News of the Week
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2,000,000 TONS OF COAL FOR ROAD HAULAGE
OVER 2,000,000 tons of coal will be moved by the Road Haulage Association's emergency organization from pits in the Midlands during the next six months. In addition to 500,000 tons of open-cast coal (a similar quantity to that carried last winter), the Association is being asked by the Ministry of Transport to arrange for the haulage of 1,500,000 tons of deep-mined coal. In all, 2,000 tipping vehicles will be required.
The Association is asking its members to supply 1,500 tipping lorries to carry deep-mined coal from pits, based on Bolsover, Chesterfield, Edwinstowe, Huthwaite, Butterley, Nottingham, Moira (South Derbyshire), and Coalville (Leicestershire). The scheme will begin to' operate on October 20. For the most part, the coal will not be carried beyond a distance of 40 miles from the pit.
In the first instance, 200 lorries will be required; and these are being provided by the R.H.A. East Midland Area. Additional vehicles, to make up a total of 1,500, will be supplied from all over the country, including Scotland and Wales. Arrangements are in hand for accommodating drivers.
It is expected that 75,000 tons of deepmined coal will be carried each week, in addition to cpen-cast coal.
Operators with suitable vehicles are inVited to write to the Road Haulage Association, 146, New Bond Street, London, W.1, marking the envelope " Coal " in the top left-hand corner.
NATIONALIZED FOR EVER
I N a speech at Huddersfield, last Satur
day, Mr. Arthur Greenwood declared that no succeeding Government would ever be able to reverse the process of nationalization. The present Government had, he said, already gone too far to permit any successor to go back on its tracks.
SCOTTISH I.R.T.E. LECTURE
AT a meeting of the Scottish Centre of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers, to be held on October 8, at 7.30 p.m., at the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders, 39, Elmbank Crescent, Glasgow, C.2, the president of the I.R.T.E., Mr. G. Mackenzie Junner, F.R.S.A., MJ.Mech.E., M.I.R.T.E., M.Inst.Met., will give a lecture entitled "Road Transport in Sweden."
CLUTCH CATALOGUE OFFER
READERS of "The Commercial Motor" who wish to secure copies of the new catalogue describing the current range of Borg and Beck clutches can obtain them from Automotive Products Co.. Ltd., Tachbrook Road, Leamington Spa.
LIGHTING-UP TIME
FROM Sunday, October 5, lighting-up time for road vehicles will be from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, instead of from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise, as at present.
A24 PRODUCTION COSTS MUST BE CUT
IN a memorandnrn on the export I proposals of Sir Stafford Cripps, the Engineering Industries Association emphasizesthe importance of immediately reducing production costs, partly by weeding out the vast army of nonproductive statistical workers which industry is compelled to carry. This item, says the Association, is one of the largest contributory factors to the heavy cost of production. If costs cannot be reduced, the Government will have to subsidize exports.
TRANSPORT MEN CONTROLLED
TRANSPORT workers are in the I controlled class under the Control of Engagement Order, which comes into effect next Monday. Draughtsmen and designers who have no executive responsibilities are also included.
COVENANT NOW COVERS 11 MAKES
ALL commercial vehicles manufacturedtured by the Austin, Commer, Citroen, Dodge, Ford, Hillman, lowett, Morris-Commercial, Morris, Trojan and Vauxhall concerns are now covered by the covenant. As from Wednesday, October 1, the buying or selling of any vehicle of these makes, within 12 months of first registration, is prohibited, states the British Motor Trade Association. Vauxhall products include the Bedford.
Some 200,000 covenants have already been obtained for private cars, and in eight different cases in the High Court their validity has been upheld.
Consent to dispose of vehicles within 12 months can, in special circumstances, be obtained from the British Motor Trade Association through the impartial recommendation of Sir Grattan Bushe, K.C.M.G., C.B.
FUEL RECORDS TO BE KEPT
USERS who are issued with fuel coupons bearing the letters " Agr," "F," " Ind," "W," " Misc," or " Z " must keep particulars of the fuel acquired in a daily record book, and record the quantity used for every purpose for which the coupons were issued. This is one of the obligations imposed by the Control of Motor Fuel Order, 1947, dated September 22. It came into force on Wednesday, October 1.
The Order forbids anyone to use, furnish, acquire or be in possession of kerosene, either alone or mixed with other hydro-carbon oil, or any other substance, for supplying motive power to a vehicle. Kerosene is defined as including paraffin, burning oil, vaporizing oil, and white spirit. It is pointed out by the Ministry of Transport that owners of light goods vehicles who are at present entitled to a domestic petrol allowance which permits them to use such vehicles for private purposes, and is equivalent to the basic ration for cars, are in the same position as private owners. They may use the allowance only until the end of November. INTERNATIONAL BODY TO REPRESENT OPERATORS .
COLLOWING a general assembly of I. Bureau International de Transpoits par Autocar et Camion, the newly established international organization for road transport operators, which was held last month at Geneva, the executive committee was entrusted with the task of drawing Up detailed plans in the light of the views expressed by this assembly. A further statement will be issued later.
The Geneva meeting was attended by Mr. (1' W. Quick Smith, Secretary of the National Road Transport Federation. The B.I.T.A.C. programme, of 'work was reviewed and consideration given to the steps to be taken to establish the body, as the recognized international agency representing road transport operators.
DUTCH TRANSPORT LEADERS COMING TO BRITAIN
DR. SPAT, chairman of Bureau International de Transports par Autocar et Camion, and chairman of the Netherlands organization corresponding with the Traders' Road Transport Association, is coming to London this month, accompanied by Dr. A. Greebe, secretary of the Dutch T. R .T.A.
They will be entertained to luncheon at the May Fair Hotel on October 21 by the National Road Transport Federation. This will enable the chairman and vice-chairmen of the Federation and its three constituent associations, together with those invited, to meet these important officials.
BENEVOLENT FUND STARTS RECRUITING CAMPAIGN
THIS month the Motor and Cycle Trades Benevolent Fund is starting a new recruiting drive. Letters, booklets and posters explaining the objects of the Fund are being sent to 36,000 concerns. Employers, from the largest industrialist to the smallest trader, are being asked to join and to encourage their eligible employees to do so. Group organizers, area representatives and local contact workers in factories
are being appointed to bring home the story of the Fund.
Since it was started in 1905 by the late A. J Wilson, the Fund has distributed more than 050,000 in relief. Last year it disbursed £15,000.
FUTURE OF GROUPS THE future of the group movement was discussed at a general meeting of the members of the National Association of Road Transport Groups, at Stratford-on-Avon, on Wednesday. Suggestions contained in a recent memorandum by the chairman were debated. VAUXHALL TO START EDUCATION SCHEME
A N education officer is to be r appointed by Vauxhall Motors, Ltd., to establish a scheme for the vocational and general training of employees. The scheme, states Sir Charles J. Bartlett, managing director, will be dealt with from two aspects. One will be the education and training of young people up to the age of 18 years. The other will be the provision of facilities for the further training and education of adults, including apprenticeship courses or their equivalent.