Personal Pars
Page 28
Page 29
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Ma. A. S. LIGHT has ,rejoined the Ferodo depot at 61, Charles Street, C.anliff, after service in the Forces, He is outside representative for the South Walessarea, under the depot manager, MR. D. H. GULLY.
WING CMMDR. R. NEVILLE WHITE,
• whcoduring the war was deputy director of transport at the. Ministry of Aircraft Production, and was later principal vehiele officer, Ministry of Supply, has been appointedrnocement control officer of .,The Bowater Lloyd group of companies.
MR. H. A. Waws has been appointed works manager of the central workshops of United Automobile Services, Ltd., Darlington, in succession to MR. J. MORE, who, as announced in "The Commercial Motor," relinquished this post to take up a position with Glasgow Corporation's transport department.
At the annual meeting of the Yorkshire Transport Society, last week, MR.
• C. R. TATTAM, general manager of Br,adford Corporation's passenger transport department, was re-elected president. MR. STANLEY DENTON was appointed hon. secretary in succession to M. STiNLEY Sco-rr, who resigned heeatiae .arf the calls of his work as .a citsl epuiiaillor. Mn. CHARLES BRAGG was re-eleraterichairmare and MR. R. G. FIRTH, 'Con-es/a:indent of "The Commeitial Motor,' was appointed an
additional vice-president. ,.• Ma. 'G. ARstsracaso', Accrington Corporation's transport manager, is making an excellent recovery from pneumonia.
MR. H. D. DEMOULINS ints become a director of the Anglo-American Oil Co., Ltd. His task will he responsibilini for the refinery operations of the Anglo concerns.
SIR MILES THOMAS, vice-chairman of the Nuffield Organisation, has declined an invitation from SIR GODFREY HUGGINS, Prime Minister 'of Southern , Rhodesia, to discuss a' survey of the ' whole colony, and if Sir Miles considered advisable to appoint a Commission, of which -he,wopld be chairman, to make a full report on the development of the country. Sir Miles has had to refuse the offer on account of his commitments in this country.
MORE MEMBERS FOR B.T.C.?
AMENDMENTS to Clauses 1 and 2 of the Transport Bill, dealing, with the constitution and powers of the Transport Commission, have been put down by Sir David Maxwell Fyfe and other principal Conservative M.P.s.
The amendments propose that the Commission should comprise a chairman and not fewer than eight members, instead of four members, all of whom shall be required to serve the Commission exclusively. Limitation of the Commission's powers to carry passengers by road -and to construct and manufacture vehicles is also sought. 39 OFFICIAL AMENDMENTS TO XRANSPORT BILL 'THIRTY-NINE amendments to the I Transport Bill have been tabled by Mr. Barnes, the Minister of Transport. for _consideration during the Committee stage. Many of them are drafting „amendments of minor importance.
One of the amendments seeks to give the Minister of Transport an even 'firmer told over the Transpoi-f,tOiltunission than is afforded by the Bill as at 'present drafted. It is desigoed to ensure that, in addition to affording the Minister facilities to investigate its activities, the Commission shall „ also allow, him to 'verify inforrnathan furnis'hed.
With regard to the clauses ,dealing. among other things, with the segpension of dividends, the provisions are to be tightened up 'by including the distribution of capital in the original ban on the repayment of capital.
PLEA FOR SCOTTISH STATE TRANSPORT I N an address on "New Develop-tents in Highland Transport," given in Glasgow on January 21, Mr. John L. Kittloch said that transport in the Highlands could be satisfactorily developed only If it were treated as one factor in a complete plan for the development of the Highlands.
In England, under private enterprise. the transport industry had been regarded almost exclusively as a financially successful undertaking serving developed communities: our Dominions had, however, used transport largely to develop areas and increase productivity Private companies could not be expected to run at a loss in order to develop -the Nation, but nationalized transport might find it profitable, The Highlands might thus benefit by the nationalization of transport, even if the developed industrial areas did not.
A.E.C. AND I.EYLAND ON FIVEDAY WEEK TWO leading commercial-vehicle J. manufacturers have introduced the five-day week. The Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., has adopted a 44-hour week of five days. but the service station at Southall is, for the time being, continuing to work the 51-day week. The headquarters organization is completely shut on Saturday mornings.
Leyland Motors, Ltd., has also introduced a 'five-day week, but the usual week-end service facilities will be maintained for operators.
BURNLEY HAULIER'S DEATH AAR. JOSEPH MASSEY, of Burnley, IV" who died recently, founded the firm of Messrs. Ferguson and Massey, haulage contractors, and served for several years on the committee of the Burnley branch of the Road Haulage Association.
OIL MERGER fINE of the oldest concerns of oil Nsa' blenders and merchants in Scotland, John Glen and Co., of Bathgate, has been acquired by Clarkson and Co. (Glasgow), Ltd., Strathclyde Works, Davidson Street, Glasgow, SE. The Clarkson concern was formed in 1889 and John Glen and Co. in 1880. R.H.O. EXPERIENCE CITED AS EVIDENCE
EXPERIENCE of the Ministry of Transport's war-time Road Haulage Organization is .cited against nationalization of road haulage, in a statement which the road, transport section of Leeds Chamber of Commerce has pre
pared. . Remarking that in so far as any concrete A:kerne is indicated in the' Transport Bill, it would appear that it is proposed to operate long-distance road haulage on the lines of the Road Haulage Organization, the statement draws attention to the criticism brought in detail against the R.H.O. by the Select Committee on National Expenditure. It also refers to "the general dissatisfaction expressed by users who found the services provided by the Organization inefficient and expensive,". and to "the experiences of the hauliers themselves, who saw their vehicles, employed in a most uneconomic manner."
Terms proposed for the acquisition of road haulage businesses are described as "shameless and unprincipled."
C-licence holders in the section contend that the argument that most ancillary users' vehicles operate within a 40-mile limit is invalid. "They suggest," says the statement, "that the Government, in its ignorance of the facts, assumes that C-licence holders are mainly concerned with retail delivery. . . . But in the case of manufacturing firms operating their own vehicles, the great majority will be used over a distance greater than 40 Miles, and their use in this way is essential."
The section's statement was approved at the January meeting of the council of the Leeds Chamber.
TWO QUESTIONS SHIRKED
Ar a public debate in Perth, last Sunday (January 26), Capt. F. G. Bibbings, of the Road Haulage Association, challenged Mr. A. Paterson, of the Transport and General Workers' Union, to name one country where nationalization had resulted in anything except appalling losses and gross inefficiency, and to explain how nationalization
would ensure cheaper and better service.
When Mr. Paterson had concluded his address, Capt. Bibbings, amidst loud applause, claimed that he had failed to answer the two direct questions put to him.
' MR. H. N. RADFORD DEAD ' 111R, H, N. RADFORD, who was serPa vice manager .at. the Longbridge , works -of the Austin. Motor Co., Ltd.. for 26 years, has died at the age of 59. At one time he was with the former London General Omnibus Co., Ltd.. and later became chief designer of the Bean car.
19 IMPORTANT INQUIRIES SINCE FIRST WORLD WAR MINETEEN important inquiries into transport were made between 1919 4-it'd 1946, both dates inclusive. This information was given last week by the Minister of Transport in a written answer to Mr. Tiffany. COMPENSATION AMENDMENT TO DEFINE " PROFIT "
I 'ENDER the compensation terms of %,-) the Transport 'Bill are the net prqfits of a haulage' bifSiness arrived at before' or after deduction of the propriet-ors withdrawals for personalexpenses? Similarly, in the case of a -limited company, are the directors salaries deducted' before or afterwards?
This point Was raised during questiontime at the road-rail anti-nationalization meeting in Leeds last week (reported on page 641). In reply, Mr. J. A. M. Bright said that the Bill did not define ' what was meant by profit. "We are suggesting an amendment," he continued, "whereby profit would-mean the excess of trading receipts over trading expenditure before chatting taxation or . the remuneration of proprietors."
FREEING SWEDISH TRANSPORT CROM the commencement of the year, the 40-kilom. restrictive radius on road haulage in Sweden has been abolished. This' was imposed during the war mainly to conserve tyres and fuel. It is worthy of note that it was practically the same restriction as is now suggested in the Transport Bill.
From January 20, tyres for goods vehicles were decontrolled.