More Legislation Urged
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REFERENCES to the need for new legislation and regulations are contained. in the First Annual Reports of the Licensing Authorities. It is 'submitted that trailers drawn by private cars for the carriage of goods in connection with the business of the vehicle owner should, if their use increases, be subject to licensing. Amending legislation to deal with overloading is also advocated, but, in our opinion, the activities of the vehicle examiners in connection with maintenance, apart from weighing machines on the road, should have a beneficial effect in this direction. There should be no further Parliamentary interference until the present system of control has been fully tested. . If anomalies exist as befween various classes of operator, surely some relaxation of the cause of these anomalies should be afforded, in preference to multiplying the already excessive number of Rules and Orders.
The Metropolitan Licensing Authority sees no reason why the present close limits on the expansion of fleets should not be maintained, at least for the time being, although he appreciates the great boon conferred upon industry and commerce by road transport. His profound ability as an interpreter of statutes has never been questioned by even his most trenchant critics—many of whom, incidentally, on closer acquaintance, have changed their tune—and it is likely that his view will meet with acquiescence in high places.
The industry must, therefore, look forward to a period of operation behind closed doors, during which it will be able to consolidate its position. The bringing of new enterprise and ideas into a virile business must not, however, be unduly hampered, lest it should stagnate and its service decline to the level of that provided by the railways.
The Value of Research
THE cardinal importance of co-operative research on many of the complex problems which face the engineering side of the industry cannot be overestimated. Its basic value lies in the general improvement of all vehicles, particularly from the points of view of longer life, greater safety and increased efficiency generally.
The Research and Standardization Committee of the Institution of Automobile Engineers has accomplished much good work since it was formed in 1931; its activity at that time was, nevertheless, hampered to some extent by lack of funds. In little over four years, however, the number of manufacturers and operators affiliated to the Institution has grown from 28 to nearly 200, and this rapid expansion is a sound indication that the merits of the committee's work are now fully recognized. No fewer than 35 research reports have already been issued on a variety of important subjects, and the work will be greatly facilitated by the opening, this week, of new and well-equipped premises at Brentford. The programme of research for 1935-36 has been greatly extended in view of the increased facilities available, and it is earnestly hoped t ,at the opening of the new laboratories will act as an impetus in obtaining increased industrial support.
At present the Government Department of Scientific and Industrial Research contributes £2,500 a year towards the income of the organization, a further £2,500 being received from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Another £5,000 is promised from the Government when the annual income from industrial sources exceeds £10,000. and when the industry puts up £15,000 a year the Government is prepared to make a grant of £10,000.
Every manufacturer and operator will derive considerable benefit from affiliation to the Institution, and it is, in our view, of the utmost importance to the industry that this valuable work should receive the staunch support it requires from those interests which stand to gain maximum advantages from the committee's virile efforts.