DIRECTORY OF MOTOR TRANSPORT UNDERTAKINGS.
Page 12
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AN IMPORTANT PUBLICATION
We recently have received a copy of "The Moor Transport Year Book and Directory " for review. It is published by Electrical Press, Ltd., 15-16, Fisher Street, London, W.C., price 10s. 6d. This " annual " merits attention at the hands of all members of the motor and allied industries. It promises to serve like useful purposes as does the " Manual of Electrical Undertakings and Directory of Officials " for which Mr. Emile Garcke and Mr. W. L. illa,dgen have been primarily and successfully responsible for so many years. It is apparently intended to regard the new departure as a sister guide to motor-transport developments from year to year.
The 262 text pages of the book are clearly printed and well arranged as to subject-matter : we pass over, at the moment, the 48 pages of introductory articles and survey of legislative progress.
Suction I (109 pages) is divided into (a) a geographical index ; (b) a list of trolkybus concerns; (e) an alphabetic list of motor-transport undertakings, both goods and passenger, including constitution, dates of formation and opening of services, with (where available) last accounts and balancesheets, and names of personnel. Section II (102 pages) is devoted to commercial particulars concerning manufacturing and trading companies upon which motor-transport undertakings depend for their vehicles, sup plies and stores generally An addendum to this section makes a praiseworthy effort to bring within the covers of the book the latest data and records of changes. The extent of the 1916 revisions may be gauged when we state that nine pages are so filled with particulars of now companies or newly-available matter affecting older ones
Section III is a directory. It contains the names of some 2000 directors and officials. Municipal, joint-stock, privatefirm and individual records appear to us to have been both faithfully, recorded and practically exhausted by complete treatment. These particulars, in part from the files at Somerset House, and in larger part, so we gather, from direct correspondence with the managements of the numerous undertakings, require no fewer than 42 pages. An index of seven pages closes the section.
The production as a whole reflects credit on Mr. W. Alderson Smith, the manager of Electrical Press, Ltd., and his editorial associates in this business venture.
As to the introduction and general survey, this is undoubtedly superficial in places. The R.A.C., which was originally formed in 1897, and the S.M.M.T., which first took shape in 1903, are credited with achieving the legislation of 1896; no mention is made of Sir David L. Salcimons, Bart., and the Self-Propelled Traffic Association (formed 10th December, 1895).
B40 An article on "Public Service Motor Policy in 1916" (T. C. Elder) is both clever and suggestive. It does not—perhaps deSignodly—inchide a reference to the degree to which road and taxation questions affect the present and future outlooks.
" The Law Relatingto Motor Omnibus Services" is the title of a chapter in the introductory pages. Viewed as an essay to deal comprehensively with that law, it is, we find, not by any means complete. For example, the list of Acts and Ordess omits the heavy Motor Car Order. Again, it is stated that the only annual payment due under the Motor Car and Finance Acts for a motorbus is 15s. (hackney-carriage duty), whereas thc 1896 Act adds either £2 2s. or £3 3s.. according to weight, at which the law was fixed by the provision in the Finance (1909-1910) Act, 1910, that no increases of horse-power ratings should operate to cause a hackney carriage to pay more. We do not agree, too, that every motor-haulage contractor is a "common carrier," as might be thought from the summary on page xxxv.
The year book is one of commercial value : it should, as such, find a place on every motor-trader's desk.