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MOTOR TRANSPORT IN NIGERIA.

7th October 1919, Page 13
7th October 1919
Page 13
Page 14
Page 13, 7th October 1919 — MOTOR TRANSPORT IN NIGERIA.
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Keywords : Van

Prospects of the Great West African Colony Authoritatively Declared to Be "Immense." Money Spent on Light Vans Would Be "Immediately Productive."

IT IS GRATIFYING to learn on the authority ot Mr. E. M. Bla.nd„ general manager of the Nigerian Railway, as set forth in his latest official report, that the motor transport section of his administration in the year 1918 was "-again most efficiently operated‘and,maintained,• in spite:of the increased cost of material and petrol." The department, it appears, was short-handed.during the whole period, and, in addition, undertook the training of 74 men for military service in East Africa.

The total quantity handled amounted to 13,748 tons, compared with 15,604 tons during the previous year. The van Mileage was less by 20000, the figures being 148,193-and 168285 respectively, while the number of passengers carried was also down. The receipts per ton mile increased from 19.04 to 21,17 pence, and the profit per ton mile was;3.10 pence, as compared with 2.09 pence in 1917, which accounts for the additional earnings during last. year. Only six services-were maintained as against seven during 1917, that between Zuria and Maska naving been dis continued. • , • Incidental reference to the great colony of Nigeria and to its flourishing transport service attached to the Icicat railway system was made, it will heremembered, .in the article on " Motor Transport in West Africa," which ,appeared in The Commercial Motor for March 20th • last, and some interesting figures were given Of the working of the service for the year 1917. Mr, F. S. Browning; the-Motor Transport Officer, was quoted in saying that the satisfactory working result for that year had only been achieved. through a ,poliey of strict ecoridiny and careful training of the native-drivers.

In the 'report now under discussion— that is for the srpar 1918-the same•officer 'tells us that the prospects for Motor transport in Nigeria "are inimense " and he advocates the policy of Putting on light vans (not more than one ton) on all political and other roads immediately." Money spent on light vans would be immediately productive, he says, and would be • of great benefit to many traders, besides bringing freight to .the railway. He expresses the hope that in the n,ear future the policy of roads will be a very progressive one, both in the northern and southern provinces. "Light motor transport is-a fairly cheap means of providing feeders to the railway." Coining to details, Mr. Browning tells us that the earnings amounted to 215;108 12s. 6d., being an increase of 2543 13s. 3d. over 1917, the total workinglexpenditure amounting to 211,771 or 18.51 pence per mile. The consumption of fuel for the year worked out at an average of one gallon per 5.5 miles ; decrease of .2 miles per gallon compared with 1917. This included losses of petrol, which amounted to 454 gallons written off in breakages and losses account, bat-debited to the fuel bill.

Towards the end of the year, the motor vehicles were in rather a serious condition as most of them were long overdue for repairs, which could not be undertaken on account of the paucity of the staff and the lack of spare parts. Indents were cut down to a minimum, and all old parts that had been scrapped before were-brought to light, "to see if it were possible to get any more service out of them."

After nothing more or less than "faking," Mr. Browning and his,staff were able to persuade service out of odd parts that had previously been scrapped. This " store" of parts did not last long and the position was very critical during the last three months of the year.

During 1918 a system of building up of spare " units " was adopted, with the idea of keeping all vans on the road as long as possible, "so that now A typical West African station scene.

we have, for each type Of vehicle, one spare gearbox unit, one engine unit, one front and one back axle unit. Each unit is complete in itself, so that, if a man at an out station reports something wrong with gearbox, a spare is immediately sent and the old one returned to, headquarters. "That," the Motor Transport Officer adds, "is the system ; and, had we had all the spare parts we needed, it would have worked splendidly, but we were often held tip in the workshops for the necessary parts and so could not keep things going."

But Mr. Browning takes the optimistic view that "as time goes on things will improve," though the immediate outlook is not, it would seem, too rosy. Repairs have long been accumulating (thanks to the war); all vans-require rebuilding, the "spare parts" bill will be a heavy one "and consequently earnings must be low if vans are under repair. '

Mr. Browning closes with "again urging" the immediate necessity for a new site and up-to-date garage being erected at Ibadan.

J.H.K.

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Locations: Ibadan

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