Mr. Hardie Deplores Denationalization.
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possibly justify as conducive to the public interest the decision arbitrarily to tear out from the transport industry a sector which is crucial to its proper functioning under public ownership." This statement is made by Mr. S. J. L. Hardie, a former member of the British Transport Commission and the first chairman of the Iron and Steel Corporation, in "The Nationalised industries," a booklet in which he gives his views on their development and organization. To remove road haulage from an integrated system would be a retrograde step which would hamper railway efficiency, he says. "It is difficult to conceive any method by which road haulage transport could be re-transferred to private hands without fatally impairing the whole concept of a nationally integrated transport system, which itself is vital to the effective functioning of this industry as a whole." He asserts that the large increase in C-licence transport has overburdened the roads. The extensive use of ancillary transport imposed a drain on road haulage services and was wasteful in that it resulted in many journeys of empty lorries on return runs. If these vehicles were integrated in the general transport system. they could be reloaded for their return journeys. He proposes the institution of a board responsible for the control and organization of the State-owned industries. This body would be interposed between the boards of the undertakings themselves and a Minister responsible for the nationalized industries. Questions of nationalization or denationalization at present decided by politicians could be referred to the nationalized industries board, because with the growing -complexity of the country's industry, questions of public or private ownership must inevitably become less to be decided by reference to political doctrine and more by technical considerations.
B.M.C. STANDARDIZES THE staffs of the British Motor Corporation, Ltd., have been examining production methods in the various factories and giving consideration to the standardization of components within the corporation's range of products. Plans 'covering the next two years have been prepared and tools and machinery have been ordered, so that progressive economies in manufacture can be expected. Lord Nuffield, B.M.C. chairman, makes this statement in his annual report. He also states that the Morris assembly plant in Sydney is being doubled in size to cater for Austin requirements; similarly, . the Austin assembly plant in Melbourne will be enlarged to meet Morris demands.
000,000 EXTRA CAPITAL
PERMISSION to capitalize L900,000 of reserves has been granted to the East Kent Road Car Co., Ltd. A29