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News of the Week

NEW 1•IUFF1ELD COMPANY TO . FINANCE VEHICLE SALES

ANEW company„ is in the process of formation by the Nuffield Organization to provide. financefacilities (Or that large section of the motor industry connected with the Nuffield concern, and private motorists and commercial-vehicle operators throughout Great Britain.

The new company will be known as Nuffield Acceptances, Ltd., and dealers and . users of Morris-Commercial vehicles, Morris; Wolseley, Riley and MG, cars, and Morris marine engines will be able to deal with a single organization for each individnal transaction.

The directors of -the new company will he Viscount Nuffield Sir Miles Thomas, Mr. W. Hobbs and Mr. L. F. Herbert..

MORE GOVERNMENT FACTORIES

FOR INDUSTRY'TWENTY more Government fat/ tories, covering 4,500,000 sq. ft., have been allocated by the Board ot Trade for future civilian production. The total is now 74, representing some 20,000,000 sq. ft., and employment for about 200,000 workers. Negotiations for handing over others are in progress. Most of the factories are still on war work, and civilian production will not begin until this ceases.

Included amongst the latest are the following applying to concerns related to our industry, the location being given first:—Grantham, 176,000 sq.. ft., to Aveling-Barford. Lid., for agricultural machinery, road rollers, etc.; Newport Pagnell; 3,800 sq.. ft., to Sogenique (Service), Ltd.; hitthe repair of jig;boring machines; Cadoxton, Glam., 25,000 sq. ft., to J. Collis and Sons. Ltd., for mechanical conveyors; Llandudno, 112,000 sq. ft., to the Ratcliffe Engineering Co., Ltd., for jigs, press tools, gauges, etc.; Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Nr. Coventry, 583,100 sq. ft_ to Rootes. Securities, Ltd., for motor vehicles; Wolverhampton, 150,200 sq. ft., to Henry Meadows, Ltd., for engines, gearboxes, etc.

NEW BENDIX DIVISION FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE

A N important American develop

ment in the automobile field is the formation of a new division of the Bendix Aviation Corporation, Bendix International, which. will handle the Corporation's comprehensive foreign trade programme, and will be under the direction of Mr. Charles T. Zaoral, The new division will handle throughout the world, with the exception of the United States and Canada, the products of the 17 divisions of the Corporation. Its headquarters will he the same as those of the parent corporation, i.e., 30, Rockefeller Plaza. New York. It will maintain a staff of engineering, sales and service personnel, which will be expanded in America and abroad as necessary: The president of Bendix Aviation Corporation, Mr. Ernest R. Bteech;

said that the new division has been established to develop, as fully as possible, the opportunities of two-way international trade presented by. the great resources of the Corporation's many divisions.

Mr. Zaoral emphasized that tte activities abroad would be the export sale of American pioducts, the manufacture by Bendix of its products abroad and the licensing of foreign makers. It also intends to foster in America the sale of such products invented, or manufactured abroad as can find a profitable market there. It is recognized that America must buy. as well as sell, abroad to maintain a balancedinternational economy.

FLEET MAINTENANCE ENGINEER AVAILABLE

AN ex-officer, age 47, who has served an apprenticeship, . was for 20" years director ad secretary of an important garage, has acted as -W.O. inspector of transport, and for the past six years uas with, the R.A.O.C. and , RE.M--.E. as works manager and 0,C. workshops, • requires a . position as maintenance engineer to a goods or passenger road transport fleet. Letters addressed " Maintenance," care of the Editor, will be forwarded.

MORRIS MOTORS MAKE BIGGER PROFIT

IN1944, Morris Motors, Ltd., made a net profit of £2,384,529, compared with .41,980,852 in the previous year. The company has declared a final dividend of 71 per cent. On its ordinary stock, making 171 per cent., tak free, for the year, which is the -same as that for 1943. .

INCREASED WAGES FOR MOTOR REPAIRERS INCREASED rates of pay to all men

employed in the' public, workshops of the road vehicle repairing industry . were announced on August 9. They represent an additional penny per hour. In the London area, skilled men will now receive 2s. 21d. per hour; semiskilled, 2s. Old.; other workers, Is.'10d, in the provinces, the skilled rate is to be 2s. lid. per hour, semi-skilled. Is. llid.; other workers, le. 9d. Proportionate pay will be given to apprentices. .boys and youths. The newrates willcome into force on August 20.

An important point is that the rates will be paid as an over-all increase, irrespective of any higher rates at

• present being paid. They provide a further example of the combined efforts of the National Joint Industrial Council for -the Motor Vehicle, Retail and Repairing Trade to increase the status of this branch:

ANOTHER PLEA FOR AN ALL-IN • FUEL TAX .

I N a special article in " The Financial Times " of August 13, a strong plea 'is made for the substitution of ,art

• inereaSed tax on petrol, and,' presunis ably, other liquid 'fuels, for • the capacity tax (plus fuel tax) which was originally asked for by the S.M.M.T go far as this -indIitrv is concetned, the main 'difficulty is that an all-round raising of the tax on petrol -would increase by a considerable amount the cost of operating. goods and passenger vehicles, even fit were to be accom-. panied by a reduction in' the taxation on unladen weight or seating capacity. The Exchequer has already expressed its view that it would be impossible to employ sa.tisfactorily two different rates of taxation on fuel..

ADDITIONAL GROUPS ELECTED TO N.A.R.T.G.

AT a meeting of the executive of the 1-1National Association of Road Transport Groups, held a few days c. the following additional groups were Elected to membership:—Merseyside Hauliers Group, Ltd.; II, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, 3; Owners Transport Co., Ltd., Gaythorne Car Park, City Road, Manchester, 15.

The executive discussed the agreement made with the R.H.A. by Messrs. Rudman, Piper and Watchurst on its behalf, and welcomed this development. It has always been a part of the policy of the Association to co-operate with the R.H.A., and the agreement on a definition of functions and the setting up of a liaison committee are important steps towards this end.

The executive also discussed the drawing up of a set of standard records, invoices, vehicle advice notes, etc., ; ed has set up a special sub-committee to examine the question and make recom-... mendations to the next meeting.

TROLLEYBUSES Do WELL AT WOLVERHAMPTON I N the year ended March 31 lait there

was a gross surplus of £138,893 on the operation of the trolleybuses of Wolverhampton Corporation, whilst that on the motorbuses ,amounted to £51,628. After debiting interest on capital, repayment of loans and other items, the net surplus on the undertaking was £33,696, of which £10,000 has been allocated to the relief of rates, and of the remainder, £21,491 has been set aside for deferred maintenance of vehicles and equipment and for deferred -vehicle purchases, whilst the balance of transferred to the

£2,205 has been reserve fund.

The number of the past year was mileage amounted vehicles 'operated in 220. The aggregate. to 6,474,582, whilst

hilst 91,034,729 passengers were carried, the last-named constituting a record. . In the report it is mentioned that the policy of employing trolleybuses, instead of motorbuses, ha resulted in the local electricity undertaking receiving, in a period of 30 years, £564,666, and the local rates have benefited to the extent of £407,497, .1-lad motorbuses been used, this rates figure would have beefs about A5,000.

UNFAIR TREATMENT OF CASUAL HAULIERS?

CR1T1C1SM of the allocation of 14.--,short-distance t r a ffi c by the M.O.W.T. Road Haulage Organization was strdngly expressed by East Yorkshire hauliers at a recent general meeting of members of the Hull Area of R.H.A. Casual hauliers, it was said were not being fairly dealt with.

In

In accordance with a suggestion by Mr. R. E. Britton, chairman of the Hull Area, a resolution was adopted that those members w.ho had such complaints to make should supply details to Mr. S. Bays, with a view to his taking up these matters with the authorities concerned.

In an address on R.H.A. activities in the Hull area and nationally, Mr. Britton expressed satisfaction that the area's membership had increased by 23 per cent, during the past six months. The fact that there were now sub-areas for Bridlington., Malton, Driffield, Howden and Market Weighton, made for democratic representation in area activities.

Alluding to national discussions concerning• the stabilization of rates, the chairman said that they afforded evidence of the advantages of having the one big national organization, provided in the R.H.A., to represent A

and B -licence holders. Mr. Britton explained the .reasons for the formation of R.H.A. functional groups.

FURTHER AUTHORIZATION FOR CROSSLEY BUSES

WE are advised that the first .authorizationfor the production of new Crossley buses and trolleybuses has been absorbed. Prominent purchasers include the corporations of Bolton, Bury, Leeds, Manchester, Salford, South Shields and Sunderland, as well as New Plymouth and Wellington, New Zealand, Crossley Motors, Ltd., Gorton, Manchester, has received a further authorization and there will, we are informed, be ample Crossley passenger vehicles available in 1946 to meet operators' needs.

U.S. TRUCK AND TRAILER PRODUCTION

THE total production of trucks and truck tractors in the United States during the first six months of 1945 . amounted to 410,094 vehicles, compared with 389,951 during the second half of 1944, the War Production Board has announced. The figure covers vehicles for both civilian and military uses, and includes jeeps s.nd military ambulances.

The W.P.B. has also announced that 97,816 commercial trailers were turned out in the U.S. during the period from January to June, 1945, compared with 77,669 in the second half of 1944.

IRISH FREE STATE'S GROWING TRACTOR IMPORTS

Q0 far this year there has been a noteworthy increase in the imports of tractors into the Irish Free State. The latest official reports are those for the six months ended June last, during which period 689 complete machines valued at £106,066 reached thq country, as compared with only 25 units and £3,716 respectively in the corresponding half of 1944. It may be mentioned that so far this year tractors have in value represented 38 per cent. of the Free State's total motor imports.

LOCKHEED PENSIONS AND DISABILITY FUND

AT a dinner attended by representatives of the management, staff, ;..id works of the Lockheed Hydraulic Brake Co., Ltd., and associated companies, Of Leamington Spa, Mr. N. Spurgeon, director and secretary, gave details of a fund from which disability and pension grants may be i made to employees who are on a weekly or hourly basis. This non-contributory scheme is available to staff and works employees who reach retiring age and have at least 15 years' consecutive service with the companies.

R.H.A. RALLY IN SOUTH • YORKSHIRE

THE South Yorkshire Area of the R.H.A. is holding an area rally at the Y.W.C.A., Division Street, Sheffield, on the evening of September 10, when Mr. H. T. Dutfield, chairman of the N.R.T.F., and Mr. R.' W. Sewill. M.A., director, R.H.A., have both agreed to speak:

YORKSHIRE INST. OF T. PLANS FOR NEXT SESSION

THE Yorkshire section of the Institute of Transport, Which, because of night-travel difficulties, ha S held its war-time meetings in Leeds during•the mid-day break will, next session, partially return to pre-war practice by having snme of the meetings in the evening, the remaining ones_ being at lunch-time. Among the speakers will be Mr. T. W. Royle, vice-president of the L.M.S. Railways. Major F. S. Eastwood, Transport Commissioner for the North-eastern 'Region; Mr. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith. C.B.E.; and Mr. S. Carslake, Signals and Telegraph .Engineer, L.N.E. Railway, York. It is proposed to resume, in March next, the . holding of an annual dinner, a function which has been suspended during 1-Le war.

LEICESTER MEETING FOR TRAFFIC ADMINISTRATORS '

AN open meeting of the Institute of .Traffic Administration will be held on September 19, at 7.30 p.m., at the Royal Hotel, Leicester, when the subject of " Industrial Transport Management " will be dealt with by Mr. B. M. Moore.

BOOKLET ON FAMOUS BRITISH GENERALS MHE series of advertisements entitled

" Famous British Generals " issued by Crossley Motors, Ltd., Gorton, Manchester, 18, has aroused much interest. This has prompted the company to reproduce the series in booklet form on art paper and well _printed, thus constituting an excellent memento. It can he obtained by sending a penny stamp to the publicity department of the company.

. REPRESENTATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

AFIRM of importers established in 1900 wish, to obtain direct representation of British manufacturers in the Middle East on a sole buying agency basis. They are interested in all types of electrical and automobile

accessory andrepair equipment, machine tools and other engineering products. Under technically qualified British directorship, they have branches or agents throughout the Middle East and can provide what is described as excellent showroom accommodation. Their representation covers Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Cyprus and Saudi Arabia.

It is requested that those interested should reply by air mail to David Blanga and Fils, P.O. Box 1034, Beyrout.

NEW FORM OF IGNITION TESTER

A NEAT " English Electric" igni,

tion tester, which shows on a fluorescent screen the efficiency or otherwise of the performance of an engine in this respect, has been developed by D. Napier and Son, Ltd., in conjunction with its parent company, the English Electric Co., Ltd. Although originally intended for use in connection with Tank engines it would, no doubt, be most useful to works and garages. CAR MAKER'S BIG OUTPUT OF SPECIAL WAR VEHICLES

ONE of those-companies in the motor industry, which undertook the roduction of an immense variety of equipment during the war is Jaguar Cars, Ltd., Coventry. Althoughs_normally, it buildsSpecialized cars, its war-time energies were•directed to a diversity of work. In this connection one can mention the range of special-purpoie transport 'vehicles which flowed from the works of the company and its subsidiaries at the rate of nearly 70.0 a week, including interesting types of trailer.

Apart from this the company developed a highly interest* lightweight vehicle, resembling. a •baby Jeep. So light that one man can easily lift either end of it clear. -of the ground, this vehicle had a remarkable go-arlywhkre performance ands-Was intended for airborne operations. However, the increased carrying .capacity of aircraft which made possible the transport 'of the ordinary jeep rendered the production of this little vehicle unnecessary.

BIG AIRCRAFT OUTPUT HELPED BY ROAD MOTORS

WHEN members of the Yorkshiie VV Transport Society recently paid an evening visit to the Yeadon aircraft works of A V. Roe and Co., Ltd., a stream of buses and coaches taking the day-shift workers home served TO remind them of the part which • such road transport co-operation has played in the development and maintenance of the factory's huge war effort. At the peak of this effort, more than 10,000 people were employed at the works

Almost the whole of this army of munition workers had to be transported by road from numerous towns and smaller places in the West Riding, • because the factory is not near a rail way station. Each morning 175 vehicles, drawn both from municipal and privately owned undertakings.

unloaded the day :,hift workers a the specially planned and labelled bus stands outside the works, and took on board the homeward-bound night-shift employees; each evening they were there again for the change of the twelve-hour shifts.

That road-transport operators will still have a big job in the provision of travel facilities for workers employed on peace-time activities at the Yeadon works was pointed out to the visitors.

A vote of thanks to the company was proposed by Mr. H. Mann, a vicechairman of the Society' and assistant traffic superintendent in the Bradford Passenger Transport Department.

GLASGOW TRANSPORT RESULTS NOT AS BAD AS EXPECTED

THE loss on the Glasgow transport undertaking in the past municipal year was less serious than expected. The estimate was that it would amount to at least £500,000, but the actual deficit, as disclosed in the annual accounts, is £976,984; it compares with a deficit of £145,588 for the preceding year.

The accounts provide a generous allowance for depreciation. The practice of the department has been so prudent in this regard that, when application was made last year for permission to increase .fares, the Ministry of War Transport declined, after inquiry, to approve the scheme Since then, it is understood, the transport committee of the corporation has been drafting a modified plan of increases.

The income of the department in the 12 months ended May 31 last came to £4,576,131, which was £22,793 better than the previous year. Against this, however, there was a substantial increase in working expenses, which, at £4,322,941, were higher by £l82,273than the comparable cost in 1943-44. This left a net revenue of £253,190, but with the sinking fund, income-tax, and other charges the balance was reduced to £18,788 The appropriation on top of this of more than £395,000 to depreciation and permanent way renewals hind produced the deficit on the year's operations.

So far as buses are concerned, revenue amounted to £1,156,719 and expenses to £1,197,642 SUNDERLAND MUNICIPAL BUS AND TRAM RESULTS THE report of the transport depart' ment of Sunderland Corporation for the year ended March 31 last shows that the balance on the tramways revalue account, transferred to the net revenue account, was £44,068 and en the buses £32,638. 'After meeting items of expenditure, including interest on capital, income tax (£30,549), etc, £40,464 remains for transfer to the reserve and renewals fund, which now stands at £90,476.

The trams carried over 49,000,000 passengers and the. buses 25,000,000. The total revenue on the trams was £210,784 and working expenses £166,716 the comparable figures fur buses being £133,702 and £101,064 respectively ROAD ACCIDENT FIGURES FOR JUNE

rASUALT1ES on the roads of Great

Britain during June totalled 11,219: deaths numbered 395 and the seriously injured 2,617.. Compared with June of last year, when traffic was abnormally heavy, due to operations in Normandy, the figures show a reduction of 102 deaths and 192 seriously injured. There was; however, an increase of 575 slightly injured:

The following table is an analysis of the number of deaths according to the types of vehicle primarily involved: —

Type of Vehicle. of Deaths, Service (British, Dominion, and Allied of the three Services) ...

Priblic service and .hacliney 80

Private cars ... 68 Motorcycles Pedal cycles

Others 10

EIRE GOVERNMENT TAKES OVER CORK CARRIER THE Eire Government-controlled I Coras Iompar Eireann has acquired the transport business of Messrs. O'Riordan and O'Byrne, the Cork firm of furniture removers and carriers. , The staff, as well as the lorries and vans, are being transferred to C.I.E. employment'.

STOCKTON'S BUSES GIVE GOOD RETURN

A"'profit of £25,380 wai earned by Stockton-on-Tees Corporation bus services during the year ended March 31 last. The total. income was £237,314 and expenditure £160,393, leaving a gross profit of £76,921. After meeting other items of expenditure, including £32,677 for income tax, there was a net surplus of £25,380, which has been transferred to the reserve aed renewals account, now at £71,854.

TRANSPORT CLASSES IN LONDON

THE Institute of Transport advises us that transport classes in the London area will be available during the session 1945-46 as follow'

At At the City of London College, Electra House, Moorgate, E.C.2, where evening courses in preparation for the Institute's graduateship examination will commence on September 24.

At Ealing • Technical College, Warwick Road, Ealing, W 5, where full courses for, the graduateship and . associate membership examinations will again be available; classes will also be arranged for the diploma in road transport of the Royal Society of Arts. All classes commence on September 17.

At Kennington Commercial Institute, Kennington Road, S.E.11, where courses for the graduateship examination, and road-transport diploma of the R.S.A., will be held, if there be sufficient enrolments.

At the North-Western Polytechnic, Prince of Wales Road, N.W.5, where courses will be given for the graduateship examination and for Part I of the associate membership examination, as well as for the R.S.A. road-transport diploma. Classes commence on -September 24.

RIBBLE MOTOR SERVICES SETS UP RECORD

I14 the year ended March 31 last the buses of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., carried the record number of 143,600,872 passengers, whilst lle • aggregate mileage operated by the vehicles was 25,286,511. In the hat peace-time year 106,661,405 passengers were carried, and 42,596,680 miles run. The pre-war fleet of over 1,000 vehicles was reduced by 25 per cent, during the war, but, despite this fact, the company successfully carried vast numbers of war woi-kers to scores of factories in the area which it covers.

• FIRST SUMMER SCHOOL IN TRANSPORT ADMINISTRATION W/P.' have received from the Institute VV of Traffic Administration, 2, Caxton Street, London, S.W.1, details of its first Summer School in Transport Administration, to be held at Birmingham University from September 5 to 12 next.

The object of the School is to provide an opportunity, during a brief summer period, to discuss principles and methods of transport administration in their relation to community well-being and the due advancement of the status of the administrator; to enable those engaged in transport administration to exchange views; and, generally, to promote education in all matters relating to the science and art of transport administra tiOn • The programme is specially designed to be of practical help to returning Services personnel.

The fee for membership of the School has been fixed at £2 I2s. 6c1, for the full • week. Those staying at University House will be charged 1_5s. per day for board and lodging. .

Enrolment application forms may I e obtained from the Registrar of the Institute ar the address we have given.

—NEW H.Q. OF S.M.M.T.

AS from Monday next, August 20, the new address of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders will be 148, Piccadilly, London, W.1, the telephone number being Grosvenor 4040.

BUSY WAR YEARS FOR "ALDERSHOT AND DISTRICT"

SPEAKING at the annual general meeting of the Aldershot and Dis

trict Traction Co., Ltd., Mr, .Sidney Garcke, C.B.E., the chairman, said that the exceptionally high war-time revenue earned by the cOmpany's buses had been attained only by overloading, which was unavoidable in the circumstances of extreme shortage of labour, fuel, etc.

In common with bus companies in other parts of the country, the company held ready, at all times, a fleet of passenger yehicles conirerted into ambulances, and, probably due to its geographical position, heavy use had been made of. them. The company's vehicles moved, sometimes under conditions of extreme urgency, often in the dark • and over long distances, no fewer than 46,000 patients. , He thought that the discomfort to passengers might have been less had the company been permitted to employ slightly wider, vehicles, as is the case in nearly all other countries.