News of the Week
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/ TRANSPORT ENGINEERS' INSTITUTE OPENS OFFICE
FROM July 1, all communications to the proposed Institute of Road Transport Engineers, other than personal ones to Mr. G. Mackenzie Junner, should be addressed to the secretary• of the new body, 174, Palace Chambers, Bridge Street, Westminster, London, S.W.1. For the time being the telephone number will be Whitehall 8971.
Rapid progresS is being made by the working committee of the main organizing committee, and drafts of the memorandum and articles of association will be submitted to the latter at an early date. Meanwhile, certain expenses have necessarily had to be incurred, and to cover these and other outgoings, members of the organizing committee have kindly loaned sums sufficient to carry on the work until it is possible to ask for membership subscriptions and entrance fees. This is an indication of their confidence in the success of the work which they have undertaken.
Applications for membership continue tc an ive, and we would point out that in response to all these, proper forms will be dispatched as soon as possible after the sanction for the new body has been given by the Board of Trade. •
TRANSPORT ENGINEER REQUIRES POSITION tAA FLEET engineer, with much experience on the operating and maintenance sides, covering steam, petrol, oil and electric yehicles, requires a suitable position. We have known him for many years, and believe that he would be a good acquisition for the control of an important fleet. Letters
addressed Fleet Engineer," care of the Editor, will be forwarded.
M.O.W.T. VEHICLE CONTROL AND DRIVERS' NEEDS
DRIVERS and mates waiting for loads at a medium-size British port not long iigo are stated to have had to sleep in schools and even at the police station, because of the impossibility of. finding sufficient lodging accommodation for crews of about 100 motor vehicles standing by for Road Haulage Organization traffic.
An operator, who told a correspondent that some of his vehicles were involved, stated that after delivering loads in the Midlands on a Saturday morning his men were told to stand by for instructions. Late that day, they were asked to proceed to the port in question, and they did so on the following day, arrWing late on the Sunday afternoon, Then began the trouble, which they shared with about 200 other haulage men i who had been sent to the port. Added to the lack of lodgings was the difficulty of obtaining food. To their credit, the local police did what they could to alleviate the lot of the transport men by helping theym to find shelter.
" My men had nothing substantial to eat until the shops opened cm the Monday ,morning," stated our informant. "They did not get a pound of freight on their vehicles until the Tuesday night, so they might just as well have made the journey to the port on the Monday. This would at any rate have prevented some hardship, and the M.O.W.T. would also have been .saved the expense of paying the men at double-time rates for working on the Sunday."
The operator cited this case in support of his contention that there is still room for improvement in the control of vehicle eperation under the Road Haulage Organization.
WAGES IN THE MOTOR TRADE Pl.A NEW scale of wages for motortrade employees will come into operation ',tom July 10. It will also provide for rates for overtime. These are the result of new agreements. The minimum basic wage for unskilled adult male workers for a 48-hour week will be 24 in the provinces and 24 4s. in
London. Suitable increases will be made for semi-skilled and skilled workers. WHY PAYMENTS OF HAULIERS' ACCOUNTS ARE DELAYED
ACCORDING to a communication sent to members of the Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners' Association, by its secretary, a determined effort is being made by the M.O.W.T. to clear arrears in the settlement of hauliers' accounts and to institute arrangements for prompter payments in the future. This matter has -been •the subject of representations to the Ministry. It i3 said that, each week, many accounts are put on one side because vital details are omitted, such as the reference number, the traffic rate, and the weight of load.
In their own interests, operators are urged to render accounts promptly and accurately, as they will greatly facilitate the passing for payment.
MIDLAND BANK TO HELP AGRICULTURISTS 'THE Midland Bank has become a 1 member of the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation. This decision was based upon the view that financial measures forming part of the Government's policy of securing a healthy and well-balanced agriculture called for the united support of the banks. The Corporation will be able to make longterm loans to agriculture for capital purposes on terms much more favourable to a borrower than previously. MR. S. E. GARCKE ON ROAD AND , RAIL PRIVATE ENTERPRISE
AT the 30th a.g.m. of Southdown Motor Services, Ltd., held on June 19, Mr, S..E. Garcke, C.B.E., chairman, said that the part the Southdown Company has played in cordial relationship with the railway fore. shadows much post-war benefit for the travelling public. The co-ordinated efforts of these two forms of private enterprise zeern to 'provide the solution of every problem as it arises.
Although one sometimes hears a call for change, apparently for no more valid reason than that altered conditions would the better fit a particular political ideal, but few, in their more. honest moments, would be free from doubt as to the risk of securing for the Nation something far less efficient than the present correlated passenger-transport organization that is one of the. proud possessions of this country.
BIGGER PROFIT OF SIMMS MOTOR UNITS
TRADING profit of Simms Motor L. Units, Ltd., for .1943 amounted to £169,159, and, after charging debenture interest, depreciation, etc., the net profit comes out at 2149,910, compared with £95-,268 in 1942.
For the period under review a reserve of 2137,750 has been made as a provision for taxatien, so that the available balance, after adding £18,503 brought in, is 430,663. A dividend of 10 per cent., less tax, is to be paid on the ordinary shares which will absorb £8,597, and after 23,750 is deducted • for the preference dividend, there remains £18,316 to be carried forward.
FINES ON BUS DRIVERS FOR EXCESSIVE SPEEDS
DURING police-court proceedings at Wakefield, last week, against three bus drivers who ..were fined for speeding, the prosecution stated that a check taken on the Leeds road at Rothwell Haigh showed that the vehicles driven by defendants were travelling at 45 m.p.h. Later, when going down Bell Hill, one of the buses reached 60 m.p.h. The vehicles were respectively carrying 29, 22 and 14 passengers.
One defendant was fined £3 and the others £2 each, with licence endorsement in all cases.
TAXIS MUST NOT BE USED AS "EXPRESS CARRIAGES"
T'ROUBLE arising from tile payment of separate fares by Bradford passengers sharing one cab has prompted Bradford Taxi Owners' Association to insert in the local Press an advertisement informing the public that, as it is illegal to use a taxicab as an " express carriage," persons jointly using a taxi may not tender separate fares. The statement warns passengers of the risks they run in so breaking the law and of causing drivers to break the law,
Mr. G. D. Thompson, the Association's secretary, suggested that a taxi driver could not be blamed if he did not know that, say, four people who . got into his cab at the taxi rank intended to tender separate fares when they alighted at different points. He suggested that when such people wished to share a taxi they. should come to an arrangement in advance among themselves whereby the passenger going farthest would, upon reaching his destination tender the one fare.
P.T.A. LUNCHEON CANCELLED I T has been decided to cancel the arrangements for holding a birthday luncheon following the second a.g.m. of the Public Transport Association. The a.g.m, will, however, be held as originally arranged.
SUGGESTION FOR J. H. TURNER MEMORIAL FUND
SUGGESTIONS are being made to arrange a Memorial Fund in connection with the death of Mr. J. H. Turner, and the Council of the London and Home Counties Haulage Contractors Association has set up a committee to administer the Funcrand to decide upon the form which the memorial is to take. The first of these meetings was held on June 27. Further details will be given later.
NEW ROAD POLICY MUST BE PLANNED NATIONALLY
SPEAKING last week before members of the Birmingham Branch of the Industrial Transport Association, Mr, Boyd Bowman, of the British Road Federation, said that the only criterion by which a road system could be judged was its adequacy for the job, and by that standard our road system was so inadequate that it cost thousands of lives annually, besides imposing on industry and commerce a tremendous burden of delay and inefficiency.
He stressed the need for a national road policy, and said that the work of planning an adequate road system must be national, whilst the financial respon sibility must also be national. We cannot expect a constructive policy under the present plan, whereby over 1,400 different local authorities have control over larger or smaller sections of the road system. There must be a small network of entirely new roads— motorways. He emphasized that all the problems of post-war physical .reconstruction are related to transport, PLANNING POST-WAR TRANSPORT •
A USEFUL little book entitled " A CA Plan for Post-war Transport " is being issued by "Modern Transport," Norman House, 105-109. Strand, London, W.C.2, at Is. 6d. net. It comprises a series of articles on this subject which recently appeared in that journal.
MANY BUS CONDUCTORS TRAINED AS DRIVERS • Transport has trained nearly 2,000 bus conductors as drivers since the beginning of the war. Some of these men have replaced drivers who have joined the Forces; others, still acting as conductors, are available as drivers in emergency. EMPLOYEES' CLAIMS FOR "DIRT MONEY" PAYMENTS W/HEN operators who undertake W work for the M.O.W.T. are confronted with claims for " dirt money " from employees, on the ground that this allowance is paid to dock lallourers and others cOncerned in the handling of certain traffic, they should first obtain the consent of the Area Road Haulage Officer before any payment is made, or promised.
This advice is given to members of the Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners Association by Mr. Allen Walter,secretary. He points out that if it be expected that the Ministry should foot the bill for the extra charge, the Officer should first be given the opportunity of ascertaining whether it is justified by consultation with the employing Ministry concerned.
CROSSLEY MOTORS PAYING 15 PER CENT. DIVIDEND
MET profit of Croisley Motors, Ltd., IN for the year ended March 31 last, after providing for all taxation, amounted to £82,596,, as against £78,372 in the previous year. Capital reserve for depreciation of fixed assets receives £20,000 and general, reserve £10,000, leaving, after the payment of a 15 per cent, dividend, less tax, a cart.), forward of 230,613, compared with £23,017 brought in.
• WEST COUNTRY TRADERS' • ASSOCIATION OFFICERS
H0PE that the organization would have the unanimous support of all C-licence operators in the two counties whose interests it had been formed to protect was expressed by Mr. J. Adams Brown, of Messrs, Brown, Wills and Nicholson, Plymouth, when he was elected first.chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Area Committee of the Traders' Road Tratsport Association. Mr, C. H. Enapman, ofthe Ernie Milling Co., Ermington, was appointed vice-chairman. Mr. W. F. P. Bishop, secretary of the Devon and Cornwall Area of A.R.O., is acting as secretary.
EXAMINATIONS FOR AUTO-ELELTRICAL ASSOCIATION
TN 1932 a small band of automobile 1 electricians formed the Society of Automotive Electrical-Engineers. The membership gradually grew in strength, and in 1940, the new constitution having been settled, the Association of Auto-electrical Technicians, Ltd., came into being.
Temporarily the question of examinations for applicants was shelved, but now arrangements have been made for written and practical tests,and after -October I admission to the Association will be by examination, whilst existing members applying for regrading must take an examination for the next 'step. The scope covers marine, automobile, and 'aeronautical electrical engineering, and choice of questions will be given, so thatan expert can concentrate on his own speciality. • The secretary is Mr. C. C. Feldman, A.C.A., 19, Church Crescent, Whetstone, London, N.20. M.O.W.T.'S VIEW OF PAY-AS-YOUENTER FARES SCHEME
NO undue enthusiasm was shown by Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker, Parliamentary Secretary, M.O.W.T., when he was asked in the House. of Commons, last week, about a novel scheme employed on a provincial transport system.
Mr. Ivor Thomas wanted to know whether. the Minister was aware of the system in use on the Cardiff trolleybuses, known as pay-as-you-enter, whereby passengers put Id, into a transparent container on entering the vehicle as prepayment for any journey and, whether, in view of the saving of time, tickets and temper involved, he will consider an extension of this system to other areas.
Mr. Noel-Baker 'replied that he had noticed this idea with interest, but he had no legal power to secure the extended use of it elsewhere. " Frankly," he added, " I doubt whether it is capable of very wide extension. It would profoundly affect the eeonomic basis of the undertakings adopting it, and the effect might, in many cases, be adverse."
1943 TRADING OF HENLEY'S TELEGRAPH WORKS
THE report of W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd., for 1943 shows that the balance on trading account, after providing for taxation, contingencies and special war expenditure, amounted to £438,209, and, after deducting the amount written off for depreciation, etc.. a sum of £854,566 remains (£331,379 in 1942), to which £386,655 brought in from 1942 has to be added.
A dividend on the preference stock absorbed 29,000 and an interim dividend of 5 per cent, on the ordinary stock £65,000, -whilst a transfer to the war contingencies reserve account took £50,000; after deducting a sum of £13,247 for special depreciation, the available balance is £603,974. The staff pension fund receives £10,000, and a final dividend of 10 per cent, on the ordinary stock, plus a cash bonus of 5 per cent., takes £195,000, After these disbursements, there remains £398,974 to be carried forward.
MR. R. J, HOWLEY. OF B.E.T., DECRIES UNIFORM MEDIOCRITY
PRESIDING at the 48th o.g.m. of the British Electric Traction Co., Ltd., on June 23, Mr. R. J. Howley. C.B.E., the chairman, said that the B.E.T. group of bus companies now owns some 8,500 vehicles operating throughout the provinces, and, in addition to the normal public services, provides special transport facilities for many thousands of war workers.
Owing to the practical impossibility of obtaining adequate replacements of rolling stock, many of the companies are accumulating large cash balances which would normally Jae utiliied for the renewal of fleets. A large• proportion of these is earmarked for the purchase of new vehicles as soon as they become available. It is to be hived that the Inland Revenue will not seek to exclude these balances from .the companies' computations for E.P.T. pur
poses, on the grounds that they are not required for the companies' businesses.
There seems to be growing amongst the public a better appreciation of the dangers to the community of rushing into experiments in public ownership. This is especially appropriate in the case of road-passenger transport, which is operated with great skill. "
In the past, individuality has been one of the most successful characteristics of our race, and we have thrived, individually and as a Nation, on -the rewards of indvidual enterprise.
There is an inclination to judge what is good for road passenger services throughout the country by looking at the buses in Whitehall, and Orders and regulations are apt to be made accordingly. Nothing could be more detrimental to the interests of the public in the countryside than for their road services with light traffic to be classed for regulation with short-headway city services with heavy traffic. .
The worship of uniformity is an insidious cult which destroys enterprise and results in mediocrity.
I.O.T. 1944 EXAMINATION PAPERS AVAILABLE
THE questionpapers set for the 1944 examinations of the Institute of Transport have been reprinted in booklet form, and copies may -be obtained from the Institute of Transport, 15, Savoy Street, London W.C.2, price 6d, per copy, post included,
LIVERPOOL TIP CONCESSION
MEMBERS of its Tipping Vehicle Section have been informed by Mr. Allen Walter, secretary of Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners' Association, that, as the result of representations to the city engineer of Liverpool, arrangements have been made for the tip at Otterspool to be kept open until 6 p.m. (instead of 5 p.m.) for the reception of builders' rubbish and debris.
OBITUARY We regret to report the death of MR. ALBERT SCHOFIELD, a veteran Yorkshire haulier and motor trader. He founded the business of W. H. and F. Schofield, Premier Garage, Marsden, and although the firm now bears the name of Ilia sons he remained actively interested in the concern until his death at the age of 75 years. It was in the " horse days " that he began in road haulage, carrying goods between Marsden and Huddersfield, but with the development of the internal-combustion engine he became a pioneer of mechanical transport in the Colne Valley. SCOTTISH AID TO INDUSTRY'S PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN
ACHEQUE for £500 from the Scottish Motor Trade Association, Ltd., has been received by Sir Miles Thomas, D.F.C., chairman of the Public Relations Committee of the S.M.M.T. This is a contribution to the Motor Industry's Publicity Campaign and is a fine example of the practical co-operation which exists between the retail and manufacturing sides.
Other contributions already received are £5,000 from the M.A.A. and .61,000 from the '35 Club of Birmingham.
A RELIABLE SERVICE OF USED UNITS
A LTHOUGH handicapped by prevail
ing conditions, the service introduced some years ago by Used Units, Ltd., Whittlefield Street, Burnley, has endeavoured to maintain its high standard Started with the object of providing used units and spares for machines of the older type, this service has been more in evidence under present conditions through the supply of usable parts for vehicles which have had to le brought back into service.
As, authorized lorry breakers, the company constantly receives vehicles condemned by the M.O.W.T., from which are reclaimed all usable parts, whilst the unserviceable material is sorted and sent to help make Tanks.
Reconditioned and service exchange units are also advertised and supplied' as and when available.
The company maintains continuoua contact with operators by means of monthly bulletins of units and spares, a copy of which will be sent upon application to the address given above, 10,000 SCOTTISH BUS WORKERS GET MORE MONEY •
A BOUT 10,000 Scottish bus workers
will benefit as the result of a new wages agreement endorsed by the delegates of the Transport and Gene/al Workers' Union at a conference in Glasgow last week. The new scales, retrospective to the first full pay period following May 18. are applicable to drivers, conductors, and the runningshed staff of the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., and its subsidiary companies—Youngs Bus Co., Paisley, and the Paisley Omnibus Co. In all cases the increases are similar to those recently granted nationally to municipal-transport employees.
The new scale for private bus companies gives a 5s. per week increase to drivers, conductors, junior conductors, conductresses, cleaners, and runningshed staff aged 20 years and over. Running-shed staff aged 17. 18, and 19 years get. a 4s. increase, 16 years 3s., and 15 years 2s.
-The ordinary working week has also been cut by two hours, so far as overtime calculation is concerned. Time and a quarter will now be paid for all time worked over 52 hours each week, as against the previous 54 hours, New Year's Day carries double-time rates instead of time and a half, whilst in the running-shed all the new scales go up another Id. an hour when night work is involved.