OPINIONS
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QUERIES
LITTLE PROFIT BUT HARD WORK IN SELLING COAL.
[4979] I trust 1 do not encroach unduly on your space, but I would like to have a few words more on this coal-hawking matter.
It is all very well for B.J.T. to say that a merchant is a fool to take less than 8d. per cwt. profit, but he may as well admit that the districts where this can be obtained are exceptions. B.J.T. need not tell us that there are many people who wait until evening for a stray coalman coming along; they are, again, the exception. There is also the difficulty of getting men to work after 5 p.m.
It is very good, too, to talk of selling a ton of coal to the casual customer who asks if there is a bag to spare. Few people care to buy a ton of coal from a stranger. There also arises the question of storage ; few houses in towns have accommodation for more than a few bags, and in those which have their owners usually deal with a regular vendor and do not depend on the stray.
Reference to petty jealousy does not correspond with the part of the original article, which states that "coal merchants, as a whole, adopt the attitude that the world is wide and that any man who thinks that he can make his living at the trade is entitled to try his • hand."
No, B.J.T., better to "tell your readers of the hard work and setbacks which are to be encountered, instead of the picture of an easy way to fortune which you have drawn. IAN C. SMITH. Balvicar.
IS THERE BIG MONEY IN COAL HAWKING?
[4980] I have read with amusement the article on coal hawking by "B.J.T." To anyone reading this, and in ignorance of the conditions existing in the coal
' hawking business, a new Eldorado would appear to be in the offing. Here, in Hull, we have a busy industrial town, with rapidly extending suburbs an. d new housing estates on all sides; surely, one of " B.J.T.'s " Meccas.
However, as we say in Yorkshire, "let's get down to brass tacks," and face the true state of affairs. The profit stated, namely 8d. per cwt., is ridiculous, actually, the average profit is considerably less than this figure. The paragraph which states that coal merchants cannot find time to deliver to new customers is ludicrous ; on the contrary, they are out for all the bnsiness they ca find, whether it be one bag or one ton. Another stat ment, that countless. thousands have no regular coa man aid -buy from the first vendor who shouts, "at coal,"' is "tripe." The class to-day which buys in oe. 'weekly bags has its own coal hawker who calls regular each week, and who is, in fact, in the district every da: " B.J.T." does not mention anything regarding ha debts and other overhead expenses, although, I presum these items come out of his haulage business during ti morning.
In conclusion, I would add that if your correspondei be still of the opinion that three tons of coal can I sold daily between luncheon and 7 p.m. at a profit I gd. per cwt. I will be only too glad to allow him chance to prove this fact here in Hull by placing at h disposal a 3-ton lorry, complete with bags, scales, etc for one week.
Come on "B.J.T.," the opportunity and scope at tremendous. 'L. R. HOLLINGWORTH. Hull.
B.J.T. REPLIES TO FURTHER CRITICISMS.
[4981] I have noted with interest the further obserin Eons and criticisms concerning my article. To in mind, a -lot of it is irreleVant; some is inclined to spiteful and the remainder struck me—being a memb( of • a family that has been connected with the cos trade for nearly 100 years—as being almost too coca: to call for a reply.
In my opinion, Mr. James W. Stewart,. secretary ( the Coal Merchants' Federation of Great Britain, an Mr. H. Dawson, secretary of the Yorkshire Federatio of CoalDistributors, definitely hit (not myself In others). below the belt, when they make a genet.; accusation against so-called pirate traders of givin short Wei.ght, and of buying "inferior coal that oda people throw out, and selling it as best house coal. Before they utter another word against pirate tradersin other words, newcomers—let them ask themselv( this simple. question :
How many members of their respective organizatior are free from the taint of piracy? Apart from the le: who bought their businesses, or inherited them fret the family, how did the others come to get a footin in the coal trade? What were they, in the beginniru if not newcomers? Did those already in regard ther as pirates?
Those who, in 1914, had their horses stopped in tl) streets, valued on the spot, and commandeered, ha more cause for complaint than, many present rnerribei of the Coal Merchants' Federation. They did in( squeal. when their sons and employees returned fret the war, only to find that ex-munition workers had s( up as coal traders. They set about the job of puffin the business together again.
Those critics who rejoiced to inform your readea that I did not know what I was talking about when explained that little difficulty would be experienced i obtaining supplies, have perhaps noted the admissio of the secretary of Coal Merchants Federation (Mr. Stewart) that it is "true that anyone who can scrap the money together to pay a deposit on a lorry ca enter the coal trade and call himself a coal merchant. They may also note his corroboration of the point made in the article that the selling schemes in opera lion did not materially affect the small man.
Mr. J. Stewart pulls me up for not dealing mor fully with the above schemes. He knows, as well as do, that if would take up many pages of this journal t 1520
eal exhaustively with the many items set forth in 2e Various schemes. Mr. Stewart's remarks on them re, however, accurate. I made it my business careIlly to peruse the schemes months ago, and I would dvise readers interested in the coal trade to write to I.M. Stationery Office; enclosing 6d. in stamps, asking 2r. the pamphletdealing with the Government's new sllMg scheme for coal,-_ etc., which applies to their articular county. From this they. will obtain useful iformation, and if they read between the lines careally they will not be long in eoming•to the conclusion hat I am correct when I state that, the vested interests re waiting only for a favourable opportunity to strike
mortal. blow not only at pirates, newcomers and asuals, but at countless numbers of smaller coal aerchants and dealers. •
Whether the coal trade be, as is alleged, hopelessly e-ercrowded or not, newcomers will continue to enter he tradeevery autumn and winter, until trade Tganization makes it a closed shop, and I maintain hat it is far better for those who have available lorries o step into the breach, and so bring about saturation ioint, before others who have no vehicles set up iusiness and fill the gaps. .
In some areas, it is perfectly true that there is no teed for further entries. South 'Wales would not he , happy hunting ground. But note how the populae ions of other towns have increased. Vast new building -states are being developed ail over the country. The esiclents require coal during the better part of the year, ind many of them will take in a ton during the summer nonths.
Mr. Stewart states that the coal merchant (in other cords, Federation member) takesthe strongest excepion to newcomers entering the trade. Well, why :arivass them to join local assOciations?
It is natural. I suppose—and agood illustration of nail's inhumanity to:man—for.' groups of traders to !et up in some line of business, and thentry to prevent inyone else, from competing with them, and the secre.ary of each such trade organization can do no other than oppose sentiments giving the other fellow's viewDon't.
Before trying. to prevent another man from expressng himself, andthose with the necessary equipment :ront entering the trade, .let the collieries be stopped ;roin supplying the public direct; arrest the scandal of charging one price to one merchant and a different price. to another ; and discourage the colliery companies From dictating to Federation members as to how they shall run their businesses.
I should, however, like to add that I have no personal feelings towards men like Mr. Stewart or Mr. H. Dawson. I believe they are both capable and hardworking officials and do what they can in 'the interests of the members they represent. As regards. J. Brocklebank, who sets out to find a few holes in my little scheme, as he calls it, and assures. us that he has had 21 years' experience in the coal trade and 20 years on the Manchester Coal Exchange, let me point out his own flaw. He tells us that it is a poor job, but, despite hisassertion that his lorry was out for five hours and sold only three bags, he still thinks the trade remunera tive enough to stay in. B. J.T.
[This correspondence is now closeff.—EDA GETTING ON WITH THE JOB!
[49821 In your leading article headed "Get On with the Job!" in your issue dated February 5,, you apparently fear that A.R.O. will adopt "an entirely dil e:30 ferent policy" from the C.M.U.A. Why should you have such fears, when the extensive and practical programme which the C.M.I:J.A. "has adopted as a national policy" is in fact essentially the national policy of the old R.H.A., which was handed down by that worthy body to its successor, A.R.O., two years ago?
We do not mind the C.M.U.A. imitating our policy in the same way as they have amended, their constitution to ours. To say that such imitation is the sincerest form of flattery is the least I can say about it. It is both grand co-operation and moral support for A.R.O., which I welcome.
Anyway, you, dear sir, need have no sleepless nights or cold sweats on account of A.R.O. We are "getting on with the job ! "RUSHOLM BROWN, Director, Eltham Transport Co., Ltd.
Eltham.
[We must confess that we have had no " sleepless nights or cold sweats" as the result of our thoughts on this. matter, but it is very nice of Mr. Rusho]m Brown to be so concerned about our mental and physical well being. Without " entering the ring" on the point as to which body devised the policy to which reference is made,. we are glad of the assurance that both associations are working towards a common end—the good of the industry as a whole.—Eri.]
HELP THOSE WHO PLAY THE GAME..
[4983] I have read with considerable interest the letter from Mr. F. E. Marsh (published in your issue of January 22, 1937), also the very able and, complete reply made by Mr. P. J. Authers, and published in the February 5 issue of your journal.
Quoting Mr. Anthers's remarks,, surely, on the question of principle. we Must agree that Mr. Marsh deserved all that he got. In fact, I think that, in view of the very serious offences that he committed, Mr. Marsh ought to consider himself fortunate to be left with his two limited B-licence vehicles.
I, for one, welcome strong action by the Licensing Authorities against hauliers who. are acting in contravention of the conditions of their licences, whether they be A, B, orC, 'because the sooner these people go out of business the better. it will be for those who are endeavouring to "play the game" in very trying and' difficult circumstances: WHO SHOULD, CLEAR FALLEN TREES?
A. F. SHAW, Director.
(For Merton Engineering Co., Ltd.) Felthana
[4984] If a tree or branch happens, as the result of a storm, to fall across the road and block the traffic, who is responsible for seeing that a passage' is cleared for traffic? On a few occasions this winter when trees fell across the road and it would have taken the roadman only a short time to clear them away, he took no heed. claiming that it is the duty of the estates or proprietor to see to that.
In the case of a big fall where there may be dozens of trees I quite understand that the roadman would need help, but in those cases where only one or two trees are involved, I think that it should be the madman's duty to see that the thoroughfare is cleared.
Oban. e W. REID.
[It would appear that it is the duty of the highway officials to keep the highway clear of fallen trees. Furthermore, there is no obligation upon the owner of the land upon which the trees were growing to supply warning lamps
• at night time fOr the obstructions should suchtrees fall. —En.]