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NEWS of the WEEK

27th April 1940, Page 28
27th April 1940
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Page 28, 27th April 1940 — NEWS of the WEEK
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R.A.S.0 DRIVERS URGENTLY REQUIRED

SINCE the commencement of the war, this journal and others produced by Temple Press Ltd., have received many

inquiries from readers anxious to serve their country in capacities where _their driving experience can be used to the best advantage. So far, it has been possible to offer them advice • only -of a general nature, especiallywhen applicants have been well over the nornaal maximum age of 35. , Now, however, large numbers of experienced light-van or car drivers arc required by the Royal Army Service Corps. The age limits are 30-55,

and the standard of physical •fitness must not be lower than Grade If. Approved volunteers will be enrolled for the duration and enlisted in the rank of Driver (I.C.) with pay and allowances applicable to that rank. So far as Service conditions permit, these volunteers will be employed on staff cars and ambulance duties.

Those interested should write to Mr.

Graham Walker, Temple Press Ltd., Bowling Green Lane, London, E.C.1, who has been invited by the War Office to compile a register of men possessing the necessary qualifications. The particulars required are age, civilian occupation, details of driving experience, and a statement of willingness to enlist if called upon to do so. Envelopes should be marked " Drivers."

Civil Court's Jurisdiction Over Army Drivers

AT Kirkwall Sheriff Court, there was an interesting legal debate, from the viewpoint of civil and military law, when application was made to Sheriffsubstitute Brown, on behalf of a military unit, for several alleged Army offenders against the civil black-out regulations to be handed over to be dealt with by the military authority, instead of in the civil court. The application was dismissed and the alleged offenders were ordained to

appear before the sheriff-substitute next month.

The sheriff was told by an Armyofficer that he could produce evidence to show that the lights on the vehicles involved conformed with all black-out regulations. Further, an Army Council Order, dated March 20, Stated that the civil police had been instructed to report W.D. vehicle offenders to the military authorities, which were to co-operate with the police and take all necessary measures.

The procurator-fiscal stated that he • had no knowledge of this instruction, nor had the police. Quoting Para. 36 of the Lighting Restrictions Order, 1940, the fiscal submitted that that instruction did not relieve the military authorities from being dealt with in a civil court. They might be able to shelter behind an Order of the Army Council, but they were, nevertheless, liable to the jurisdiction of the Sheriff Court.

The sheriff said that the Army, Navy and Air Force black-out regulations were somewhat different from those obtaining in civil life. If those regulations conformed with the standard of the civil requirements then the Army drivers were safe. If not, then the civil law must take its course.

More Campaign Comforts Urgently Needed

DESPITE the fact that over 24,000 has been received in response to the appeal launched by Mr. W. E. Routes, President of the S.M.M. and T., to the motor and road-transport industries and the motoring community in general, further gifts in cash and kind are urgently required to meet the heavy and ever-growing demands of the R.A.S.C. and R.A.O.C.

Money should be sent to the Honorary Treasurer, Lieut.-Colonel D. C. McLagen, D.S.O., at Hobart House, Wilton Street, London, S.W.1, and parcels to him, care of Comforts Funds, Kensington Palace Barracks, London, W.S. FILM CARRIERS NOTIFY RATES INCREASES MEMBERS of the Manchester branch 1Viof Associated Film Carriers of Great Britain held a meeting last week and decided to recommend the national council, in company with the Kine matograph Renters Society and the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association, to make overtures to the Minister of Mines with a view to getting an increased supplementary ration of petrol for film carriers' businesses. Principal business discussed, how

ever, was the failure to reach agreement with two branches of the exhibitors' association on film-transport charges. As it was not possible to come to an agreement, the film carriers, who feel they cannot afford to carry the increased operating costs any longer, have sent out notices dated April 20, to the 300 theatres in the area of the two C.E.A. branches, worded : —" Further to the increased costs of operation due to the war, and our delay in securing suitable settlement of this matter through the channels of your association, we beg to tender ;herewith two weeks' notice that as and from week commencing Monday, May 6, the charge for transport for your theatre at

will be Co•ordination Not Nationalization, Says Sir Ronald Matthews I N an article written recently for a London evening newspaper, under the title, " TranSport After: the War," Sir _ Ronald Matthews, chairman of the L.N.E.R„ stated that immediately on the cessation of hostilities, he visualized the formation of a National Transport Committee under the chairmanship of the Minister of Transport and comprising representatives of rail, road, canal, coastal and air interests, Sir Ronald has been given to understand that some people have construed his statement as advocating the nationalization of all transport, and he has expressed himself as grateful to The Commercial Motor for giving him an opportunity of making clear that neither does he advocate State control in peace time of all forms of transport, nor does he visualize it as a possibility.

What he does say is that the transport of Britain in all its forms will have to be co-ordinated, He points out that we must not see, at the end of this war, the flood of ex-Army lorries, sold cheaply by the military, flowing unchecked down the highways and byways of England. The established road interests would not wish it, nor would the railways, but least of all would it be in the interests of the country.

What the Nation, as a whole, seeks and deserves is an efficiently run and perfectly co-ordinated system of trans. port, in which road, canal, air and coastwise shipping each will play its appropriate part. Only by the co-ordination of all forms of transport can the country have a healthy, economically sound and relatively cheap system of transportation.

EXISTING CONTRACTS AFFECTED 4 BY INCREASED WAGES SOME transport contractors are in difficulties because of contracts which have been made based on the old scales of wages. So far as local authorities are concerned, the Road Haulage Central Wages Board has debated what has been done, and suggests that there is no doubt that these will be prepared to consider the matter and to do what is reasonable to ensure fulfilment of the :ontract. It is to be hoped that others who have such contracts will also adopt a conciliatory attitude out of fairness to the hauliers concerned.

The Limit in Municipal Rate Cutting

THE uttermost limit in rate cutting has been achieved by some municipalities in the north of England. It cannot be other than the limit, because the rate has been cutto zero! These local authorities, having arranged to hold a number of vehicles, the property of hauliers in the district, for use as ambulances, proceeded to arrange that the vehicles be retained at their A.R.P. depots overnight for an average of 12-13 hours.

During the daytime the vehicles are either released entirely or, alternatively, released " on call " to do work for their owners, whilst remaining under an obligation to return to the A.R.P. depot immediately an air-raid warning is sounded. These local authorities have intimated that they have no intention whatever of paying the owners of the vehicles for this service.

The C.M.U.A. has, however, made strong representations to the Minister of Health who, in reply, has stated that these local authorities appear to be under a misapprehension as to the basis of payment, and that they would shortly receive directions which would make the position clear to them.

Commercial Travellers to be Licensed?

I T has been disclosed that persons to the number of 108,000 applied for petrol rations as commercial travellers. As, in the opinion of the Commercial Travellers Association, there are only 100,000 bona-fide commercial travellers in the country, of whom perhaps onethird use their cars for business, the

allocation of petrol on that account appears to be excessive.

The Association is using this circumstance as one more argument in favour of commercial travellers being licensed.

Discussing this matter with Mr. F. A. Walker, assistant secretary, C.M.U.A., our representative was informed that the C.M.U.A. had pressed for that licensing some time ago, on the ground that pseudo-commercials, and, may be, some genuine cornmercial travellers, too, were a thorn in the side of taxicab and hire-car operators, because they were in the habit of using their cars as hire cars to the detriment of bona-fide operators.

Personal Pars LORD AsimEtn, chairman of the London Passenger Transport Board since its formation in 1933, has been re-appointed to the position for a further period of seven years from May 18 next.

MR. ALEXANDER DUCKHAM, one of the leaders in the British oil industry, has made a fine gift to the R.A.F. Benevolent Fund. This consists of

Rook's Hill HOluse, standing in 200 acres of Kentish land, with which goes £1,000 a year for maintenance. It is intended for boys who lose their officer and sergeant-pilot fathers. It will accommodate some 40 children.

MR. H. SHANKLAND, director of the National Services Division of the DunlopRubber Co., Ltd., and a director of the associated India concern, is a vicepresident of the S.M.M. and T., and chairman of the Commercial Vehicle Tyre Committee. He has always struck us as possessing one of the most charming personalities in the industry, a sound business man, yet always courteous and cheerful. His association with the tyre industry dates back to 1897, but he has afforded time to participate in other activities in connection with the C.M.U.A., the Institute of Transport, and the Motor and Cycle Trades Benevolent Fund, although no one seeing him to-day would believe that he had started his career so long ago.

WHAT SHOULD A HAULIER EARN PER GALLON?

UOW much a haulage contractor I 'should be able to earn per gallon of his petrol consumption under present conditions was a question discussed at the recent annual meeting of the Halifax Transport Owners' Association.

The kubject was raised by Councillor Wilson Haigh, who'was re-elected for a second year of office as president. Remarking that the Regional Commissioner for the North-eastern Area (Mr. F. S. Eastwood) had told a meeting of operators that, in his view, a haulier was not running his business efficiently to-day if he did not earn from I5s. to 11 from each gallon of petrol he used, Councillor Haigh said he agreed that, to-day, there_ were opportunities to obtain such a' return from haulage.

Mr. W. Scott (Heladen Bridge) said he thought that, in a: general way, the Commissioner's view was sound, in the light of preserit-d4 condition's. One important faCtOr Was economy in mileage, to meet the need for conservation of fuel.

Replying to Mr. J. Wild, who suggested that 15s. for every gallon of petrol used could not be earned on a trip from Halifax to Liverpool and back, Mr. Scott said he understood that, as a general rule, the Commissioner preferred operators to do shorter journeys rather-than trips to places as far away as Liverpool.

On the wages question, Mr. Wild remarked that C-licence holders were, more or less, " in the same boat" as haulage contractors, for the reason that if they did not pay drivers' wages equivalent to those which the Road Haulage Wages Order laid down for hauliers' employees they would lose their good drivers.

In addition to the re-election of Councillor Haigh as president, Mr. Hamilton Bell was re-elected hon. treasurer and Councillor Charles Holdsworth and Messrs. T. E. Short and H. H. Beaumont were re-elected vicepresidents. The committee was constituted as follows:--Messrs. J. Gomersal, S. D. Goldthorpe, S. Gibbs, N. E. Short, F. Normanton, J, Wild, W. Scott, J. Hirst, C. Pickles and W. Rot inson.

BID FOR BIGGER RADIUS FOR POTATO TRANSPORT WHEN members of the Boston SubVV Area of the C.M.U.A, recently met at Boston, under the chairmanship of Mr. G. H. Kime, it was stressed that representation should be made to the Regional Transport Commissioner concerning the road transport of potatoes. It'was felt that the limitation of such work to a 35-mile radius was causing hardship, and that hauliers tackling this work should be provided with further supplies of petrol to enable them to transport potatoes Over a wider area.

It was pointed out that unless such work was returned to road hauliers, many vehicles and drivers would have to be dispensed with and that, later in the year, they would then not be available for dealing with new potatoes, green vegetables and, especially, sugar beet.

'Mr. G. H. Kime was re-elected chairman and Mr. T. Bates vice-chairman of the sub-area, Engine-stopping Difficulties When Producer-gas is Used

AMONGST the Construction and Use Regulations is one that requires the driver of a motor vehicle to stop his engine when the vehicle is arrested otherwise than through the requirements of traffic.

With vehicles employing .producer gas, stops of more than about three minutes are liable to enforce the use of petrol for restarting, a serious matter where the work involves numerous halts. The C.M.U.A. has, therefore, made representations to the Minister, urging that this particular regulation be amended to exempt the vehicles concerned.

Speed Limit Concession for Armed Forces .1.-/ Y the Motor Vehicles (Variation of Speed Limit) Provisional Regulations, 1940, the provisions of the First Schedule to the Road Traffic Act. 1930, are varied so as to impose no speed limit in relation to: (a) motor vehicles owned by the Admiralty, War Department and Air Force and used for their purposes, or others so used, while being driven by persons for the time being subject to the orders of any member of the Armed Forces of the Crown, or (b) motor vehicles used for salvage purposes pursuant to Part IX of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894 Prompt Delivery of Spenborough Products

THE well-known Spenborough hydraulic tipping gear and refuse bodywork on Karrier Bantam and Cob chassis were developed by the Spenborough Engineering Co., Ltd., in conjunction with Karrier Motors, Ltd., during late 1938 and 1939. These being no longer available from Karrier Motors, Ltd., it may interest our readers to know that the' Spenborough Co. is still able to give prompt delivery.

The refuse body on the Bantam chassis, shown in the company's advertisement on page 46 of our issue dated April 20, is identical with the official 'Carrier specification given on page 12 of that company's municipal catalogue. This body has a capacity of 7 cubic yds., and the tipping gear is designed to give a steep angle of tip with speedy operation. The gear incorporates a floating universal action to avoid damage occurring ,% hile operating on uneven ground. In these circumstances, control of the body movement is effected by a specially strong hinge mounting at the rear of the chassis. The controls for the tipping gear are mounted inside the cab.

Steel for Vehicles and Components AANUFACTURERS of motor Ifivehicles, accessories and components should inform the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Hobart House, Wilton Street, London, S.W.1, not later than April 30, if they require steel for the quarters ending September 30 and December 31, for the construction and maintenance of the following products :—public-service vehicles (coaches, buses and trolleybuses, but excluding trams), goods vehicles, trailers and private cars, also for spare parts and service. In each category, it should he stated whether the requirements are for home civilian use, export, or both.

In the case of electric vehicles and components, the information should be sent to the Electric Vehicle Association of Great Britain, Ltd., 2, Savoy Hill, London, W.C.2.

Higher Rates in Northern Ireland

AS from May 6, the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board is increasing its freight rates by 10 per cent., whilst passenger fares are, from the same date, to be raised by 5 per cent.

Useful Wages Sheets

'TIME and wages sheets for use in 1 connection with the Order R.H.2, issued under the Road Haulage Wages Act, have been prepared by the Charnwood Publishing Co., Coalville, Leicester. The cost of 100 sheets is 4s., and for 1,000 £1 10s. All the essential details are embodied in the form, which provides, at a glance, invaluable information for the employer and the worker concerned.

HAULIERS' OBLIGATIONS ON MEAT TRANSPORT

UNHYGIENIC transport of meat to butchers' shops has been the subject of a protest to the Area Meat Transport Officer by Glasgow Retail Butchers' Society. Replying to the protest, the Officer stated that a circular had been issued to all hauliers drawing particular attention to Clause 2 of their contracts, which requires the contractors to observe strict hygienic conditions in the transport of meat. It adds that the onus is on contractors to see that everything should be done in proper order and, further, that cause for complaint from retailers should be rigorously avoided.

An Advanced Study of Fuel Injection OR engineers concerned with the technical details of fuel injection on compression-ignition engines, there is a wealth of interest in a paper' by G. W. A. Green. B.Sc., M.I.Mech.E., technical director of Bryce Fuel Injection, Ltd., entitled " Fuel Injection in Oil Engines in Relation to Combustion," which was to be read at a meeting of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers last night. The paper is sectioned under the following headings:—Nozzles, Delivery Valves and Pipes. Pumps, and Basis for Selection of Equipment. There are al's° five appendices. Each subject is dealt with very fully and informatively, and should be of value to all specializing in matters connected with injection problems.

East London Agent's Garage Extensions WE are advised by Associated Garage W Co., Ltd., that it is extending its garage in Commercial Road, London, E.1, by approximately 18,000 sq. ft. of floor space. The company intends to fit out a new workshop in this section for developing service facilities for commercial vehicles, and it is installing a meter for supplying town gas for use on such machines. It is anticipated that the work will be completed in a few weeks' time ARMY IGNORES DEFECTIVE BRAKES PLEA "

THE safety of the public does not

I matter, evidently." said Sheriff Scott, at Ayr Sheriff Court, when it was described how the driver of a requisitioned motor lorry was told by the Army authorities to continue using the vehicle despite the fact that the brakes were defective.

The case before the Court was one in which W. H. Collins, driver, and Messrs. W. and C. Stewart, haulage contractors, both of Ayr, were charged with using the lorry when the brakes were defective. Tendering a plea of guilty, Mr. A. S. Lockhart, solicitor,explained that the lorry was being used for Army work and the driver was under Army orders. He informed his employers, Messrs. Stewart, by telephone that the brakes were defective and an effort was made to get another vehicle, but this was not possible.

The driver told the Army authorities that the lorry would require to go into a garage, but he was told that it could not go meanwhile as it was required for important work.

In view of the explanation, Sheriff Scott admonished both the driver and the employer.

A.R.O. Officers in Yorkshire IN the annual elections of officials and .1 committees of haulage sub-areas and , passenger divisions in the Yorkshire area of A.R.O., the following have been elected chairmen of the sub-areas named :—

Barnsley: Mr. H. Brown (Wombwell Road Garagel. Chesterfield: Mr. H.-Jervis (Sheepbridge Transport). Dewsbury: Mr. H. Pickard !Messy,. H. Pickard and Sons). Doncaster: Mr. B. T. Leach Meseta. Leach Brothers).

Huddersfield: Mr. R. Bothwell. Leeds: Mr.

A. H. Butterwick, (Thitterwieli

Transport, Ltd.). Selby: Mr. J. As M. Bright, (Onward Road Transport). Sheffield: Mr. H. Tinker (Rteeroft Transport Service); Chairmen of the passenger divisions are:— Centrai veneinire: Mr. J. 3. Granter. of United Service. Upton, near Pontefract.. South and South-east Yorkshire: Mr. E. Parish, of Felix Motors. Hatfield, near Doncaster.

New Type of Soviet Lorry

TYPES of vehicle turned out by the Molotov Automobile Works, in Gorky, are being increased. At present the works are assembling the first models of the new lorry, GAZ-51, with a six-cylindered engine; its capacity is 2 tons, and it is claimed to have a speed of 75 m.p.h. The mass production of the new vehicle will, we learn, be commenced this year.

A model of the GAZ-51 will be shown at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition in Moscow next month.

2,000 Tractors a Month for Farmers' War Effort

JT is stated by the Ford Motor Co., Ltd., that production of Fordson agricultural tractors for the home market during the nine months to March 31 last, exceeded 12,000, and was more than four times the output tor home use during the corresponding period of 1938-9. At the present time the. output of tractors at the Ford works, Dagenham, is approaching

2000, a month for the home market alone, Farsighted action by the Ministry of Agriculture played an important part in making it possible to reach and maintain peak production in the face of war-time difficulties. Last summer, the Ministry arranged for the Ford concern to produce tractors on a larger scale than formerly, so that 3 reserve could be created in the hands of the Government. Production was thus expanded at a quiet, '` between season " period.

Present-day conditions present a striking contrast with those of 1914-18. Up to 1916 the tractor was practically unknown to farmers. It was in 1917, at the height of the submarine campaign, that Mr. Lloyd George urgently requested that the Fordson tractor, then largely an experiment, should be put into production, and it thus made its first appearance. Since then British farmers have adopted power farming to a considerable extent, and at the outbreak of the present war the total number of tractors in use on British farms was from 55,000 to 60,000.

MIDLAND AGRICULTURAL SHOW MAY BE HELD WARWICKSHIRE may have its VV agricultural show this year. Whilst most of the agricultural shows have been abandoned definitely (to the regret of all concerned) this county society is considering the possibility of carrying on with a one-day event. Normally its shows are two-day affairs, held in the latter part of July. If an event takes place this summer, it will be at Stratford-on-Avon.

New Lighting-up Times _

THE lighting-up time for motor vehicles now starts one hour after sunset and ends one hour before sun-, rise. The black-out period no longer coincides with the lighting-up time for vehicles, and continues, as heretofore, from half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise.


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