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WHEELS of INDUSTRY
Page 66
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"The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier, Important Progress by the British Road Federation.
The British Road Federation, which is in process of incorporation, held a meeting last Tuesday which was attended by representatives of the Commercial Motor Users Association, the Omnibus Owners Association, the Road Haulage Association, the National Petrol Distributing Companies, and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Approval was given to a revised memorandum and articles of association, and a modifioation has been introduced to limit membership to associated interests representing the various groups of road-traffic interests, road constructional undertakings, and the trade engaged in the manufacture and sale of motor products.
Substantial financial guarantees have now been promised by the principals concerned, and the first executive committee will be nominated by the associations mentioned above. No time will be lost in proceeding to develop a policy based on the aims and objects already approved under the new constitution.
It will be appreciated that definite progress has been made, and that the earlier deliberations have resulted in the foundation of a federation which is truly representative of the most important interests, and will soon be in a position to put up an increasingly powerful fight in the cause of road transport.
A Protest by the S.M.M. and T.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has submitted a memorandum to the National Wages Board (Railways) criticizing comment, made by spokesmen for the railway management, of an alleged road-traffic subsidy presumed to be material to the issues before the Board.
It is perfectly obvious, says the memorandum, that such a statement has been made with no other object than to create some prejudice against a competitor, and with a view to influencing the Government to introduce legislation imposing additional taxation or further restrictions upon road transport against the interests of the community as a whole.
In every country in the world where the legislature has placed undue restrictions upon road competition, the results have been disastrous to railway revenues.
Thornycroft Activities Reviewed.
The 31st annual general meeting of john I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., was recently held in London, when Sir John E. Thornycroft, K.B.E., chairman and managing director, presided.
After the accounts had been dealt with (these were referred to in our issue dated December 2), the chairman said that the unfavourable results shown for the year were undoubtedly due, in the main, to the general depression in business, aggravated by price t/20 cutting and by expenditure on improvements in designs, including the introduction of the oil engine for both vehicle and marine purposes.
Although there was a fall in the home sales of vehicles, marine motors and motor boats, it was the reduction in the overseas sales of these products which most seriously affected the com pany. To illustrate the position, the chairman took the year 1929 as representing 100 per cent., and gave the figures for the following years :-1930, 78 per cent.; 1031, r17 per cent.; and 1932, 17 per cent. The company has closed down its Canadian branch. He mentioned that there has been an _increase in the orders and inquiries from overseas during the past few months.
The chairman went on to refer to the vehicles which the company has built for the Iraq Petroleum Co., Ltd., details and pictures of which appear in our centre-pages' article of this issue. The company's 2-ton models have proved good sellers. "
He made a reference to the company's work in eonnection with oil engines and to the satisfactory results which vehicles equipped with Thornycroft units of this kind have given in service.
Our Specification Tables.
As a result of extreme pressure on our space, consequent upon the incorporation of an unusual number of special articles of particular interest to the industry, we have been compelled to divide our tables of specifications into two sections, the larger of which we publish in this issue; the other will be included in our next issue. We have also found it necessary to hold over several of our regular features, such as "Problems of the Haulier," "Where to Pied Haulage Business," the weekly road-test report, etc., publication of which will be resumed in our issue for next week.
National Omnibus Resignations.
We learn of the resignation from the board of the National Omnibus and Transport'Co., Ltd., of Sir John Jarvis, Bt., chairman, and Mr. W. S. Iden, managing director. The company is not prepared to make any announcement on the matter.
London Passenger Transport Bill : Committee Stage Ended.
The Committee stage of the Louden Passenger Transport Bill was concluded in the House of Commons on Tuesday night.
One of the new clauses provided for the fixing of stopping points in the London Traffic Area, and another transferred powers of the Railway and Canal Commissioners to the Railway Rates Tribunal. Sir K. Vaughan Morgan moved a clause to provide that 20 local ratepayers in any district might make representation to the Minister for reduction of fares and improvement of services.
Sir T. Inskip, the Attorney-General, in resisting the proposal, explained that in the Bill the procedure provided that application -could be made by a local authority direct to the Railway Rates Tribunal, which would immediately consider it and make any necessary order. If the new clause were accepted it would result in duplication of machinery. The amendment Was negatived without a division.
A new clause was proposed by Mr. Cyril Atkinson to provide that the Public Authorities Protection Act, 189S5, should not apply to the Transport Board because it meant that claimants for damages for injury would have to place their claims within six months of the accident. Sir Thomas Inskip declined to accept the new clause, stating that numerous local authorities, with tramway and bus services, including the undertakings in the Bill, enjoyed the privileges of the Protection Act, which was designed to prevent stale and speculative claims. The proposed new clause was negatived without a division.
Another amendment was passed at the instance of the Attorney-General, providing additional representation on the Advisory Committee for people who use the roads. It laid down that the Minister might consult respectively bodies representative of the interests of persons providing or losing mechanically propelled road vehicles, and horse-drawn vehicles, and the interests of the taxicab industry, in the London Traffic Area.
Tests of Agricultural Machinery.
The second report of the committee which undertakes for the Ministry of Agriculture the testing of new classes of agricultural machinery, has recently been issued. The objective which the committee has in mind is the production of a standard form of test for each of the different classes of machinery used in agricultural work, it being emphasized that such a standard would enable' a truer comparison to be made between machines coming within the same category than is now possible.
The committee stresses the point that the testing of agricultural machinery in this country is still in its early stages, and that, as experience is gained, the reports on tests can be made of greater value to both the Manufacturer and the farmer.