Mr. L. P. Lord Explains Austin Re-employment Policy
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riE vice-chairman and joint managng director of the Austin Motor Co,, Ltd., Mr. L. P. Lord, was very concerned to read recently in several organs of the daily Press the suggestion that his company is not kepared, or is unwilling, to take back its former employees who are now in the Services, and he wishes to clarify the position.
A letter addressed by a Serviceman to the chief accountant of the aero works was a reasonable inquiryconcerning the possibility of his reinstate ment after demobilization. Unfortunately, it was replied to by the assistant head of a minor department at these works, without reference to his 'seniors, and the reply contained statements regarding the future of the factory, which neither he nor anyone else at the factory was competent to make.
Mr. Lord points out that the Austin aeroplane factory is completely Government-owned, and 'merely managed by
the Austin CoMpany on behalf of the M.A.P. As a result, the possibility of post-war employment there depends entirely, upon the work entrusted to the factory by the Ministry.
As regards the Austin Motor Company proper, Mr. Lord personally addressed the shop stewards and staffs several months ago, and asked them to tell everyone who had a friend or relation in the Services that the company wanted all its ex-employees to report. hack to the -works for reinstatement immediately after demobilization. It is a definite promise from the company.
Furthermore, for a long time the company has been running a Rehabilitation Department under the supervision Al the works doctors and in co-operation with the Birmingham Accident Hospital. This helps injured workpeople to recover from their injuries and take their previous jobs or be trained for others.
C.M.U.A. SOUTH WALES DIVISION ELECTS OFFICERS
THE following were elected officers and committee members at the recent annual general meeting of the South Wales.Division of the Commercial Motor Users Asseciation:—
COR 1943, the net revenue of the London Passenger Transport Board, after giving effect to the estimated operation of the financial arrangements provided for in the Railway Control Agreement, and including a profit on the realization of aninvestment, the balance of the London Transport " C " Stock Interest Fund, and a sum of £37,487 arising from an adjustment of the Board's estimated proportion of the Railway Control Pool for the year 1940, amounted to £4,747,28".
• The payment of interest upon the prior charge LondonTransport stocks requires £3,901,381, leaving, for the service of London Transport "C " stock, a balance of E845,899. A final interest payment of 2 per cent, actual, less tax, on this stock is announced, making, with the interim payment, 3i per cent. actual for the year, compared with 3 per cent, for the previous year.
JOINT COMMITTEE CONSIDERS INSTITUTE TRAINING SCHEME
AJOINT committee has been set up to give consideration to the Institute of the Motor Trade's five years' scheme of apprenticeship training for the repair and servicing section of the motor industry. This scheme was publicized in November last.
The joint committee will include representatives from the Board of Education, the Institute of the Motor Trade, the Institution of Automobile Engineers, the Motor Agents Association, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and the City and Guilds of London Institute. 'The first meeting was due to take place yesterday, February 24. INCREASE IN PRODUCTION OF BATTERY-ELECTRIC VEHICLES
THE steps that the Minister of..War Transport is taking to encourage the design and development of electric vehicles, were explained in the House of Commons, last week, in reply to a question by Mr. H W. Butcher. Lord Leathers has asked the Regional Transport Commissioners to give favourable consideration to all applications for licences to acquire battery-electric vehicles, and arrangements have been made for the production of as many of these vehicles as are likely to be
required for essential work, .
Facilities have also been given to designers to prod,uce prototypes of new models which appear to be improvements 'on those which now exist.
Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker, Parliamentary Secretary, M.O.W.T., Who gave this information, added, when Mr.. W. Thorne asked if those vehicles cost more to build than the petrol-driven type, that they did cost a little snore, but that they were cheaper . to operate.
INST. OF T. LUNCHEON POSTPONED
THE luncheon meeting in London of the Institute of Transport, announced for March 3, has been postponed, and particulars of the revised arrangements will be published so soon as possible.