News of the Week Honours for the Industry
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THE names of many people prominent in the motor and allied industries appear in the New Year Honours List. Amongst them are the following
KNIGHTS BACHELOR: G. E. Bailey, Works director, Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.; C, J.. Bartlett, Bartlett, managing director, .Vauxhall Motors, Ltd. ; Geoffrey de Havilland, director, de Havilland Aircraft Co.,' • Ltd. ; 6: E. Simmonds, M.P., rnanag• ing director; Simmonds •Aeroccssories
Ltd. , G.C.V.O.: Sir Arthur Stanley, chairman, Lanes United Transport and Power Co., Ltd.
: Sir Arthur .Salter, M.P., formerly. joint Parliamentary. Secretary,'1V10.W.T.
W. F. Bishop, director, Henley's Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd. ; W. W. Hackett, managing director, Accles and Pollock, Ltd.,: . Colonel If. B. Sankey, 'Regional Controller, Midlands Region. MOP., managing director, Joseph Sankey and Sons, Ltd.
0.B.E. : J. T. Brockhouse, chairman and managing director, J. Brockhouie INVESTIGATING CLASSIFIED RATES STRUCTURE
THE main committee appointed by the conference of central and regional road panel representatives, Road and Rail Central Conference, met just before Christmas. It remitted to a special sub-committee the' investigation of the possibilities of producing a rates structure with classification suitable for the carriage of goods by road.
Although the sub-committee has instructions to keep in mind,in the first instance, only road haulage factors, it is intended that any proposals which the road panel conference may subsequently adopt as a" result of the report shall be referred to the rail side of the Conference, with a view to producing joint recommendations.
The sub-committee held its first meeting yesterday and is comprised of the following:—Messrs. N. D. Fawkner (chairman), W. G. Cooper, H. T. Duffield, J. B. Green, J. Gomersall, D. Makwell, W. J. A. Peck, C. L. Wall, R. W. Sewill (chairman Central Conference—ex officio), F. G. Bristow (secretary), and F. J. Collick (deputy secretary).
A.R.O. AND RETURN OF LICENCES
ASTATEMENT has been issued by A.R.O. to the effect that the Association will give all the assistance in its power to secure the return of_ their carriers' licences to those of its ,members who may have had to surrender them through the circumstances of the war. This will apply where its members have been called to the Forces
and Co., Ltd. ; S. R. Geary, operating manager, Central Buses, L.P.T.B.
M.I3.E. : W. A. Calderbank, lately sub-district manager, Emergency Road. Transport Organization, Stoke onTrent ; F. W. Hill,Fighting Vehicle Production Dept., M.O.S. ; D. McNichol!, , works manager, British Timken, Ltd. ; H. E. Merritt, technical manager, David Brown Tractors, Ltd. ; L. C. Rawlence,' managing director, U. C.Rawlence and Co., Ltd.; G. W. 'Shoobert, development engineen, K.L.G. Sparking Plugs, Ltd. ;E. L. 'Fovea, shop superintendent, Trojan, 'Ltd. ; B. W. M. Wakefield, chief tool designer, Rotax, Ltd.
B.E.M. : T. .G. Death, district inspector, trolleybuses, L.P.T.B. ; I. P. Dronfield, charge-hand turner; Routes Securities, Ltd. ; .R. J. Hall, toolroom foreman, Northern Aluminium Co., Ltd.; J.' Keane, tractor assembly foreman, Ford Motor Co., Ltd.; W. F. Patey, district inspector, trolleybuses, L.P.T.B. ; F. Vickery, machine-shop superintendent, Clayton Dewandre-Co., Ltd. ; J. Webb, foreman in charge, John Thompson Motor Pressings, Ltd,
or have lost their vehicles by impressment or otherwise. A.R.O. feels confident that, in such cases, the Licensing Authorities will adopt a most sympathetic attitude. [We hope that A.R.°, is right, but the attitude adopted in certain cases, such as that of a haulier at Southend-on-Sea, does not seem quite to justify this general optimism.—En.] On the other hand, it would not be prepared to support claims for the return of licences to, or the reinstatement in the industry of, those operaters who have sold their vehicles of otherwise disposed of their busi• tresses during the war as a result of conditions entirely within their own control.
"The WEALTHIEST TRADE UNION IN THE WORLD"
A FTER 20 years of administrative work, helping to make the Scottish Horse and Motormen's Association what is said to be the wealthiest trade union in the world in proportion to membership, Mr. Robert Taylor resigned from the post of general ssecrttary, which be has held. since 1936, on December 31. The membership has increased from 8,000 to 113,000,
whom 4,000 are in the Forces, and the funds, which stood at £90,000 in 1925, are now worth £230,000.
Mr. Taylor, who, as already announced in our columns, has been appointed a director of the Scottish C.W.S. in his • farewell message to members, states that the growth of statutory machinery has created a mild revolution in road transport BETTER HIRING TERMS UNDER HAULAGE SCHEME
THERE is reason to think that an improvement in the terms for vehicles hired udder the Government's Haulage Scheme will be announced in the near future by the M.O.W.T. as au outcome of representations made by the industry through the S.J.C, It is gathered that there May be an increase iii the mileage rates and a concession in respect of maintenance costs.
A factor stressed in the pleas for improvement Of the terms is what is called the reversal of the Ministry's policy since the present scheme wasintroduced. • This change is defined as being a switch-over from 'a. policy of paying operators for kenning vehicles in the garages rather than running" them (for rubber and fuel economy reasons) to One of making , great Use of hired-vehicles. Under the previous policy, it is argued, the hiring terms were barely enough to enable the average operator to exist economically, but with the great 'increase in mileage which hired vehicles are now called upon to run, . the terms laid .down under the old policy no, longer even meetthat requirement.
Causes tØ which the Ministry's much greater use of road haulage are 'attributed include • the black-out's restrictive effect on railway .operation. and the increase in imports which has accompanied the Allied successesin the war against the U-boats. ' It is also stIggested that, generally speaking; the performance of a road _ haulage job under the GovernMent scheme requires, pro rata, a greater number of vehicles than Under private operation.
REVISED PROGRAMME OF VEHICLE PRODUCTION
LAST July it was stated that the prOgramme of Produttion Of new vehicles in 1944 would show • little variation in numbers and types from that for 1943, but certain additional models were mentioned. Since that date, however, other modifications have been made.
In the light-vehicle range, in addition to the Morris-Commercial 30-cwt. van which recently dame into production, there will be a Commer 15-25-cwt. van. In the heavy-vehicle range, changes as compared with 1943 will be • as folloW:—There will be a Maudslay 7-1-tonner with an A.E.C. engine, capable of drawing a trailer. In lieu of the Atkinson six-wheeler, there will be an eight-wheeler with A.E.C. engine,' suitable .for 15 tons. Similarly, the Foden six-wheeler will be replaced by an eight-wheeler with Gardner engine, to carry 15 tons and be able to draw a trailer. The E.R.F. 7/ and 12-15ton models will have A.E.C, oil engines instead of Gardner products. As previously' stated, the standard tippers Will be Ford and Bedford, and there will be a reasonable production of electric vehicles, including "prams."
In the passenger-vehicle sphere, some Bristol double-deckers will become available during the year, in addition to the Guy and Daimler buses of this type. and the Bedford single-decker. INSURING GOODS VEHICLES
DURING September, 1943, insurers of motor goods vehicles agreed to continue, without any general increase in rates, existing policies for such vehicles used within a group scheme, despite the fact that the Emergency Powers (Road Vehicles and Drivers) Order, 1939, removed certain restric'tions on A, B and C. licences.
The same concession has been agreed to for vehicles used for other purposes on a certificate by an officer of the M,O.W.T. that such use is necessary: (1) To deal with an emergency, or (2) because no other vehicles were avail licensed and insured for haulage. These certificates are issued by District Transport Officers, but not in connection with normal work for the Ministry Organization, civil defence work, or non-emergency use.
These arrangements will continue in force until March 31.
POST.WAR EMPLOYMENT: LORD NUFFIELD'S OPTIMISM
THE hope that the British motor industry will, after the war, be able to absorb all ex-employees, was expressed by Lord Nuffield in a message of good will and New Year's greetings to the members of his organization who are serving with the Forct and in the factories.
" Four years of war," he said; " have diverted the commercial and private transport of the world to sterner tasks. This, and the mechanical deterioration of the remaining vehicles, accelerated during war-time by the shortage of maintenance personnel, has created an enormous potential postwar source of demand.
" Not only should it tie possible, dependent • upon raw materials' and prices, ultimately to re-absorb all our pre-war personnel, hut also to expand and provide employment for still larger numbers of British workmen.
" The motor industry has been a major force in the successful prosecution of the war, and the versatility it has shown during war-time should . enable it quickly to swing back to peace-time production to satisfy a _ world hungry for transport—the lifeblood of civilization."
TRANSPORT CHARGES ON FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
THE Minister of Food wishes to make clearthe way in which the provisions of the Maximum Price Orders dealing with permitted additions in respect of transport are intended to
be applied. • The Orders normally 'provide for additions to be made for costs and charges reasonably incurred for trans
port. They also usually prescribe a Maximum transport charge per cwt. net of goods sold. , When such goods are carried, however, the trader has to pay transport on the gross weight of produce and .containers, and -these charges should he recoverable in full if the maximum rate be not exceeded.
The following example may help to clarify the matter:—Suppose that three
consignments, A, B and C, each weighing 2 cwt., 20 lb. gross and 2 cwt, net, are carried to wholesalers' premises from varying distances, the actual charges incurred on the gross weights being 8s., 10s. and Ds, 6d., respectively. If the maximum transport addition permitted be 5s, per cwt. net, then the transport charges on A can be recovered in full at 45. per cwt, net, those on B at 5s., hut in the case of C, where they amount to 5s, Od, per cwt. net-% they can be recovered only to the extent of 5s.
AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS AND ASSOCIATED COMPANIES THE many friends of Automotive
Products Co., . Ltd., and its associated concerns Will be interested to learn of the appointment of three new directors to the board of the Lock heed Hydraulic Brake Co.; Ltd. They are Messrs. Norman Spurgeon, who has been secretary of the companies almost since their inception and completed 21 years' service with them in March ; A. C. Burdon, the general manager, who during 15 years' service has seen hydraulic-brake production grow from a small factory with a staff of 25 to a huge organization employing " many thousands; and E. W. Swales, who, although a comparatively newcomer, has shown _ outstanding organizing ability in building up to a huge extent certain production for war needs. Those who know these new directors personally will undoubtedly wish them the best, of fortune in their increased responsibilities.
PERSONAL PARS MR. J. W. DICK, of the Consett Iron Co.'s traffic department, has been appointed traffic manager to the South Durham Steel and Iron Co., Ltd.
MR. JOHN BRANNMAN, assistant general secretary, has been elected secretary of the Scottish Horse and Motormen's Association, in place of . Mr. Robert Taylor, recently elected a director of the Scottish C.W.S, MR. JACKSON HOCGARD, who left Southport .Corporation transport dept. •a few months ago to become traffic superintendent at Burton-onTrent, is returning to Southport as traffic superintendent and assistant manager.
Miss DOROTHY KENDALL has been appointed woman personnel supervisor of the transport department . of Leeds Corporation and begins her duties" ,on January 24. • She holds the social science diploma of Birmingham University and vacates the post of labour supervisor with the British Sugar Corporation.
MR. J. H. JONES, who' joined the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., at 14, Regent Street, London, as long ago as 1900, has just died at the age of fifty-six years. He was assistant to Mr. Alfred du -Gros in 1912. He had been manager of the insurance department since its creation in 1919 and four years later combined with, these duties the work of depot inspection.