Haulage Opportunities
Page 63
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Steady Improvement in Trade. Sheffield Steel Makers Active. Cotton Demand Increasing.
Hat Business Better
BUSINESS generally continues to improve.prove. This steadily increasing activity is particularly noticeable in the Midlands, whence it is reported that engineering concerns have well; filled order books. From Sheffield comes the report that the steel makers have not felt the slight decrease of business which was fairly general in that industry over the Whitsun holidays.
On the north-east coast, ship repairing is fairly active and ship breaking quite brisk. In Yorkshire generally and on Tees-side the tonnage output of iron and steel is heavier than it has been for a long period and promises to continue.
Amongst developments of interest may be included the receipt of a further order, the third of its kind, for a super trawler by Messrs. Cochrane and Sons, of Selby, the same company also having an order for a tug and two oilengined yachts.
Messrs. Richard Dunstan, Thorne, Doncaster, have instructions to put in hand two tug boats, and contracts have been placed for a further battery of low-temperature-carbonization retorts at Askern (Doncaster). The Metropolitan Vickers Electric Co. is to undertake the electrification of the Central Brazil Railway, at a cost of approximately £3,000,000.
Cotton and Wool.
The textile industry remains rather quiet. This remark applies particularly to many of the Yorkshire woollen mills, although even in their case a fair amount of business is being done in the home market. Stocks of wool are now reaching the London docks, principally Tilbury, Royal Albert and King George V. in considerable quantities.
There is a continuance of the improvement in the cotton trade with India, as was announced in the previous article, and an increase in the demand for cotton goods for Canada and South Africa. The home trade in cotton is somewhat quiet.
Boots and Shoes: Leather.
A feature of the boot and shoe trade is the predominance of orders for small consignments. This is a factor which is not only keeping the demand for road haulage fairly high, but also makes that demand Mainly one of urgency.
Timber and Building.
As some indication of the extreme activity in the building trade, it is worthy of note that plans have been passed for buildings outside the London County Council area to a value of £7,900,000, which is £1,700,009 more than April of last year. This increased activity is having a beneficial effect on the demand for timber and there will 'be need for haulage for this material ae all the principal docks at which soft wood is landed. In this connection, such ports as Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester, Hull and Grimsby, as well as London, come most readily to mind.
Important and extensive building works contemplated in the near future include ,a mental colony at 13romham (£100,000); a building scheme at Kilmarnock (20,000); six schools in Liverpool (£95,000); hospital extensions at Rochford (£234,000); a cinema and shops at Southend-on-Sea (225,000); and dock extensions at Whitehaven (3oo,000).
Actual contracts placed include the following major items:-234 houses in Cardiff on the Tremorfa Housing site, to be built by W. S. Eglen, Ltd., Goulglen, Peneigely Road, Cardiff; the erection of 28 houses 'and blocks of fiats on the Weir Hall estate, Tottenham, by M. J. Gleeson, Ltd., at a cost of £105,516; of 111 houses for Nenagh U.D.C., by Messrs. Roche, Morrissey and Kennedy, of Clonmel (Z28,686); of 45 houses on the Btillen's Lane site, St. Ives, by Messrs. W. Thomas (£13,295): of 50 houses on the Slang Lane housing estates, Wellington, by Messrs. A. Edwards, Wrexham (£14,553); of 274 houses for Wicklow U.D.C., by Messrs. C. J. Downey, Waterford (£78,600).
The contract for the supply of road materials to Tenterden T.C. went to C. J. Nickolls, Ltd., 65, High Street, Cheriton, Folkestone; Kentish Ragstone, 2i-in. at 22s. 9d.sper ton; Ii-in. at 23s. 9d.; fin. at 25s: per ton: W. Padgham and Co.; Kennington, Ashford; Kent Ragstone, 6-in. 8s. 9d. per cubic yd.; 2k-in. 9s. 9d per cubic yd.; hoggin, 4s. 6d. per cubic yd.
The Wingham Engineering Co. was successful in securing the contract for supplying the following materials, at the prices quoted, to Walmer U.D.C. -450 tons of tarred macadam, 21-in. gauge, 23s. 9d. per ton; 2-in., 23s. 9d.; lk-in., 24s. 6d.; 3-in., 25s. 6d.; and fin., 26s. 9d.: 250 tons of crushed grit, a-in. and fin. at 12s. 9d. per. cubic yd.
The Harland Engineering Co., Alloa, is to supply pumping plant in duplicate for use by Coventry Town Council at Mount Nod. The order is valued at £4,155. The same concern is to supply pumping machinery for the Eastergate Works of Bognor Regis at a cost of £1,375. Messrs. Glenfield and Kennedy, Kilmarnock, are to supply portable sand-washing apparatus to the Metropolitan Water Board for Barnes Works.
Drapery, Hosiery and Clothing.
A good start has been made with the sale of summer holiday wear, and wholesalers in the drapery and clothing business are busily engaged in replenishing retailers stocks.
The hat trade is brightening, as hauliers in the vicinity of Luton and Denton will be interested to learn. The departments in the Leicester and Nottingham areas specializing in knitted garments for beach wear are busy and the demand for silk hose is improving.
Hardware.
Makers of light castings in the Midlands are working at full pressure to meet the requirements of the building trade, as are manufacturers of hardware and hollow-ware. Tlse steel and metal-tube trade is busier than it has been for some years and has work to maintain that activity for some months.
Coal and Coke.
There is no great change to be noted in the position of the coal and coke market. The demand for both these commodities for industrial purposes remains fairly Steady. From Newcastleon-Tyne, however, comes the report that the trade is assured for six months or so.
Paper.
There arc definite signs of improving activity in the paper trade. A large new factory is shortly to be started up at Kemsley, and the Sun Ironworks, Heywood,. Lanes, is installing a machine for making corrugated paper. The Wycombe Marsh Mill of the National Paper Mills is to continue in operation.
London Docks.
The following is the number of ships arriving at the London docks, wharves and jetties named, from June 1-7 inclusive:
DocKs:-King George V, 4. Royal Albert, 8. Royal Victoria, 5. Surrey Commercial, 6. East India, 2. South West India, 1. Tilbury, 4. Tilbury Stage, 3. Millwall, 5. London, 3. WHARVES:-Hays, 6. Middleton's, 2. Regent's Canal, 2. Tilbury Jetty, 1.