WHEELS of INDUSTRY The wheels of wealth will be slowed
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by all difficulties of transport, at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier,
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT WELCOMES MORE VEHICLES.
Speaking at the annual dinner of the Devonport Mercantile Association in response to the toast, "Trade and Tranrport," Mr. Hore-Belisha stated that transport has become the greatest of our domestic industries, involving no less than £2,000,000,000 of capital, employing 2,000,000 persons—one-sixth of the; whole working population—and extending over 177,000 miles ofroads and 20,000 route miles of railway. Whilst, on the railways, there is a complete system fcr securing public safety, on the roads no such complete system exists, and it is the aim of the Ministry of Transport to establish one.
It is now provided that everyone who takes a mechanically propelled vehicle on to the road must demonstrate his capability of handling it, and it should become common practice to test periodically the efficiency of the vehicle.
As regards the roads, nothing short of the highest standards of construction would satisfy him, and he had laid down the principle of segregating traffic according to the speed at which it can travel.
Of the increases in the total number of persons killed and injured in 1933 as compared with 1928, the figures in the eaae of cyclists were 62 per cent, and 54 per cent. respectively. The increases in th:-, case of pedestrians were only 8 per cent. and 16 per cent., whilst the rL in the actual number of cyclists killed represented 96 per cent., and in the number injured 100 per cent.
The number of vehicles is growing by 300 per day, which, because it means prosperity to a great industry, he was glad to observe.
New President of Scottish C.M.U.A.
At the annual meeting of the Scottish Commercial Motor Users Association, in Perth, on February 28, Mr. John W. Loudon, S.S.C., M.Inst.T., stated that the membership had increased in 1934 by 181. Under the legal-defence scheme, 193 cases had been dealt with, as against 145 in 1933.
In succession to Mr. A. Rodger, Mr. John McDonald, Glasgow, was appointed president. Other offices were filled as follow :—Vice-president, Sir W. J. Thomson, LL.D., Lord Provost of Edinburgh ; hon. treasurer, Sir David Mason, 0.13.E., LL.D. ; general secretary, Mr. Loudon. Edinburgh and East of ,Scotland Area: chairman, Mr. G. S. Vickary, M.Inst.T. ; vicechairman, Sir W. J. Thomson ; secretary, Mr. London. Glasgow and West of Scotland Area : Chairman, Mr. John Macdonald-; vice-chairman, Mr. H. L, Richardson ; area secretary, Mr. Alexander Rolland, CA., Glasgow.
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Northern Area: Chairman, Mr. T. W. Watson ; vice-chairman, Mr. J. G. Park ; area secretary, Mr. D. A. Mortimer, Dundee,
A New Gifford Passenger Chassis.
The addition to its range of chassis of a new passenger machine built to carry a 32-seater body is announced by the Gilford Motor Co., Ltd., North Circular Road, London, N.W.10. It is equipped with a Perkins four-litre oil engine and the price is £695.
Having a wheelbase length of 16 ft. 6 ins., the new model is not markedly different from other Gifford passenger models. A four-speed gearbox is mounted as a unit with the engine, a single-plate clutch transmitting the power from one to the other, whilst the final drive is by worm.
Free Licences for Drivers of Heavy Lorries?
That licences for drivers of heavy goods vehicles should be issued free of charge is the view of the Liverpool Area Committee of the Commercial Motor Users Association, which suggests joint representations by the road-transport associations and men's unions to achieve this object.
At the annual meeting of the .C.M.U.A. (Liverpool Area), the following retiring members of the committee were re-elected :—Major James Bennett, O.B.E. (Mersey Shipping and Transport Co., Ltd.), Col. A. Jerrett (Lewis's, Ltd.), Messrs. J. F. Supplies (J. A. Webster and Co., Ltd.), G. F. Ricketts (Unilever, Lid.), Charles Grieve (Grieve Haulage Co., Ltd.), J. Austin Baker (Pilkington Bros., Ltd.), and J. A. Muskett (Tate and Lyle, Ltd.).
YORKSHIRE CONCILIATION DISPUTE DRAGS ON.
The employers' panel of the Yorkshire Area Conciliation Board met in Leeds on Monday, when consideration was given to certain proposals on wages which were put forward by the workers'. representatives at the recent meeting of the negotiating sub-committee of the Area Board. As the employers' panel was not in agreement with them, counter-proposals were formulated for the sub-committee.
It is understood that the representaa tives of the Yorkshire Stage Carriage Operators Association voted against these counter-proposals and put forward the Association's scheme of wages and conditions, which forms the basis of the Y.S.C.O.A. campaign against the findings of the National Conciliation Board. The employers' panel took no action with regard to the Y.S.C.O.A.'s plan, but it is understood that the Association's representatives will continue to press forward their scheme.
It is reported that if the scheme, or
something like it, be not ultimately adopted, members of the Y.S.C.O.A1 will be urged to take further action. ,
Employer Responsible for Employee's Misdeed.
Although the evidence of the driver himself was that it was through his own choice that he took his breakfist on his lorry, the Doncaster borough magistrates, last week, held that the half-hour did not count as a rest period, and that an offence had been committed by the employer for causing the driver to drive for a continuous period of more than 51 hours without a proper period for rest.
The driver was engaged in taking loads of sugar-beet to the factory at Brigg, and he stated that, although there was a canteen at the factory, he chose to have breakfast on the lorry.; The employer was fined £1 and another £1 for employing the man for more than 11 hours in 24 hours.
On the facts, as given to us, this ruling appears to be wrong.
Drivers' Records in Pencil. At Wick Sheriff Court, the Sheriff Substitutewas reported as having stated that drivers' records must be
written in indelible pencil or ink. •
The British Road Federation points out that this case arose in connection with the Transit of Animals (Amendment) Order, 1931, which requires the records in this particular instance to he written as stated. Those required to be kept under the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, are governed by the provisions of the Goods Vehicles (Keeping of Records) Regulations, 1934, :aild there is nothing in these to require such records to be written in this manner.: