DENNIS CHAIRMAN ISSUES WARNING
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AT the annual general meeting of Dennis Bros., Ltd., held on December 17, Mr. S E. Garcke, C.B.E.,
M.I.Mech.E., said the improvement in profit of £25,78t: was mainly due to reduced taxation, but must be regarded as most satisfactory, considering the great practical difficulties under which the company is labouring.
During the year, exports were greater both in quantify and value than ever before, and a skilled staff is backed by a fine body of happy workers. Now, however, production delays are being experienced in many directions, particularly in connection with the delivery of steel, mostly traceable to coal shortage.
Cost of production in industry is rising, and unless output can keep in tune with the higher wages an inflation ten dency is at hand. In particular, a shorter working week cannot be reconciled with the need for greater production by each worker. Unfortunately, an idea seems to be circulating that, after the most expensive war in history, we have, by some miraculous process, become richer.
Whilst being able to sell competitively to-day, overseas competition will increase, and; in the end, the cost of the unit produced must be such as the home and foreign buyer will afford.
Fine work has been done in the production of Dennis appliances for firefighting; which, under the direction of Mr. R. Downing, is virtually a separate department. Overseas orders for fireengines are excellent, but, again, costs. must be reduced to retain the market. Production is handicapped by lack of decision as to the standard design required for home use.
LO.T. ANNUAL REPORT A CCORDING to the report of the Pl. Institute of Transport for the year ended September 30, the membership is 6,911, compared with 6,378 for the previous year, and some 60 members of the Institute had honours conferred upon them by His Majesty The King, The Council continues to co-operate with the Services in the provision of correspondence classes in transport and for the Institute's examinations for men in the three Services, the number of
enrolments being 445. A Transport Tutorial Committee was formed to assist graduates and students unable to attend classes in connection with their examination studies.
An appeal for an Endowment Fund to secure a permanent home for the Institute was launched in July, and donations and sums promised amount to nearly £50,000, the ultimate aim being £100,000_ BRISTOL ENGINEER DIES
THE death is announced of MR. B. A. PAYNE, who took a leading part in the design of bus chassis by the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd.. from 1912, when the Brislington works was opened, until his retirement in 1938. He first joined the company in 1905_ Mr. Payne was a founder-member of the western branch of the Institution of Automobile Engineers.