NEWS of the WEEK
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MERGER NEGOTIATIONS TO BE CONTINUED.
At an extraordinary general meeting of Associated Road Operators held at Birmingham on October 13, a vote of confidence in the National Council of the Association was passed by .a large majority. A poll was demanded, which will be taken on October 27, 1936, at the London offices of the Association.
The National Council, at a largely attended meeting held prior to the extraordinary general meeting, passed a resolution, by an overwhelming majority, under the terms of which the negotiations with the Commercial Motor Users Association will be continued, with a view to the consummation of the merger at the earliest possible moment.
At a meeting of the National Council of the C.M.U.A. held on Wednesday last, and attended by delegates from all parts of the country, it was reported that, consequent upon the legal position arising out of the service of a writ upon the A.R.O. by certain of its members, the date of the merger has been postponed.
Solex and Zenith Co-operation.
We are advised that an agreement has been arrived at between Solex, Ltd., and the Zenith Carburetter Co., Ltd., for close technical co-operation. It has, as its main objects, the _centralization of scientific research work and the.-rationalization of types of carburetter to be made.
Centralization of Road Administration Favoured.
A resolution in favour of the centralization of the administration of through (international) roads was proposed by Major R. A. B.. Smith, M.C., of Great Britain, and adopted by the Highway Transport Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce, at a meeting in Paris on Friday last. when Mr. A. H. Swayne, vice-president of the General Motors Corporation, of New York, was in the chair. The use of unemployed men for the construction of roads was also recommended.
Discussing methods of financing road 136 construction and maintenance, the committee urged that special taxes on highway users should be limited to such amounts as will not tend to deprive the public of the benefits of the normal development of mechanical transport, adding that the appropriations for road works should be at least as great as the taxes on road users.
C.M.U.A. Meetings for A and B Licensees.
Public meetings for A and B licenceholders are to be• held by the Manchester Area C.M.U.A. at Stockport (the White Lion Hotel) on Wednesday next, October 21, and at Crewe (the Royal Hotel) on Thursday, October 29. The speakers on both occasions will be Councillor Barton, who will deal with ' The Position of the Industry as the Association Sees It," and Mr. E. F. Topham, whose subject will be " Renewal Difficulties for A and B Licenceholders." They will also speak at Buxton on November 3 and at Northwich on November 9. Licensing problems will also be the subject of an address by Mr. H. Back-house, Junr., C.M.U.A. Manchester Area solicitor,-at a meeting to be held at the Memorial Hall, Manchester, on Wednesday, November 4.
No Railway Opposition !
Comment on the fact that there were no objections to an application by a Dundee concern, Wordie and Co., Ltd., to increase its fleet of lorries was made by Mr. Henry Riches, -Northern Scotland Licensing Authority. He said that usually the railway companies strenuously resisted any application for additional vehicles in Dundee, maintaining that the number of goods vehicles for hire was already excessive.
The application, which was for an additional 2-ton vehicle and two trailers of 1/ ton each, was granted, the condition being made that the concern should permanently reduce by three, within three months, the number of its horse-drawn vehicles in Dundee.
Birmingham's 1100,000 Lighting Scheme.
Birmingham Corporation, which recently decided to spend £100,000 on reorganizing the lighting system of the city, has placed an order with the General Electric Co., Ltd., Magnet House, Kingsway, London, W.C.2, for the relighting of 133 miles of street, chiefly by Osira electric-discharge lamps. Some idea of the nature of the scheme can be gathered from the -fact that nearly 4,000 new lighting units are to be installed. The streets affected comprise nearly a quarter of the total mileage under the corporation's control.
OVER 500,000 COMMERCIAL VEHICLES LICENSED.
The gross amount received in payment for motor-vehicle licences issued during the nine months ended August 31, 1936, was £29,278,245, compared with £27,620,406 in the corresponding period of the previous year. The average receipt in respect of a whole-year licence was £27 14s. 6d, for internalcombustion and steam-driven goods vehicles, £24 18s. for electric goods vehicles, and £52 Os. 6d. for motor hackneys. At the end of August, licences were Current for 438,565 goods vehicles at 84,523 hackneys.
Fuel and Defence: Deputation to Secretary for Mines.
The Secretary for Mines, Capt. Crook shank, M.P., recently received a deputation from the coal industry on the subject of fuel and defence. It was led by Sir Evan Williams, president of' the Mining Association and of the Coal Utilisation Council, and representatives of the Sentinel Waggon Works, Ltd., were present.
The objects were to stress the importance of fuel as a vital factor in modern warfare, the dependence,of this country on supplies of imported liquid fuel, and the desirability of incorporating, in plans for national defence and rearmament, provisions for encouraging the use of coal and its derivatives as alternatives to liquid fuel.
It was pointed out that, at present, less than 5 per cent, of our imports of liquid fuel come from Empire countries, and that only about 4 per cent, is produced in this country.
Transport Out of Control, Says I. of T. President.
In the course of his recent presidential address before the Institute of Transport, Sir Alfred Read, chairman and managing director of Coast Lines, Ltd., said that the development of road traffic was the greatest transport phenomenon of the century. Great Britain was now the most densely vehicled country in the world. During the summer peak of 1936 there were 2,572,000 registered vehicles on the road, which represented an increase of 188,000 vehicles in a year. These figures meant that there was one vehicle to every 19 people, or 27 vehicles to the square mile.
Ile also referred to the urgent need for co-ordination of the different forms of transport, which, he said, was momentarily out of control. Partial restoration of equilibrium was possible in directional planning, but still more urgent was the need for preventing overlapping, the elimination of duplicated services and the assignment of each branch to its proper sphere. "PRODUCE WITNESSES" ADVICE.
At Cupar, on Friday last, Mr. Henry Riches, Northern,' Scotland Licensing Authority, spoke of the importance Ofproducing witnesses when applying for a licence. Mr. Joseph Brown, coal merchant, 62, Cameron Park, Thornton, was applying for a B licence, and stated that he had recently •acquired part of the business of Mr. J. Carmichael, Scotlandwell. He produced six letters from business people in the area in support of his application, which
was for a radius of 50 miles north and 25 miles east
in refusing the application, Mr. Riches said that instead of producing letters applicant should bring witnesses. As it was, the evidence before him was insufficient.
Advising on Lighting and Heating Problems.
Works executives and factory managers, who are confronted with lighting and heating problems, will find.the services of the Mortimer Gall Electrical Centre, 115-117, Cannon Street, London, E.C.4, of help in the solution of their difficulties. This is the first electrical centre of its kind to be opened with the object of advising industrialists in the correct use of electricity for light and power. It was founded by Mr. J. Mortimer Hawkins, and was recently opened by Lord Deiamere. The aim of the Institute is not just to sell equipment, hut to give helpful and sound advice, 13-licence Mileage Restrictions Must Be Observed.
A warning against exceeding the mileage specified in a B licence was given by the Yorkshire Licensing Authority (Mr, Joseph Farndale), at Leeds, on Tuesday last. The point arose when Mr. R. H. Mason, of Sheriff Hutton„ near York, applying for the renewal of his licence without. modifications„ admitted to a railway representative that he had exceeded his mileage and gone to Newcastle on occasions during the pea-picking, season. Mr. Pamdale . remarked: "I will have to warn you that if you are discovered going beyond the limit of your licence you will probably find yourself in some other court, where you will be liable to a heavy penalty. If anything comes to my knoWledge in this -respect I may take away your licence."
The application was granted.
British Share of Indian Import Trade Falls.
A survey of the import trade of India for the period from. April 1 to Jane 30, L36, recently issued by the Department' of Overseas Trade, shows that 1,414 ; vehicles, valued at Re. 24•Ialths.-, Were imported daring this period, compared with 2,203 and Rs. 27.2 lakhs in the comparable period of last year. IMports from the United Kingdom fell from 154 to 140 vehicles and, in value, from Rs. 6.3 }albs to Rs. 3 Iakhs, due to an increased proportion of lightweight and cheaper machines.
Imports from the United States rose sharply from 423 to 1,065 vehicles. their. values being Rs. 6.66 lakha and Rs. 18 laklis respectively, whilst arrivals from Canada fell from 004 to 364 vehicles, their, values being 4.s. 10.5 lakhs and Rs. 5.25 lakhs respectively.
PERSONAL PARS.
Hull Cleansing Committee has promoted MR. J. It WARD from the position of chief •cleansing inspector •to public cleansing superintendent.
Dundee Transport Committee has renewed the annual nomination of Ma. D. R. KIDD to the panel of Traffic Commissioners for the area
MR. T. J. MAY has been nominated by the Transport and General Workers' Union as prospective Labour candidate for the South Nottingham division.
Ccitnacuron T. A. SAXTON, a member of one of the largest haulage-contracting firms in Heanor, has resigned from the Heanor Urban District Council.
ALDERMAN. G. DEER, local secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union, is a prospective nominee for the next Parliamentary election by the Lincoln Labour Party MR. JAMES IkirMILLAN. B.C.D., has been appointed inspector of cleansing and transport manager at Airdrie.
Fife County Road Board has nominated C.OUNCILLOR JOHN DAVIDSON, Kelty, to the panel of Traffic Cona missioners for the Northern Scotland Area.
Tunok "WiLLIA s, the veal,. known La.ugharne and Carmarthen. shire 'taus ptoprietor, has been reelected niayor of Laugha.rne for the ensuing year.
SHOULD HIRING ALLOWANCE BE REMOVED?
Allegations of rate-cutting in the furniture-carrying trade, at Southport and elsewhere, were made by a witness in a case at Liverpool, W. Carter (Harrods, Ltd.), 6, Wilmslow Road, Rusholme, Manchester, applied, before the North-Western Deputy Licensing Authority, for permission to acquire a 2i-ton vehicle, based at Southport, on its A licence, in place of a hiring allowance of 5 tons.
Mr. Smith said that the company had been established a number of years. Although it had recently had an increase in the number of transactions, its turnover remained the same. The company had to do more work to-day owing to the cut rates prevailing.
Quoting Section 10, Sub-section 3 of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, Mr. C R. Hodgson, on behalf of the railways, submitted that if the hiring allowance be placed on a licence and the Authority knew it was not being used, and he had evidence that there was no need for an additional vehicle, then the hiring allowance should be removed. That was the position in this case. Decision was reserved, Patrol Officers Secure Hours and Record Conviction.
A remarkable coincidence gained convictions for the police in a recent case in a Doncaster police court, against father and son in a haulage business, for driver's hours and record offences. The vehicle concerned was being driven by the son and two motor patrol officers noted the registration number of the vehicle as it passed through Doncaster on its way south in the morning. They also saw the same vehicle returning late at night—about 11 p.m.—and stopped the driver and asked for his record sheet, which showed that he started work three hours before8 p.m. The officers then confronted the driver with the statement that they ' I seen him drive through the town the same morning. Summonses followed, and tne Bench imposed fines totalling £12. " Roving" Commission Refused.
The view that return loads were often carried at ridiculously low rates was expressed, at Kirkcaldy, by Mr. Henry Riches, Northern Scotland Licensing Authority, when Mr. Robert Wilson, Dunfermline, applied for a licence to enable him to carry furniture, household goods, agricultural produce, farm requisites, wool, and road material within 75 miles of Dunfermline.
Objections were lodged by the London and North-Eastern Railway Co. and by Messrs. Manclark Brothers, hauliers, Dunfermline, for whom it was stated that ample facilities existed. Letters were submitted from farmers in various Perthshire areas stating that work would be given to the applicant if the licence were granted. Applicant stated that he bought coal at the pithead which he sylcl to farmers. He wished to convey goods on his return journey to his base.
Mr. Riches said that if the licence n8
were granted, applicant would simply be taking work from existing hauliers. He could not be given a roving commission, and the application would be refused, permission being given only for the conveyance of sugar beet for two of Mr. Wilson's customers.
By-passing a Busy Cornish Town.
The heavy holiday traffic passing through the old mining town of Redruth, Cornwall, on the London-Penzance road, has made it necessary for the county council to undertake the construction of a by-pass, and a contribution from the Road Fund is to be made towards the cost, which is estimated at £84,000. The existing road through the town is very narrow, and has to accommodate upwards of 5,000 tons of traffic per day. The by-pass will be nearly 21 miles long.
TRADE INCREASE, BUT NO EXTRA VEHICLES.
The hearing of the application by Longton Transport, Ltd., for the renewal of its licence for 26 vehicles, and for three additional vehicles—reported in last week's issue of The Commercial Motor—was continued at Hanley on Friday last
Mr. F. Griffiths, on behalf of the applicant, produced fresh evidence supporting his submission that greatly increased traffic necessitated the use of extra vehicles.
In announcing his decision, the West Midland Licensing Authority, Col. A. S. Redman, said that, in his opinion, the evidence was not sufficient to justify three extra vehicles: this part of the application was, therefore, dismissed. The application for renewal was granted.