OPINIONS and O UERIES THE LICENSING OF CLEARING HOUSES WHILST I
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agree with, and have always advocated, the " policy of licensing clearing houses, the proposals drafted by the R.H.A. strike me as being harmful to the small haulier.
The suggestion that the holder of an A or B carrier's licence should be allowed to sub-contract up to the same extent as he carries for hire or reward on his own vehicles, gives to those bent on creating a local or general monopoly exactly 100 per cent. greater opportunity. It releases them from the necessity of seeking variations to their own licences in the Traffic Courts, and enables them to subsidize their own operations at the expense of others. It means that a contractor with, say, a carrying capacity of 200 tons, will be able to lick the sugar from the plum of the actual carrier up to 200 tons every day in every way—and very nice too!
In the aggregate, these proposals appear as just another means to an end on the part of those to whom the roads are many but the goal is one—e.g., monopoly.
In any case, the issue of a licence to sub-contract should be subject to the rule that:—
(1) no original rate has suffered more than gine deduction in respect of haulage;
(2) no brokerage commission exceeds the rate which is authorized, and that it is free of any charge.
My suggestions are based on the fact that many cases have been known of traffic passing through half-a-dozen people—each helping himself liberally to commission.
The real battle which the small operator has had to wage is against the threat of monopolies and those who would seek to rob him of the little that he has.
London, S W.11. E. H. B. PALMER.
DIFFICULTIES IN OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT VOUR leading article, "Prospects of Employment," -11 in your issue dated October 19, was most interesting. I have served since September, 1939, and am now finding difficulty in obtaining any offer of a job, and your article covers points on which I feel fairly qualified to write.
I think that added to the present reasonable demobilization scheme should have kbeen a method by which points could have been given for men and women who had definite posts available. The position could have been ascertained by applications from the employers to the company commanders, which, after verification, could have been attached to the records of the individuals concerned.
My experience, resulting from correspondence with many concerns, is that as they are compelled to take back their pre-war staffs, until they know who will or will not desire to return, they cannot make additions or alterations. ..11 there had been an ages service and re-employment scheme, I for one would have had to stay in a further six months, whilst the men with the same age and service, but with definite posts to return to, would have been released. This would probably not have affected my chance of finding employment.
I have been on the engineering side, but find that a further difficulty is that of age. At over 40 one is frowned at; 45 is usually the limit; and at 50 or over, however active, you are not wanted. Unfortunately, belong ta the last group.
I would like to say how interested I was in Captain Meeson's article, " W.O. Inspection of R.A.S C. Vehicles," as I was one of those inspectors working for the Scottish and Northern Ireland Commands. G. J. KENNETT (Captain)
Dorking. (Late I.T.S., R.A.S.C.).
FURTHER to your leading article of October 19, dealing with prospects of employment, mention is made of the hard problems 'facing employers, There are equally hard ones for the employees.
The so-called shortage of labour in the maintenance side of the road transport industry does not seem to square up with the facts. I, for one, have for the past eight months been seeking a responsible post as a fleet engineer or other position of trust that requires similar abilities, and I have over 30 years' experience behind me.
One of the difficulties has been not so much .he dearth of suitable posts, but rather the impossibility of finding living accommodation within reasonable travelling distances of such jobs. One cannot even get " diggings " as a temporary expedient until more permanent abodes can be discovered.
In other cases the wages offered are not commensurate with the responsibilities entailed. Many appear to want a man who is a genius at his job but a fool when it comes to the pay packet.
There are other factors which have a hart influence upon employment. There is the 60-mile limit on haulage; the difficulty of obtaining M.O.W.T. permits to acquire new vehicles; and the scarcity of the latter; the few tyres available, and, by no means least, 'he threat of nationalization of road transport.
South Ruislip.
R. S. JUDGE, A.M.I.R.T.E.
PLEASE, MR. FLINN, WE ARE NOT GUILTY!
THE airy way in which, in your issue dated July 20, I you dismiss the need for left-hand steering where driving is on the right, surprises me, to put it mildly. You state that those who would benefit would be mainly visitors and importers of foreign vehicles, and that our own manufacturers might be helped to a certain extent, as they would not have to provide different models for export. You also state that you have heard few, if any, complaints from our manufacturers.
These views are typical of those expressed by people in the U.K. with no experience in the export trade, and only confirm what many foreigners have suspected for a long time with regard to our conservatism, the "take it or leave it" attitude and " what was good enough for my father is good enough for you."
Any car, van, lorry, bus, trolleybus or other vehicle for which left-hand steering is not available is auto.matically excluded from the markets of the world, with the exception of some countries (not all) in the British Empire.
Certain countries in South America have decided to prohibit the importation of cars and commercial vehicles with right-hand steering as used in Great Britain, and others will undoubtedly follow suit. All countries in South America now drive on the right of the road.
In common with many other people in the U.K., you appear to be of the opinion that left-hand steering can be provided on British vehicles for export only by changing over the whole of our traffic regulations in Great Britain. This is entirely unnecessary, in my opinion, as export-minded firrris like Rootes and Austin have been supplying left-hand steering for years, so it is obviously not impossible to design a ear or lorry to suit the traffic regulations of every country in the world. "
If we change over in Great Britain from driving on the left to driving on the right, is it proposed that we abandon the countries in the British Empire which still drive on the left? They would still want cars to drive on the left of the road, even if we changed over.
The problem has to be solved on the drawing board and the matter should be treated with some urgency, as exports are more necessary than ever. It should not be forgotten that all American cars and lorries are available with left-hand steering, and no matter how anxious a British manufacturer may be to demonstrate the superiority of his wares, it will be quite impossible to find suitable agents abroad to market them unless the vehicles comply with at least the elementary traffic regulations of the countries in which they are to be sold.
J FLINN (For Flinn, Blandford and Co., Ltd.). Casilla 1837, Santiago de Chile, South America.
[Mr. Flinn may be described as making much ado about nothing, at least so far as anything that we have written is concerned. We are fully in agreement with all his statements, but he has gone to much trouble to rail at us for something that we did not say. If Mr. Flinn will again read our leader " Are.We to Follow China ? "—this time more carefully—he will see that we have never suggested exporting right-hand controlled vehicles to a country where
the rule of the road is "Drive on the right." Our arguments against changing the driving position applied only to any alteration of the rule of the road in Britain, where this would cause a tremendous amount of difficulty with [rams, buses and other vehicles already in operation. We actually stated that we had heard few, if any, objections from our manufacturers in respect of the provision Of special models for export.—En.] TWO REAR LIGHTS NOT A LEGAL REQUIREMENT THERE appears to be a widespread misapprehension, as to the requirements of the law regarding the rear lights on motor vehicles. So far as motor vehicles are concerned, there has been no modification of the requirement contained in the Road Transport Lighting Act, 1927, that a vehicle shall carry, during the hours of darkness, one lamp showing to the rear a red light visible from a reasonable distance. Any impression that prevails that it is now necessary to carry two rear lights is quite without foundation. The Committee on Road Safety appointed by the Minister of War Transport recommended in its interim report of December, 1944 (see paragraphs 267-269) that it should be made compulsory to carry two rear lights. This is, however, only a recommendation, and, if accepted, new legislation will be required to imple ment it. W. T. WILLIAMS, London, W.1. Legal Department, (For the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Ltd.) DICTATORSHIP AND RED TAPE
ON September 30 last I was officially informed that there was no longer any need to fill in form ZF5a, and I was delighted at no longer having to waste time in doing this.
As I had enough fuel in hand, no application was made for more during the October period until the last day, on which I applied for 150 gallons, or half the usual consumption of my vehicles, as work was temporarily slack.
I was then told that I should have to send in the above form duly completed I protested, stating that I 'had it in writing that this was no longer necessary. At first this was denied; later, the official concerned said that it was an error on the part of the office ..nd issue of the fuel would be refused until the form was filled in. I pointed out the waste of time involved, and was told that "you will have to do a lot of things that don't earn money before we have finished with you, so you had better get used to it."
Meanwhile my lorries are standing idle from want of fuel. How much longer are we to be inflicted with all these impediments to our business? It may be that fuel rationing is necessary, but why not give a basic ration for the contractor and other businesses in the same way that it is issued for the private car? This would cut out much red tape and enable us to get on with the job.
If the haulage industry ceased work for a week or so, the officials would have short shrift from an irate people, who might then have their eyes opened as to What IS being done in their name.
Wolverhampton. BENJAMIN J LEGG.