THE "NORTHERN'S" PROGRESS IN 1924.
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Last Yeai's Results Indicate the Remarkable Growth of the Activities of the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd.
IN VIEW of the acute depression .which has for so long existed in the Tyneside shipbuilding and engineering industries, and the uuprecedented slump in the export coal trade of County Durham, quite the most satisfactory feature of the 11th annual meeting of the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., of Chester-le-Street, was the statement to the effect that traffic revenue showed another increase during 1924, and that the company are still making extensive developments. The progress made during the past year was described recently in The Commercial Motor, and particular interest attaches, therefore, to the figure submit-led regarding the cost of the extensions referred to in that article.
Mr. R. J. Howley, C.B.E., M.I.C.E., who presided, gave an extremely interesting survey of the company's growth and their ramifications during 1924. Capital expenditure had increased by £75,023, and of . that amount £54,984 had been spent on additions to the fleet of vehicles and 120,174 upon the construction of new garages and upon • alterations to existing administration departments and garages.
For the year net traffic receipts and other revenues totalled £06,629, which was an increase of £18,901 as compared with the previous year, and the balance for appropriation was .£49,305, as compared with /33,417 in 1923. The directors recommended that the balance should be applied as follows :£5,000 to reserve, £2,000 to sinking fund for redemption of debenture stock, £9,000 for dividend on the preference shares, £25,000 to dividend at the rate of 10 per cent. .(as against 7-1per cent. in 1023) on the ordinary shares. This left £8,305 to be carried forward, as against £2,210 the previous year. It was stated that the renewals fund now stood at £100,420 and the . reserve 176,612.
After discussing the financial aspect, the chairman turned to the operation side, and said the company now owned 176 buses. During the year 58 vehicles had been added and a large number of obsolete bodies had been replaced, whilst the mechanical condition of the vehicles had been improved. These improvements had been reflected in greater regularity in the services and in reduced working costs.
The business was now established on a firm basis, for the fleet bad been brought up to date, and a large central workshop and. garage accommodation provided, which assisted in enabling the company to provide efficient and satisfactory services.
In order to meet competition with which they were faced, it was stated that it had been decided to purchase a number of lightweight single-deck buses mounted on pneumatic tyres, and that delivery was being awaited of these machines.
Blackpool Coach Owners' Dinner.
Speaking at the annttil dinner of the Blackpool and District Char-a-banes Owners' Association, held a few days ago, Mr. J. M. Johnson, chairman of the Blackpool Motor Traders' Association, in proposing the toast of the association, emphasized the growing importance of the motor-coach industry. He said that the growth of the industry had been of great benefit to Blackpool., fat there was hardly a town in Lancashire or the North of England which had not its regular summer service to Blackpool.
The association, he added, had done much ueefnl work in looking after the interests of its members, and had been the means of providing 51 public stands for motor coaches coming into the town. The necessity for increased garage accommodation in the town was becoming pressing, and Mr. Johnson suggested that the demand would be too great for private enterprise to cope with. If sufficient accommodation was not provided in the near future and motor coaches were not able to park in the town, outside owners would be tempted to go to other places. and that would mean a loss to Blackpool.
As to charges, it was stated that the Motor Traders' Association had decided to leave it to the discretion of their members whether to charge a minimum. of 2s. or is. for the garaging of a car for a short period. He thought the lower charge for a short period Would encourage the regular use of garages instead of the cars being left in the streets, as at present.