Taxation Receipts.
Page 41
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Ministry of Transport has recently issued a return giving particulars of the gross receipts from the taxation of road vehicles for the period from December 1st, 1930, to May 31st, 1931, and of the number of motor vehicles registered for the first time during the month of May, 1931..
The gross amount received in payment for licences issued during the „three months ended May 31st last was £21,675,951, compared with £21,340,238 in the corresponding period of the previous year.
In the return particulars are given of the total number of licences issued and surrendered durin,, the six months to May 31st last, and of the approximate number of licences current on that date. The total number of motor vehicles, excluding tramcars and trade licences, was approximately 2,042,000, compared with 2,130,000 in the corresponding period of the previous year.
The total number of mechanically propelled vehicles registered for the first time in May, 1931, was 28,515, compared with 34,641 in May, 1930. this year's total including 4,432 goods vehicles and 1,261 hackney vehicles, the comparable figures for the previous year being 4,458 and 1,057 respectively.
A Municipal Proposal Overruled.
Portsmouth Corporation proposed co make an Order fixing places at which only a particular type of public-service vehicle might stop, but the Ministry of Transport states that it would appear that the corporation could not take such -a step, because any stand that might be fixed must be open to all classes of public-service vehicle. It has, therefore, been decided to take no further action in the matter.
Expediting Tyre Service.
Pour accessories designed to expedite the servicing of tyres have just been introduced by A. Schrader's Son, Inc., 26-29, New Street, London, S.W.1. First there is the Schrader Airline Coupler, one end of which is screwed into the pipe leading from the air reservoir, whilst the other end is fitted to the air hose. When disconnected the coupler 'acts as an automatic check valve, preventing the escape of air.
By means of the new Dublehek valve cap, tyres may be inflated or deflated without removing the cap, thus saving, it is stated, five minutes on attention
to the tyres of a six-wheeled vehicle. Another new Schrader device enables the hexagon nut at the base of a tyre valve firmly to be gripped while the nut is being tightened.
Lastly, there is the Schrader valvecontrol blow gun for attachment to the end of an airline. This handy accessory can be put to a variety of uses, such as clearing fuel lines, blowing carbon out of engine cylinders after it has been loosened, etc.
An Unusual Bearing Material.
It may not be widely known that Ferodo, Ltd., the well-known manufacturer of brake and clutch facings, supplies bushes made of its Ferobestos material specially treated with graphite and oil. These are intended chiefly for use in connection with partially rotating shafts, such as those to be found at various points in brake-operating gear, and they are not recommended for high-speed shafts, although tests have been carried out with these bushes in the big-end bearings of various engines.
The particular merit of the Ferobestos bush would appear to be its long life, coupled with its ability to withstand a certain amount of neglect. Although these bearings should be lubricated occasionally by the use of a grease gun or in some similar way, it has been found that there is little tendency to seize up even when lubrication is infrequent and spasmodic.
A Market Closed to Britain.
According to a report just to hand from Vienna the efforts to encourage the use of Austrian vans and lorries by Austrian users are being continued. In addition to. ..Government and other official 'institutions and business enterprises, which are not permitted to buy other than Austrian vehicles, the local banks are bringing pressure to bear on all undertakings controlled by them to order only home products.
A Competition Abandoned.
The National "Safety First" Association announces that questions have been raised as to the legality of the competition which it recently organized for the purpose of directing attention to the principal provisions contained in the Highway Code. In the circumstances, the committee has decided that the wisest course is to abandon the competition and, accordingly, entry fees received from competitors will shortly be returned.
Ipswich Trolley-bus Returns.
The first trolley-bus service in Ipswich was inaugurated in September, 1923, and, at the end of March last the system had expanded to such an extent that 16.79 route-miles were being worked by 44 vehicles, the composition of the fleet being as follows :-25 Ransome, 15 Garrett, 3 Railless and 1 Tilling-Stevens, all 30-seaters.
In the year with which we are dealing the total income from the operation of the vehicles was £70,682, equivalent to 13.0050. per bus-mile, whilst expenditure totalled 152,957, equivalent to 9.7440. per bus-mile, the balance thus being £17,725, or 3.261d. per bus-mile.
In the past year the vehicles covered a total mileage of 1,304,334 and carried 12,717,775 passengers. The average number of buses in use per 16-hour day was 30.09 and the average mileage covered per day per bus was 94.92, the average speed amounting to 8.82 m.p.h.
The trolley-buses serve a population of approximately 86,000, and during the past year the average number of journeys per head of the population was 148.22, the average fare paid per passenger being 1.3070. The gross capital expenditure on the system amounted, at the end of March last, to £174,005.
Another Appeal to the M. of T. • Bedwas and Machen -Urban District Council is to appeal to the Ministry of Transport against the decision of. South Wales Traffic Commissioner refusing licences for a CaerphillyBedwas-Newport service. A protest is also to be made against the chairman's "expression with regard to municipal trading."
Germany's Overseas Market Improving.
A marked downward tendency is noticeable as regards the importation of foreign commercial motors into Germany, the returns for the four months ended April last showing a total of 42, valued at £19,000, as contrasted with 178 and £51,950 respectively in the corresponding period a year ago.
On the other hand, a marked improvement is taking place in the overseas business in German commercial vehicles, although the demand is for a cheaper class of machine than hitherto. This is indicated by the fact that tha 945 vehicles exported in the first four months of the current year were valued at £244,750, as against £316,100 for 834 vehicles in a similar period of 1930.