NEWS of the WEEK
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POOLING OF HAULIERS' BULK-OIL TANKERS
WE understand that consideration is being given to the pooling of vehicles owned by haulage contractors who are engaged in the bulk transport
of oil, but not petrol. This is a specialized branch of transport in which there is relatively only a small number of operators.
Quicker Payments for Pool Haulage IT is learned that efforts are being made to speed up payments to lorry owners who have undertaken work for the traffic pools operating at certain of the principal' ports. Their success will be contingent on the willingness of the Treasury to make a block grant, from which accounts submitted by haulage contractors for services rendered can be quickly cleared.
The question has been raised in the Interests of vehicle owners in a small way of business, many of whom it is felt suffer hardship through having to wait for payment until the end of the month following that in which the work has been done. If a block grant can be obtained it should be possible to make settlements in seven days, which in itself would be an inducement for " small men " to work for the pools.
Guy Motors' Profit
REPORT of Guy Motors, Ltd., for the year ended June 30, 1940; shows a net profit, after providing for all charges except debenture interest, of £52,461. The amount available for disposal is £70,196, after adding £22,031 brought in from last year and deducting year's interest on 5 per cent. first mortgage debentures, etc.
A dividend of 15 per cent. (less tax) is to be paid on the ordinary shares, and this takes £17,104. A sum oi £5,000 is set aside to reserve for a staff profit-sharing bonus, £7,000 to the, thinking fund for debenture redemption, £7,500 to reserve for obsolescence and deferred repairs, and £10,000 to reserve for development of new models and reorganization of production, whilst £17,129 is written off patents and designs. After these deductions, a sum of £6,380 remains to be carried forward.
Traders' Traffic Conference Loses Secretary
WE learn, with much regret, of the recent death of Mr. H. Mansfield, who had been for 22 years secretary of the Traders' fraffic Conference.. He had been in ill-health for some time, so that his lass to his associates was not altogether unexpected. His long and excellent service to the Conference had much to do with the position attained by it in transport deliberations. " EMERGENCY " PRODUCER INSTRUCTION BOOK JUST OUT AIR leaks in producer-gas plants are emphasized, by the Committee on, the Emergency Conversion of Motor Vehicles to Producer Gas, as responsible for most of the troubles that have occurred in producer gas vehicle operation. The statement to this effect is contained in a short booklet an maintenance and operation of the Government " emergency " producer, that has just been published by lEs Majesty's Stationery Office, Kingsway, London, W.C.2, price 3d. plus postage.
Comprising only five pages of text and three page drawings, the booklat, nevertheless, contains much information of a definitely important nature. The instructions are essentially practical, and are certainly clearly set out.
There are two parts, of which the first deals with preparing the vehicle for starting, the procedure of starting, refuelling during service, and driving, with a few hints of a general nature. Part two is wholly devoted to maintenance, and gives detailed advice on avoiding air leaks—the matter which is specially stressed—and on looking after the producer, the coolers, the filters, and the trailer parts.'
Although the arrival of this official , instruction book is Somewhat tardy, its value is real, and the need for spread"leg knowledge of producer-gas operation is generally recognized as urgent. Indeed, the opinion has more than once been expressed that the success of the movement is largely dependent "on the efforts made properly to instruct the actual operatives of the apparatus.
October's Export Totals
nURING October, the total value of Linew commercial vehicles exported from this country (excluding tractors) amounted to £29,053. Commercial chassis exported in the same month had a value of £29,353, whilst tractors, except those of the agricultural types, were valued at £479. INSURANCE OF GROUPED VEHICLES
SINCE September, 1939, insurers have agreed, for periods of three months at a time, to continue and extend, without any general increase in rates, existing policies for those goods vehicles included in groups, although the Emergency Powers (Road Vehicles and Drivers) Order, 1939, removed certain restrictions on A, B and C licences under the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933. This arrangement for insurance was extended until November 30, 1940, but by arrangement with the Ministry of Transport the insurers have now agreed to extend the existing arrangement until February 25, 1941.
Damage to Fuel Tankers in Air Raids
ATTENTION is drawn by . the London Civil Defence Region to the danger which might arise as the result of petrol and other inflammable spirit being spilled on roadways during a bombing attack through damage to petrol tanks of vehicles, or to petrolcarrying tankers. Local authorities are required to take special precautions, as indicated in a circular which has been issued, to lessen the risk of fires, and to prevent inflammable spirit passing into drainage systems.
Call for New Road-building Policy
THE construction of a new roads system, designed for modern traffic needs, was advocated by Mr. P. W. R. Marston-Clark at a meeting of the East Midland Section of the Institute of Transport, at Nottingham. He said that, taking as a basis a mileage of 2,500, new motorways on the dualcarriageway system could be constructed at the rate of 250 miles per annum for a period of 10 years, at a cost of approximately £12,500,000 year, including the purchase of the -land.
The very essence of motorways lay in the fact that public access would not be allowed; consequently, there would be no ribbon building with its attendant dangers.