Gas Producers • May Solve Operators' Difficulties
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MONGST numerous other readers I have been rlinterested in the controversy _between Mr. Walton and manufacturers of gas producers, upon the advantages for and against this method of operating commercial vehicles,
One cannot doubt that this writer has considerable and valuable experience as a fleet organizer; but, at the same time, perhaps, it appears he does not appreciate the important and perilous difficulties which operators of the smaller fleets of vehicles have been faced with during the past period in the severe rationing of petrol supplies.
Mr. Walton's company is no doubt large enough to continue to distribute its goods even if it has taken no tittle number of vehicles out of operation, but the smaller user is unable to do this, for his entire livelihood and business goodwill depend solely on his vehicles being in continuous use. I feel that Mr. Walton must admit this point of view, Therefore, surely these operators of commercial vehicles can devote their interests to a gas producer which, anyway at present, will solve their difficulties in no small degree, and, perhaps, enable them to operate their vehicles once again, instead of having them idle.
• No doubt the transport industry as a whole fully realizes that the gas producer is but a temporary measure, or, at least, we must look upon it as being so at the moment; what the future holds for such equipment we all have to wait for. Therefore, although Mr. Walton, in presenting his No. 1 case, depreciates the operating cost of the gas producer as against petrol, at a large sum, nevertheless it must be questioned as to what that operator would have been bound to lose had he not fitted the gas producer.
• Half a Loaf Better than No Bread • If, therefore, the revenue loss due to reduced carrying capacity is shown by this gentleman to be so great, then what it would have been in total loss had the operator continued on petrol supplies, perhaps diminishing each week, it is unbearable to consider from the smaller operator's point of view.
I think it surely must be agreed that, in the present circumstances, the gas producer has gained way at a most appropriate time for commercial vehicle operators seriously to consider its use, and that these claims can
not be unjustified, as shown by the large amount of interest being displayed already from all over the country.
With regard to the paragraph where he states that no pre-war headway was made by gas producers, " having regard to the fact that all hauliers are not such fools," surely this is a little elementary, for it is obvious to all that it was but due to the fact that unladen weights would have been seriously increased, enough, in fact, to warrant a 10 m.p.h. reduction in the vehicle's legal speed, that the gas-producer manufacturer had little opportunity of progressing or the operator from interesting himself in such plant. When the Government released the restrictions on that point the position was vastly altered, and, at the same time the fuel position was reassured in no little manner.
• Retail Trade May Also Receive Benefit • As one of many connected with the retail side of the motor industry, another point enters into the question of gas producers, although not from Mr. Walton's point of view. It is, no doubt, generally known that since the various restrictions upon the use of motor vehicles as a whole, the retail motor trade has suffered a larger loss of livelihood, and to such an extent that doubtless there are many members of the unemployed who were once employed by a flourishing motor industry.
Surely, with the inception of the gas producer and its distribution by the motor trade, this will provide facilities whereby those many well-equipped premises may be able to carry on in a more profitable manner than at present, and when operators of vehicles will be able to obtain service facilities up and down the country, just as they are now able to on the popular makes of vehicle. Had Mr. Walton thought of this?
• There are probably many other sources which may derive benefit from the use of home-produced fuel, although too numerous to mention here; but maybe it would be preferable for this writer to think again before so seriously deprecating the value of this new venture, so far as this country is concerned. It apparently is worthy of consideration or it seems to me the Government would not otherwise have felt a desire to encourage the movement in so far as gas producers are concerned. G. WILLIMONT.