News of the Week
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AVAILABILITY OF LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
ACERTAIN number of Commer 8-cwt., and what are known by the M.O.W.T. as Commer 15-25-cwt., also Ford 10-cwt. vans, is in production, but many applications for these makes and models have already been received.
Licences to acquire must be obtained in the usual way from the R.T.C.s. Even if licences be issued, it is probable, in our view, that for further vehicles' some six months will expire from the time of application before deliveries can be made.
TAXATION AND RESTRICTION THROTTLE OUR INDUSTRY
IN another speech by Lieut.-Col. D. C. 1VIcLagan, D.S.O., secretary of the S.M.NI.T., this time to the Rotary Club of Coventry, last Monday, he dealt with our export trade, and pointed out that the Chancellor Of the Exchequer had said that after the war the export trade would have to be increased by 60 pe_r cent, compared with its pre-war volume if we are even to retain our standard of living.
The motor industry can take a vital part in the restoration of Britain's prosperity, provided it be given reasonable incentive for expansion. He referred particularly to the withdrawal of restrictive legislation and unjustified taxation.
Notwithstanding promises to provide new roads in 1921, the increased taxation then instituted for this was still collected, plus the excessive heavy surcharge of the fuel tax. The total since that date amounted to over £800,000,000; the new roads, however, had not materialized.
A relief from this restrictive taxation would give a fillip to our post-war trade at home and abroad, but has the Government got the pluck to recognize this and, sweeping aside vested interests, release us from our burden?
MOTOR TRADERS TO FACE COMPETITION FROM CO-OPS.?
, A PPREHENSION as to the develop. .t1 ment of co-operative-society motortrading activities was voiced at a meeting of the committee of the M.A.A.'s Yorkshire Division, in Leeds, last week, when attention was drawn to a recent advertisement which emanated from the Co-operative Wholesale Society, Ltd., Manchester. This invited applications for the position of manager of a centralized motor-trading department, controlling sales of vehicles, accessories, petrol and all motoring requisites, as well as being responsible for repairs and service. The advertisement stated that the present annual turnover was approximately £2,000,000, and that thtre was " great scope for development."
In discussion, it was suggested that the advertisement pointed to a postwar prospect of greatly increased competition from the C.W.S. against
independent motor traders, in the direction of supplying vehicles and other necessities to retail co-operative societies for the operation of their road transport.
The committee decided to bring the subject before the M.A.A. Council.
E.P.T. AND DEFERRED VEHICLE REPAIRS
SOME time ago the S.J.C. submitted a memorandum to the. M.O.W.T., urging that E.F.T. reserves for deferred repairs should be made , available for the purchase of new vehicles. This memorandum is under consideration, and it is understood by Mr. G. W. Quick Smith that the matter 'is being discussed with the Treasury by the Ministry.
SUGAR-BEET TRANSPORT RATES NOT FIXED
DESPITE negotiations, no agreement has been reached between the S.J.C. and the N.F.U. in respect of a schedule of rates for the carriage of sugar beet in the coming campaign. The N.F.U. considers that a national schedule on the basis of the Eastern Area rates for 1943-44 would be equitable. It is, however, felt by hauliers in some areas that an increase can be substantiated. It is, therefore, left to growers and hauliers to make their own arrangements locally.
TILLING-STEVENS pROFIT
DUR1NG the year ended March 31, last, Tilling-Stevens, Ltd., made a profit, after deducting all expenses, depreciation and provision for estimated taxation, of £16,429, which compares with £14,295 in the previous year. Adding the balance of £56,817 brought forward and £41,325, being reserve for taxation not required, gives an avail
able balance of £114,571. General reserve receives £50,000, and £5,000 is transferred to the maintenance of buildings reserve. After a dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum (amounting to £11,128) is deducted, there remains £48,443 to be carried forward.
In a statement by the chairman which accompanies the report, it is said that "although the necessity of employing all the country's resources to obtain victory as soon as possible is fully realized, it seems to have -been a short-sighted policy on. the part of the authorities to deny to industry the small amount of material and labour required for the preparation of peacetime products."
COLONEL LLEWELLIN PRAISES FIRE FIGHTERS
SPEAKING at the Regional Finals of 4the Industrial FireBrigades, Fire Guards and Civil Defence Competitions, colonel J. J. Llewellin, P.C., Minister of Food, stressed the value of fire prevention in peace as well as war. He said: " If England is not in ruins, the teams that have taken part in these competitions, and the thousands like them all over the country, have shown the rearana why."
ANOTHER HITCH IN ASSOCIATIONS MERGER
AT the extraordinary general meeting of Associated Road Operators, held last Monday, the chairman of the Metropolitan Area, Mr. J. Janes, presided, some 120 members being present. including Messrs. Richardson, Sewill and Taylor,
It will be remembered that this meeting was called to decide on the merger, but it appears that another delay has occurred, for a certain amount of hostility was shown to the merger in its present form, the main difficulty being the conditions of representation of the London and Home Counties Haulage Contractors' Association. Eventually the meeting passed a resolution to the effect that negotiations should be reopened with this body. In the meantime Mr. Eric Taylor warned members to use careful discrimination in giving their proxies to any particular section.
We hope that, in the interests of unified representation, the delay will not be lengthy.
MANY EMPTY PACKAGES URGENTLY NEEDED THE m.o.w.T. Road Haulage Organization has made arrangements to obtain the immediate return of those empty packages of all descriptions which are urgently required. Unless a vehicle delivering goods is needed for more essential traffic, it will be used for this purpose, provided that the person offering the full packages to the unit controller (for distances in excess of 60 miles) or the area road haulage officer (for shorter distances) satisfies him that the empties must be given priority treatment. Where it is not, possible to use the same vehicle, R.H.O. officers will do their best to find an alternative vehicle for the work.
The R.H.O. can also be asked to provide facilities for the return of empties which, when full, may have been forwarded by rail.
The railways will also endeavour to return empties which, when full, were carried by them or by road vehicles, but the latter are accepted only as merchandise and charged at appropriate rates.
WELSH MINERS BUILD JEEPS IN NEW NUFFIELD FACTORY
THE Nuffield organization announces that it has taken over a factory in South Wales which it is at present running for the Government. The output includes the assembly from imported components of many types of war machine, ranging from jeeps to heavy weapon carriers.
" The speed and faultlessness of the work of assembly, and, in some cases,. of modification, by no means a simple job carried out to satisfy requirements on this side, are striking testimonies to the adaptability of Welsh labour," says Sir Miles Thomas, vice-chairman of the Nuffield organization. " It is all unskilled, and includes not only girls and women, but a large contingent of ex-miners now unfit for work underground." POST-WAR PLANS OF T.G.W.U.
LF.ADERS of the Transport and La General Workers' Union, including Mr. Arthur Deakin, acting general secretary, are to attend the Union's postponed Scottish delegates' conference, which will be held in Glasgow on October 31. The present-day and postwar plans of the Union will be outlined at the conference by Mr. H. Clay, acting assistant general secretary, and Mr. Harry Edwards, chairman of the national executive.
ADAPTING MILITARY MOTORS FOR FARM 'WORK
RESEARCH with the object of improving tractor performance was one of the activities illustrated when about 4,000 Yorkshire farmers visited the National Institute of Agreultmal Engineering at Askham Bryan, on the occasion of open days held theta last week.
One development shown took the form of modifications to overcome the effects of variations in soil conditions upon the working pull which a tractor can exert. The tractor to which these have been applied will, it is estimated, pull 3,000 lb. under any soil conditions, whereas previously the working pull varied from about 1,200 lb. to 3,000 lb. according to whether the soil be light or heavy, wet or dry.
A device of particular interest to the one-tractor farmer enables him to have the advantages both of steel and rubber road bands. It consists of a pneumatictyred band which one man can fit or remove in well under-10 minutes,
The Institute has turned its attention to the possibilities of adapting two types of military vehicle, the jeep and the Bren-gun carrier, for farm work— the carrier as a tractor.
DISPOSAL OF TYRES UNFIT FOR RETREADING
UNDER a new arrangement by the Ministry of Supply, dating from September 18, -tyres surrendered for replacement and found unfit for retreading are sent direct to M.O.S. strap dumps by authorized tyre
• depots, instead of to M.O.S. central inspection depots. This is, however. subject to the consent of the user surrendering them. If the user disagrees as to the condition of such tyres, then the original procedure for more care"Jul examination must he carried out. For giant tyres, faults which involve scrapping are as follow:—Broken or exposed bead wires; cuts or bursts through all plies on the crown or shoulders, where the damage to the inside ply exceeds 3 ins.; cuts or bursts through all plies on the wall, where the internal damage exceeds 1 in.; those run flat so that tho whole of the inside ply is loose.
ASSOCIATIONS CENTRALIZE OFFICES FOR MERGER
THE North-eastern Division of the C.M.U.A. has transferred its offices to premises in Oxford Chambers, Oxford Place, Leeds, which, in anticipation of the merger of associations under the Perry scheme, were taken jointly by A.R.O., the C.M.U.A., and Federation' of Yorkshire Road Transport Employers. As the latter organization is also at Oxford Chambers, this centralization, in preparing for the merger, will be complete when the headquarters of A.R.O.'s Yorkshire Area are moved there.
An advantage of these spacious premises is a room where up to about
60 people can be accommodated at any meetings which are held.
BLACKPOOL TRANSPORT AIDS RATES •
BLACKPOOL Finance Committee has allocated the following amounts out of the profit on the transport undertaking for the year ended March 31, 1944:—Rates, £5,000; taxation reserve, £216,000; deferred repairs, £50,000; carried forward, £6,230 total, £277,230.
TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON ROADS—£43,000
I N answer to a question by Mr. Salt in the House of Commons, last week, Mr. P. .1. Noel-Baker, Parliamentary Secretary, M.O.W.T., said that, for the current year, it is estimated that the4 work of scientific research -on road prole ms will cost £43,000.
In answer to a further question by Capt. Sir William Brass, Mr. NoelBaker said that the subject of non-skid surfaces is one for first consideration. PERSONAL PARS
MR. D. W. B. RIDSDEL has, we understand, resigned from the board of directors of Simms Motor Units, Ltd.
MR. W. PICKERING, Chief inspector of Chesterfield Corporation's transport department, has retired after 40 years' service.
Mr. J. W. NEWHAM. M.O.W.T area. road haulage officer at Hull,ebas been appointed to a similar post at St. Albans.
MR. S. F. DUKE has been appointed manager of the insurance department of the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd. at Fort Dunlop, in succession to the late Mr. J. H. Jones, whose assistant he became in February. 1929, Ma. C. B. BRUDENELL, M.I.M.T., M.I.S.M., has ,b'een appointed sales manager of the motor manufacturers' division of Tecalemit, Ltd., at the same time retaining, until further ncitice, control of its aviation division.
Ma. R. E. BRITTON, of Hull, who for the past three years has been chairman of A.R.O.'s Yorkshire Area, was re-elected to that office at last week's meeting of the Yorkshire Area Committee, in Leeds. MR. L BADDELEY, of Holmfirth, is vice-chairman, and MR. J. A. M. BRIGHT, of Selby, represents the Area on A.R.O.'s national executive.
Mu. E. H. COCKSHOTT, M.I.E.E., constructional engineer (electrical). London Passenger Transport Board, has retired. When he was serving as assistant electrical and mechanical engineer at Leeds, he took part in designing and installing one of the first two trolleybus systems to be operatedin Great Britain. He joined the Underground group in 1912 and was made constructional engineer in 1930.
MR. S. C. CHURCHILL, a, Central bus inspector, at Hammersmith garage, of the London Passenger Transport Board, has retired after 45 years' service. Other recent rethements from the Board include MR. T. H. IfurcsoNs, who has been a conductor for nearly 44 years, the last few on trolleybuses, and MR. H. J. RUSSELL, a trolle3rbus conductor at Hackney garage, who has completed over 42 years' service; the last-named was boxing M.C. to the Trams and Trolleybuses Sports Association for 30 years.
MR. ARTHUR D. Mitts, assembly .superintendent. retired from the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd.. after 88 years' service at the Walthamstow and Southall factories of the company. The occasion was marked by a luncheon which was attended by approximately 100 members of the A.E.C. staff and foremen. Mr. Mills, who started his business career in 1906 as a superintendent with the Vanguard Bits Co • afterwards being transferred to the Walthamstow works, was the recipient of a monetary gift from his colleagues and a cheque from the company.
HALIFAX HAULAGE POOL OPERATORS FORM COMPANY
FOR the working of a road-haulage pool set up by operators in Halifax, a company has been formed under the title of Halifax arid District Transport Owners, Ltd., with a capital of £2,500 in £1 shares, The pool will deal with general traffic, a primary purpose being to handle that which is passed to the pool by members when, owing to other commitnients, they are unable to accept it in an individual capacity. The traffic office is at 3, Harrison Road, Halifax, and the registered office is at 8, Ward's End, Halifax.
The official registration of the company is listed in this week's " Financial News of the Industry" feature published elsewhere in this issue.
DERBY SEEKING WIDER TROLLEYBUS POWERS A PPLICATION is to be made to the M.O.W.T. by Derby Town Council for a provisional Order authorizing the extension of the trolleybus service from the borough boundary in Duffield Road to King's Croft, Allestree. 'Licences have been procured for the acquisition of 10 new trolleybuses at a cost of £30,000.
WORKS MANAGER OR CHIEF ENGINEER AVAILABLE
AN executive position as works manager or' chief engineer is required by a man with extensive experience in the commercial-vehicle
industry. He is equally conversant' with maintenance or vehicle manufacture, also with both petrol and oil engines. He is a good disciplinarian and used to staff management. Letters, addressed "Managing Engineer," care of the Editor, will be forwarded.
LONG SERVICE OF DELCO-REMY AND HYATT EMPLOYEES THERE must be something attrac tive in working for Delco-Remy and Hyatt, Ltd., for three more of its employees, Messrs. jack Lake, W. V. Tanner, and E. E. Horton. recently completed 25 years' service with the company. Mr. W. A. Crewe, managing director, in presenting them with engraved silver salvers, said that long service was a good thing for the employer as well as for employee, and the company was proud of the fact that eight members of its staff had already achieved 25 years or more in its service; several others would also "come of age " within the next two years. .
BRADFORD'S CHANGED ATTITUDE TO MOTORWAYS
BRADFORD Chamber of Commerce has modified its attitude towards the suggested post-war construction of a system of motorways in Britain. Not long ago, as already reported in this journal, the Chamber's transport committee recommended non-support of the B.R.F. campaign for motorways, and this recommendation was adopted by its council.
The subject was reconsidered when Mr. J. S. Neave, secretary of the B.R.F., attended a meeting of the transport committee to put the case for motorways, with the result that the committee passed an amending resolution reserving judgment on the issue pending experience of the experimental motorway seCtions which the Government is to have constructed, This resolution was confirmed t a recent meeting of the council.
OBITUARY We regret to announce the death of Mr. H. SMITH, who retired from the works managership of the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., in October, 1938. He was seventy-four years old. RANSOME AND MARLES TRADING RESULTS I N respect of the year ended June 30 last, Ransome and Marles Bearing Co., Ltd., made a net profit of £123,134, after providing for all revenue charges, including taxation, and depreciation. An interim dividend of 9 per cent., less tax, absorbed 231,500. A final dividend of 11 per cent., less tax, is to be paid, which will absorb £38,500, whilst 235,000 is being transferred to the reserve for contingencies. The amount to be carried forward is 285,348, against 278,928 brought in