News of the Week
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SATURDAY LAST DAY FOR RETURNING TYRES
-ro-MORROW is the last date by I which tyre dealers or stockists, not notified of appointment as authorized tyre depots, must return all new tyres to the nearest depots of the manufacturers who produced them, and all unused re-treaded tyres to the particular retreaders. List price and carriage will be paid for all tyres returned.
Inquiries on this subject should be sent to the Ministry of Supply, Regional, Tyre Officer, for the region in which the tyres are situated.
TAKE-OVER APPLICATION TURNED DOWN rrHE North-eastern Transport Commissioner, Major F. S. Eastwood, has refused the road haulage take-over application which formed the subject of a public inquiry,at Sheffield recently —the first which the Commissioner has held since the outbreak of war.
As mentioned in last week's issue, the applicant, Mr. Cyril Cooper, of Thryberg, near Rotherham, sought an A permit on the ground that he required it for the purpose of acquiring a haulage business from Mr. K. M. Smith, of Rotherham. There was opposition to the application, which involved four vehicles, and arguments were submitted as to whether or not the vendor had a business which could be transferred.
The inquiry was not held within the terms of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, but under the Commissioner's war-time powers. The applicant has no right of appeal to the Appeal Tribunal, as would have been the case in peace-time.
BUS OPERATORS TO SUGGEST OWN FUEL CUTS DUS undertakings in the North1..) eastern region have been notified by the Regional Transport Commilsioner that the situation as to supplies of petrol and other necessities makes a considerable redaction in mileage operated absolutely essential. Instead of imposing an all-round cut on an .arbitrary basis, the Commissioner has asked operators to review their respective services with a view to suggesting themselves what cuts should be made.
" The Commissioner realizes," states the notification sent to the undertakings this week, " that conditions are not the same in all parts of the Region, and he feels therefore that it would be unwise to issue precise directions requiring the curtailment of services in the same proportion by all operators."
" Every service," it is added, " should be examined from the point of view as to whether it can be (a) withdrawn entirely; (b) partly withdrawn during any portion of the day; (c) withdrawn or partly withdrawn on Sunday; (d) operated on a more direct route; (e) adjusted so as to reduce the amount of light mileage."
In asking operators to review all their services from these points of view, the letter remarks that it would be a simple matter to reduce each A18 • operator's fuel allotment by, say, 10 per cent., but the Commissioner feels that the best way of achieving the object desired is for operators to suggest what economies in operation can be effected.
THE "HENRY SPURRIER " MEMORIAL
cURTHER particulars regarding the " Henry Spurner " Memorial are now available, and communications concerning it should be sent to Mr. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith, C.B.E., the chairman, at Hound House, Shere, near
Guildford, Surrey. The late Henry Spurner, managing director of Leyland Motors, Ltd., ended, in his 75th year, a noteworthy life's record in pioneering and estab • lishing commercial-motor road transport since 1895.
Mr. Shrapnell-Smith invites subscriptions to a fund for creating some suitable memorial, and it is proposed to endow scholarships to be vested in the council of one or two of the chartered institutions, the objects of which are strictly related to the development of road transport, and to provide for an annual memorial lecture.
The minimum capital sum required is 210,000. Both large and small gifts will be equally welcomed.
TRANSPORT FOR SCRAP RUBBER COUNTY haulage agents appointed by the M. of W.T. in conjunction with the Ministries of Supply and Works and Buildings, to provide transport for scrap metal, have been given the heavier task of moving scrap rubber and old tyres uncles the new campaign. These agents act for the Road Haulage Branch of the M. of W.T. and the appointments made or to be made cover the country. The road-transport industry should give this campaign its wholehearted support, both by contributing scrap and answering calls for transport. Delays may create serious holdups of war production. Quick turnround of vehicles should be arranged at works or storage duMps.
The Ministry of Supply has also asked the Minstry of Works and Buildings to undertake a drive for the discovery and recovery of scrap metal throughout the country. Demolition contractors are providing the bulk of the local cartage, whilst the Road Haulage Branch and its county agents have been sought for supplementary transport.
GIVING UP BUS OPERATION
AFTER carrying on a •bus service between Esh Winning and Cornsay Colliery for 21 years, Messrs. W. H. Simpson and Sons, Cornsay Colliery, Co. Durham, are retiring from business. The service will, we learn, be maintained by Messrs. Iveson and Son.
NO SEED-POTATO TRANSPORT CRISIS, SAYS M. OF F.
WE havereceived from the Ministry YV of Food details which would seem to deny the fact that there is a seedpotato transport crisis, as was indicated in a paragraph appearing in our issue, dated April 10. It informs us that up to April 4 there was an increase of 22 per cent, in the tonnage of seed potatoes moved from Scotland over the corresponding period of last season, and at the present rate of movement it is estimated that the delivery of the crop in England and Wales will be effected by the end of this month.
A sum of 2125,000 115,3 been provided by the Government for additional transport for the conveyance of seed potatoes.
ALBION ORDINARY DIVIDEND DEFERRED
BECAUSE it is hoped to complete the accounts for 1941 at a much earlier date than was the case for 1940, the directors of Albion Motors Ltd. have decided to defer consideration of the payMent of .a dividend on the ordinary shares until the final figures are _available,
In respect of the financial year ended December 31, 1941, a half-year's dividend on the 6 per cent, cumulative preference shares, at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum less tax, is to be paid.
BRITISH TIMKEN LOSES OVERSEAS DIRECTOR
WE regret to learn of the death, in his 66th year, of Col. R. S. Murray-White, C,B.E., D.S.O., managing director of British Timken S.A. (Pty.) Ltd., at Johannesburg. After seeing service in France, Egypt, Palestine and Ireland in the 1914-18 war, he joined British Timken Ltd., and later transferred to its South African subsidiary. He was last in England in June, 1941, when he spent much time at the British Timkep works studying war-production organization. He was the recipient of many high military honours.
TRANSPORT BUSINESS NEARLY 200 YEARS OLD
AMONG the firms connected with the Federation of Yorkshire Road Transport Employers, the record for longest association with road haulage has passed to the ,business of gr. George Ward, of Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, who joined the Federation not long ago. Their history dates back nearly 200 years. Before Mr. Ward succeeded to . the proprietorship, the firm had been carried on by his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, all of whom earned their livelihood solely as carriers of goods.
Mr. Ward, who operates both motor vehicles and horse-drawn transport, was formerly vice-chairman of the now defunct Leeds Horse Owners' Association. He has been a member of the committee of Leeds Municipal Vehicle Operators since that organization was formed by hauliers doing municipal haulage work in Leeds. Before the Federation " oldest firm " record passed to him, it had been held successively by concerns whose histories respectively date back 97, 105 and 117 years. GOVERNMENT GAS POLICY STILL UNSTATED
I N the House of Commons recently, Mr. E. Smith asked the Secretary for Mines whether he could now make a
full statement on producer-gas? Mr. Grenfell replied, once again, that he was not yet able to make a statement, but hoped to give a more detailed reply in a few weeks.
RAILWAY LORRY DRIVER'S is. PER MINUTE FINE
A ONE SHILLING -PER-MINUTE PA fine was imposed at Bradford City Police Court, last week, on a lorry driver employed by the L.N.E. Railway Co., who was ordered to pay 5s. for having left his engine running five minutes while the vehicle was standing. The stipendiary magistrate said it was important that not a drop of petrol should be wasted.
WESTERN AREA A.R.O. TO HOLD SOCIAL EVENING
Wp are informed by Mr. W. R. Hughes, honorary secretary of the Western Sub-area, A.R.O., that the annual dance and social evening of this area will be held at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, at the Osterley Hotel, Great West Road, Osterley. Tickets, at 5s. each, will include dancing, buffet and cabaret, and applications for them should be made to Mr. Hughes, at 28, Castelnau Gardens, London, S.W.13.
CARTING LIVE SHEEP CAUSES TRANSPORT LOSS
BORDER sheep farmers in Scotland are protesting against the vast loss of transport and of shrinkage caused by the policy of transporting live sheep to England, instead of using Border slaughter houses and carting the car
cases. Teviotdale Farmers' Club has ventilated this point, deploring the waste of both food and transport, it being calculated that 21 carcases could he transported as against one live sheep. The Club also regrets the consequent unnecessary demands on transport, at a time when every mile and
vehicle count. It is proposed that the matter be taken to the House of Commons in an effort to have a more acceptable policy adopted.
SOME EMPTY RUNNING UNAVOIDABLE
CONSUMPTION of petrol by vehicles running unladen was the subject of a question in the House by Mr. Oldfield last week. He made express reference in this connection to the Gorton area.
'Mr. Noel-Baker replied that many measures had been taken in recent months to organize lorry traffic, one of the principal objects thereof being the avoidance of vehicles running empty. .Operators sending lorries into the Manchester and Liverpool districts were usually able to obtain return loads through the local branches of the Hauliers' National Traffic Pool, which formed part of the Ministry's Road' Haulage Scheme, but fluctuations of traffic and other factors sometimes made it impossible to balance outward and return loads. PERSONAL PARS MR. T. A. CLAGUE, engineer, has retired from Douglas (I.o.M.) Corporation after 46 years' service with the transport department.
MAJOR C, J. MURFITT, 0.B.E., has resigned from the position of joint general manager of the East Kent Road Car Co., Ltd., the resignation to date from the end of June.
MR. STANLEY G. HEARN, Of CallreTS, Ltd., has been elected chairman of the Road Transport Section of the Leeds Incorporated Chamber of Commerce, in succession to the late Mr. A. H. But terwick.
MR. W. M. W. THOMAS, vice-chairman of the Nuffield Organization, is not offering himself for re-election as chairman of the car section of the SIM.M. and T., an office he has held for several years, because of concentration on high-priority war work.
MR. C. F. Envyrri was recently the guest of honour at a function held.by New-Hudson Ltd. in celebration of his completion of half a century's service with the company. Mr. Alex, Fraser, general manager of the concern, presented Mr. Edwin with a gold watch on behalf of the directors, and with War Savings Certificates on beliialf of his colleagues.
MR. W. H. WILLOUGHBY, Southampton branch manager of Hants and Dorset Motor Services Ltd., is retiring at the emit of the month, and will be succeeded by MR. H. N. CRASH, who for a number of years has been chief inspector of the area.
UPHOLSTERY FROM SOYA MANS
FOLLOWING an announcement in the latter part of 1941 of the production of synthetic fibre for textile purposes from soya beans, the Ford Motor Co. of America installed machinery for full production of the new material. It represents years of research.
Soya bean protein fibre is now being made 80 per cent. as strong as sheep wool, and Ford chemists are still improving it. Although the main object is to supply upholstery for Fordbuilt vehicles, the fibre can he used in a number of other directions.
Two acres of land devoted to sheep grazing will produce 8-10 lb. of wool
a year. Two acres of land planted with soya beans will produce 400 lb. of protein suitable for fibre. THE SPARES POSITION
" THE country's production in spare parts is much less than it needs, but the position is gradually improving. 'Those in urgent need of spares can get them with a ' certificate of need, " said Mr. F. G. Smith, Repairs Adviser to the Ministry of War Transport, at a conference of garage proprietors and operators of goods and passenger vehicles at Manchester.
Pointing out that the standard of fitness of road vehicles had deteriorated, owing to repairers being handicapped by the lack of labour and delays in the delivery of supplies of spare parts, Mr. Smith said, Mr. Bevin was well acquainted with the position.
During the course of the meeting, which was presided over by Sir William Chamberlain, Regional Transport Commissioner, Mr. Smith revealed that the Government was very concerned about maintaining road vehicles and said that an engineer was being appointed to supervise bus maintenance throughout the country, with a fall-time officer in each region. Plans were also being made for an expert in reconditioning to make a lecture tour and a number of denomination vehicles was to visit garages and repair depots for the purpose of instructing executives and workers. RETURN OF SERVICE VEHICLES —MINISTRY CAUSING HOLD-UP?
ATTENTION was drawn by Mr. Craven-Ellis in Parliament last week to the delay (in some cases as much as four months) in the issue by the M. of W.T. of licences to acquire the commercial tehicles which, surplus to Army requirements, were being reconditioned by the motor industry for civilian use. He said it was causing congestion of workshop space required for the maintenance of vehicles on essential service, was militating against the efficient transport of essential materials and foodstuffs, and was failing to relieve the need for making new vehicles.
The Parliamentary Secretary admitted that there had been much -delay in the issue of permits for the acquisition of reconditioned goods vehicles released by the Army. He informed Mr. Craven-Ellis that he was making inquiries and would be glad to have details of any specific instances.
Applications for these vehicles, he continued, were dealt with by Regional Transport Commissioners, and before a permit was granted the Commissioner had to satisfy himself as to the operator's need for the vehicle.