WHEELS OF INDUSTRY
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WHAT THE ADVISORY COUNCIL IS DOING.
It is understood that, last week, the Transport Advisory Council—that body which works in an atmosphere of mystery—met for the first time after the summer recess. It meets on the first Thursday of each month, except during august and September.
Last week, the Council appointed a committee, which will consider. amongst other matters, whether maximum legal speeds should continue to be marked on vehicles, in view of the fact that the inscriptions cannot be read while the vehicles are in motion; whether lorry and trailer combinations should carry signs to warn other drivers of the nature of the outfits, and whether fire extinguishers should be carried on all vehicles.
In .view of the secrecy in which the Council's deliberations are carried out, it is not surprising that false rumours as to its activities gain circulation. One of these rumours is to the effect that the Council has appointed a special committee to consider the division of function of road and rail transport. The Commercial Motor understands that this belief is Quite erroneous.
The Royal Commission on Transport and the Salter Conference left over five matters which they thought should receive attention. Amongst these were the subject of road-transport rats and what %was termed a " scientific inquiry " into the question of the most suitable means for carrying certain goods. These matters are now due for consideration.
Import and export Returns for September.
The Board of Trade returns for September show that the value of commercial vehicles, cars, chassis and accessories imported during the month was £236,032, which shows an advance on the comparable figure for 1934, when the value was £203,498, and an even bigger improvement on the 1933 figure of £161,086.
1The number of complete commercial vehicles exported does not show much improvement, due to a heavy fall in the figures for India, the total of 182 for September, 1935, contrasting with 167 a year earlier, the respective values being £69,372 and £68,102. For the nine months ended September 30, a total of 1,578 complete commercial vehicles, having a value of £476,244, were exported, contrasted with 1,806 and £490,857 respectively for the comparable period of 1934.
Exports of commercial chassis for September show. a considerable fall on last year's figure, this year's total of 1,097 having to be set against 1-.350 for September, 1934. The value of these exports fell in like proportion, this year's figure of £151,587 contrasting
• " The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of trcarsPort, at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which if runs."—John Beattie Crozier with £183,280 a year ago. In the nine months ended September 30, 8,590 commercial chassis, with an aggregate value of £1,328,037, were exported, as against 7,276 and £1,077.917 respectively for the same period of 1934.
M.R.S. Business to Continue.
Although the decision of the credit'Ors and shareholders of M.R.S., Ltd., was to wind up the company, the business has passed to Sir Basil E. Mayhew, K.B.E., of Barton, Mayhew and Co., chartered accountants, who will continue it as receiver and manager on behalf of the debenture holders. Sir Basil believes that the business can be run successfully, and will do his utmost, through his representatives, to give the best possible service and attention.
A.R.O. to Canvass Candidates.
It is understood that, next week, a committee of the Associated Road Operators is to prepare a questionnaire for circulation to Parliamentary candidates at the forthcoming General Election, in order to impress upon them the hardships under which the road-transport industry is suffering, and taw secure their sympathy. CARTER PATERSON INTERESTS MUCH EXTENDED.
We were officially informed this week that Carter Paterson and Co., Ltd., which is controlled by the four mainline railway companies, has taken a large interest in Sutton and Co., Ltd., 22, Golden Lane, London, E.C.1, and Sutton and Co. {Manchester), Ltd., 36a, Fountain Street, Manchester. Representatives of Carter Paterson and Co., Ltd., and the railways will be appointed to the directorate of the two Sutton concerns.
All three road-transport companies have large interests in the parcelcarrying business. The Carter Pater-: son organization has an authorized' capital of £925,000, of which 1871,008 has been issued. The company has about 900 motor vehicles, over 5,000' receiving offices, 50 branch establishments and 180 agents in country towns.
and abroad, .
The London organization of Suttonand Co., Ltd., operates over 100 motor. vehicles and has more than 600 branches and agencies in the provinces:Of the authorized capital of £450,000, £414,571 has been issued. The Man-' chester organization employs over 80 motors, and its authorized and issuedcapital totals £50,000.
S.T.R.'s Lectures Throughout the Country.
Further to the paragraph in our issue of The Commercial Motor dated October 4, anent the series of lectures which our special contributor S.T.R. is delivering on " Operating Costs and Their Proper Use in Assessing Rates and Fares," Association secretanes should note that dates are now being rapidly booked up. S.T.R,` is already engaged for October 18, November 4, November 20 and December 17.
Railway Shareholders Should Not Vote • in Parliament.
That the law should be amended to make it illegal for Members of Parliament who are railway shareholders to yore in the House of Commons on matters concerning the road-transport industry, and thus impede its progress, was the view put forward by Mr. W. W. Walton, of Stockton, when' addressing Stockton and Thornaby Rotary Club.
He said that it was a serious question whether the industry would continue in the hands of road-transport concerns or in the hands of the railways. The railway group in the House of Commons, members of which were financially interested, in railways, did everything possible, he , said, to impede the progress of the road industry. Voting by perSons financially interested in the question under discussion should not be. permitted in Parliament.
KARRIER TROLLEYBUS POSITION.
Further to the recent announcement made by Routes Securities,Ltd., concerning the manufacture and sale of Karrier and Sunbeam trolleybuses, it is pointed out that this is merely the co-ordination of the manufacturing interests. Karrier Motors Successors, Ltd., is still interested in the saleof Karrier trolleybuses, and Mr. H. W. Hattersley, sales manager; and Mr. G. L. Stratton, municipal. representative, will continue their efforts in this connection.
Wakefield Hauliers' Meeting To-day.
The Wakefield and. District Haulage Rates. Committee is holding a meeting of hauliers at 7.30 tonight (Friday) at the Foresters' Rooms, Mechanics Institute, Chancery Lane, Wood Street, Wakefield. The agenda will include details of wages and conditions of employment and the Cost of running vehicles, Those attending a,re asld
bring with them their new copies of The Commercial Motor Tables of Operating Costs, and the meeting will be addressed by The CommercialMotor cost expert, " Henley's Annual Dinner.
The annual staff dinner and dance of W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd., and Henley's Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., was held at the Georgian Restaurant, Knightsbridge, London, SW,]., last Saturday, Mr. R. O. Wright being in the chair.
The toast of the Telegraph Works was proposed by Mr. F. J. Bettley, who said that for a generation the eompany had produced the best goods and given a fait deal_ The directors showed a connnenda.ble interest in the staff welfare.
Mr. S. J. Madden, who proposed the toast of the Tyre Company, expressed his appreciation of the work done by the cable company in developing the xiew Henley Vanguard tyre, which had already shown itself to be in the forefront in .respect of quality.
In replying, the chairman stated that the output of the cable works was better than ever, and the efficiency was improving, whilst the output of the tyre company was rising satisfactorily.
Sir Montague Hughman gave the toast of " The Chairman."
Limit on Coal and Coke Delivery.
Westminster City Council reports that the Minister of Transport has made regulations restricting the delivery of coke and certain other derivatives from coal, between 10 ann. and 6 p.m., in streets where similar limits on the delivery of Coal are imposed.
Chance for Makers of Light Oil ' Engines.
Mr. G. D. Naidu, of United Motors (Coimbatore), Ltd., United :Motors Coimbatore, Southern India, wishes to take up an agency for a British light oil engine of up to about 30 lep. The unit must be light in weight and low in price, to compete with Continental makes of engine. Mr. Naida is at present on a visit to this country, and may be communicated with, care of Thos. Cook and Sons, Ltd., Berkeley Street, London, W.1.
. Mr. Stirk's Warning on Overloading.
Warnings against exceeding the speed limit and overloading sugar-beet lorries were issued to hauliers by the East Midland Licensing Authority last week. It was stated that, during July, over 200 prosecutions were brought against owners and drivers of heavy goods vehicles for failure to comply with the conditions of their licences.
WellworthY Depot in Yorkshire.
Wellworthy, Ltd., the well-known pistois and piston-ring manufacturing concern, of Lymington, Hants., which already has a'number of service depots in different parts of the country. announces the opening of a Yorkshire depot at 82, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds. PERSONAL PARS.
MR. PHILIP TERRY, the only SOU of Mr. Charles Terry, 0.B.E., J.P., chairman of Herbert. Terry and Sons, Ltd., has now joined the company.
Mn. C. H. ATKINSON, chairman of Wirral Urban District Council, has been recommended to serve on the panel of Traffic Commissioners for the area.
MAJou H. B. RIGC;ALL, commercial manager of Ruston and Hornsby, Ltd., has been elected a member of the council of the British Engineers Association.
Bradford City Council has rejected a recommendation by the cleansing Corri mittce that MR R. G. To'rrv, cleansing superintendent to Stoke-on-Trent Corporation, be appointed director of public cleansing at Bradford. An amendment in favour of the appointment of MR. II. IIINCHCLIFFE was carried..
It was stated that Mr. Ilinehcliffe, a Bradford man, had given 30-40 years of his life to the service of the department, and had acted as chief officer since the retirement of Mr. Ernest Call.
Manufacturers who arc concerned with the Argentine market will be interested to know that Mx. E. R. LIN-ow AN, commercial secretary at Buenos Aires, is at present in this country on an official visit. He will he available at the Department of Overseas Trade on October 28 and 29 for the purpose of interviewing manufacturers' representatives. At a later date he will visit a number of industrial centres. Those concerns who desire an interview, should write to the Depart. ment at 35, Old Queen Street, London, S.W.1, quoting reference 14148/35.
Discussions on Oil Engines.
The programme of the Diesel Engine Users Association for the 1935-36 session includes informal discussions on October 30 and November 20 on " Fuels for Diesel Engines " and " New Types of Indicator for Highspeed Diesel Engines from the User's Point .of View " respectively. The annual general meeting of the Association takes place on December 11, when there will be a discussion on small high-speed oil engines.
British Piston Ring Profits.
In the year ended July 31, the British Piston Ring Co., Ltd., made a net profit, after . deducting tax, of £48,904),. contrasted with £47,541 in the previous year. A final dividend of 1741 per -cent. is proposed on the ordinary shares, making 25 per cent. for the year. After 'deducting 210,000 for the general reserve, the balance to be carried forward is £28,254, as against £15,954 brought into the accounts.. '