Higher Railway Rates.
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Endorsement of Our Forecast by a Railway Journal.
The adoption of the 10-per-cent, increase upon published rates for the carriage of traffic by merchandise train, in Ireland, on and from the let December, with which increase we dealt at sore length in our issue of the 30th ult., has given rise in other journals to comment upon the likely increase of goods rates in Great Britain. The daily. Press has concentrated more upon factors concerrung increases of passenger fares, but we observe that a
special article was recently published in our contemporary "The Railway News," in which proposals for higher goods-traffic rates are openly discussed. The
article is in a measure hostile to road transport, and is peculiar for a reference to an.imagmary prophecy
by motor-transport men concerning "the exit of the
steam locomotive in 1950"—a prophecy, we may remark, that we have never seen credited to any
authoritative writer on the subject of motor transport. The article in "The Railway News" states the 'view that, immediately hostilities cease, the fight for supremacy in transport will be renewed "with cer
tain distinctive advantages resting with road carriers." It proceeds : "When the financial guaran tees of the Government have been withdrawn, rail
way managers will be faced with an augmented wages bill and a formidable list of necessary repairs and renewals ; scarcity of labour has rendered im possible the attempt to keep pace with the requirements; some of the locomotives are fast approach ing the limit of their utility ; a number of carriages
and wagons are in a like condition ; essential constructional alterations in other departments have
had to be postponed until a more favourable period. The overtaking of these arrears will mean an important charge against 'Revenue Account' ; moreover, we cannot anticipate an immediate favourable re vision of coal prices, nor will materials be purchased at the reasonable figures obtaining before the war, as private firms have been also compelled to pay in creased wages. To recompense themselves for these additional burdens, the companies will doubtless apply to Parliament for powers to increase the railway rates, and if the Bill weathers all opposition, a
new schedule of rates will be prepared." .
We doubt if it is necessary for the railway companies to apply to Parliament for powers to increase railway rates before certain rates are put up, because there are still some loopholes for placing more upon some traffic, so long as it will bear it, without reaching all the maxima of which a railway company is capable at present. The article next deals briefly with possibilities in relation to motor transport, in the following terms : "If the railways raise their tonnage charges, what more natural than that consignors of goods should look 040
round for a cheaper medium, and commence to utilize to the uttermost the ancient method of consigning by road. When demobilization commences the War Department will have for disposal a very great number of motor vehicles of all descriptions, of great power and capacity, and their dumping on the market will have a certain tendency to reduce capital cost giving impetus to purchase." The foregoing expressions indicate a certain apprehensiveness on the part of the railway interests in regard to motor transport by road, but we cannot agree that there is any design or desire on the part of motor-haulage contractors "to wrest as much traffic from the railways as possible." Motor-transport contractors take traffic which is offered to them by consignor* who prefer that method of conveyance.
The article makes the following incomplete reference to the contribution of railway companies to road maintenance : "The railways, besides their own heavy expenditure in maintaining a specialized road, have to bear, through taxation, a large proportion of the cost of maintenance of the roads over which their competitors carry the traffic."
A germane point, hereanent, is found in the fact that the railway companies of the United Kingdom only pay 25,300,000 a year in local taxation, in respect of the benefits which they enjoy throughout the Kingdom for various local-authority services, including the use of the highways. As soon as the war is over, direct motor taxation will approximate £4,000,000, annually, for road improvement and extra maintenance alone. The railway companies are doing exceedingly well in paying as little as they do for the enjoyment of the use of the roads, which access to the highway is obviously of vital importance to them, and all other local benefits. We are interested to observe that "The Railway News" expresses the following view in regasd to short-distance traffic, and apparently puts forward the contention that the railway companies are indebted to motor-transport contractors for relieving them of some of it : " A loss of rail-borne local traffic would prove of considerable benefit to the railway transportation business if it would open the way for increasing the longer distance. It is illogical to assume that reduction in short-distance traffic would result in appreciation in better paying traffic, as congestion is responsible for the order to stop forwarding traffic, and this latter has an adverse effect upon general commerce. Railway managers of large trunk lines will not, therefore, be greatly perturbed by the prospect of a certain percentage of local diversion, and it may usher in a new era promising an improved system of transportation, and the railway business a more lucrative undertaking." Winding Up of British Companies in Germany: The Berlin Branch of the Stepney Spare Motor Wheel Co, (of Berlin), Ltd., has been wound up. The liquidator is a previous officer of the firm named Albert Dzialoszynski.
Mechanical Aids to Agriculture.
A further demonstration in Scotland has been given -with Mogul tractors, this time on the farm of Wamphray, near North Berwick. Examples of the 25 h.p. and 16 h.p. agrimotors were demonstrated by representatives of the International Harvester Co., Ltd., of America.
L.G.O.C. Efficiency.
The eighthof the series of Efficiency Meetings of the Operating Department of the London Underground Railway and L.G.O.C. group was held this month, under the chairmanship of Mr. H. E. Blain. Papers were contributed on "Staff Welfare Work," by Mr. J. Thornton, Chief Inspector of the District Railway, and by Mr. II. Lansdown, Assistant General Superintendent of the L.G.0.0. Mr. Thornton's paper was in part historical, going back to the days of the Feudal system and Craft Guilds. He gave special particulars concerning L.U.R. efficiency, and mentioned that the T.O.T. (Tramway, Omnibus, Tube) Mutual Aid Fund had disbursed over £100,000 since the commencement of the war in supplementing the allowances to employees with the Colours.
Mr. Lansdown claimed in his paper that social welfare work should not be classed as philanthropy, a fad, culture, or factory Red-Cross work ; it was a practical,
useful, commonsense development, the underlying motive being fair treatment for employees, coupled with good conditions and good feeling all round. He thought that superintendents of staff, after interviewing applicants for employment, should help the new employees in the matter of finding living accommodation, should not fail to inspect the mess rooms regularly, and should take an interest in the cause of bad time-keeping, as well as helping to organize social functions. Mr.Lansclown dealt with points arising from the welfare work in connection with Rowntree's Factory, York, the Spirella Factory at Letchworth Garden City, and at othet like undertakings. He pointed out that the L.G.0.0. branch alone had 23 messrooms, and had made special provision for the comfort of the women. conductors.