men, but the real essence of the Order is that it enables workpeople to be tied to civil work of national importance and ensures that they • receive wages and conditions of employment that are fair, and that they cannot be discharged without good reason.
In these circumstances, when a man employed in an establishment scheduled under the Essential Work Order is notified that he is about to become dereservecl, it will be necessary to submit a form N.S. 300 in the usual way if it be desired to retain his services.
A.R.O. METROPOLITAN SUB-AREAS HOLD A.G.M.s
THE annual general meetings of several Metropolitan Sub-areas of Associated Road Operators will be held in the course of the next few days. The Southern Sub-area is holding its meeting on Monday next, February 16. at Pynes Restaurant, Lewisham Way, S.E.14. The North London Sub-area is ,holding its meeting on February 19, at the Angel Hotel, Edmonton, N. The Western Sub-area is holding its meeting on February 23, at the Star and Garter Hotel, Kew Bridge, W.
In each case, the meeting starts at 2.30 p.m, and included in the agenda is the yearly election of the Sub-area • Sectional Board, whilst the annual report by the chairman of each Subarea will he presented.
AGRICULTURAL TRACTORS USED FOR SNOW CLEARANCE
FOR clearing snow from main roads in country districts in Yorkshire, agricultural tractors controlled by the West Riding War Agricultural Executive Committee have been used this winter for the haulage of heavy snowploughs.,
This year, for the first time, Leeds Cleansing Department has employed V ploughs for the removal of snowdrifts, the implements being used in conjunction with gully-emptier& These are in addition to the angle ploughs pushed by other vehicles of the department.
FIRE SERVICE'S UNECONOMIC
USE,OF PETROL AND TYRES IN a recent question in the House of I Commons, Sir W. Smiles asked the Home Secretary how many complaints he had received from local authorities that petrol and tyres were being wasted by the provision of motorcars of unnecessarily high power for the senior officers of the National Fire Service, and in Wasteful and prolonged mobile exercises?
In reply Mr. Morrison said that representations of this character had been received from some 10 individual local authorities, that the attention of chief regional fire officers and fire-force commanders had, on more than one occasion, been drawn to the need' for avoiding unnecessary consumption of petrol, and that the allocation of staff cars was at present under review. He could not, however, accept the suggestion that exercises, or the scale on which they were now being carried out, were in any sense wasteful.
LANCASHIRE HOUSE FURNISHERS POOL VANS
ALL the house furnishers in the Lancashire town of St. Helens have decided to pool their delivery vans and to use only two vehicles for deliveries for the whole of the furniture trade of the town. The surplus vehicles will be kept in reserve. The vans will be repainted and the pool will be known as the " Furniture Trades Delivery Service." Deliveries will be within a radius a 10 miles of the town and for the various districts will be carried out according to a rota plan, with a schedule of specified journeys for each day of the week. It is proposed to organize a separate group for vehicles used by ironmongers, radio dealers, etc.
LAST TYNE TOLL BRIDGE TO GO?
roads 'and .bridges committee of bridges
Cou,nty Council is considering a request from the Newburn, Ryton, Prudhoe and Hexham local authorities' for the removal of the tolls on the Newborn and Ovingham bridges, which are the only toll bridges left on the Tyne.
EDISWAN LIVERPOOL DEPOT
THE Liverpool depot of the Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd., has removed to 23, Stanley Street, from the. recent temporary premises; that will be the perrpanent depot address.
As from Monday last, the address of the Rubber Control is Empire House, St. Martin's le Grand, London, E.C.1. WHERE IS THE LEAKAGE IN PAPER SALVAGE?
DESPITE the efforts that have been made to promote the saving of paper, it is• obvious from estimates that not nearly enough of that which should be available is actually salvaged. • For example, it is computed that ,if all the clubs and associations in the country each turned out only 1 cwt. of paper, their combined contribution to the national collection would amount to well over 6,000 tons. Likewise, factories, on the same basis, would produce 4,500 tons; grocers, 4,000 tons ; accountants and auditors, nearly 3,000; haberdashers and drapers, 1,400; painters' and decorators, 1,200; chemists, insurance agents, solicitors, ironmongers and hardware merchants, 'roughly, 1,000 tons each; and hotels about 650 tons.
Another interesting fact is that if every householder living in an electrically lit house or flat gave only 2 lb. for salvage, the total would exceed 7,000 tons. So, come on all those concerned, and contribute your bit.
FORTHCOMING INST. OF T. MEETINGS IN LONDON
()N February 14, at 2.15 p.m, there will be a meeting of the Metropolitan Graduate and Student Society of the Institute of Transport, at the Institution of Electrical Engineers, Victoria Embankment, London, W.C.2, at which Mr. S. B. Budworth, A.M.Inst.T., will read a paper on " The Problem of Post-war Transport."
Mr. C. F. King, M.Inst.T., traffic manager of Bryant and May, Ltd., will give the opening addreSs at the informal meeting to be held on February 24 at 1.15 p.m. at the headquarters of the same Institution. His subject will be " Co-partnership and the Transport Industry." A buffet lunch (1s. 6d.) will be available at 12.45 p.m. ; lunch reservations should be' made by the preceding day with the Institute, at 15, Savoy Street, London, W.C.2.