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Contractors' Plant Must Receive Careful Attention

9th January 1942, Page 36
9th January 1942
Page 36
Page 39
Page 36, 9th January 1942 — Contractors' Plant Must Receive Careful Attention
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Keywords : Contract, Contract Law

THE fact that the subject Of this letter is a matter of national importance is our reason for requesting that you give it prominence in your journal.

A meeting was recently held in London between representatives of the Government Departments concerned, the users, including owners of hire fleets, and the manufacturers of contractors' plant. One of the principal items discussed was the matter of a prompt and adequate supply of spare parts.

As manufacturers of plant engaged all over the Empire on work of vital importance, it is natural that we have given this subject much thought, particularly as the greatly increased number of machines at work has rendered the question increasingly important. Our representative at this meeting stressed a fact which has always been patent to us, but which, in the present situation, has grown from a matter of mere domestic concern to one of genuine national importance.

It is agreed by everyone that the conservation of materials and labour is now a matter of urgency, but it is not always realized that the difference in spare-parts demands and machine stoppages between a machine which has been regularly and adequately lubricated, and which has had the engine oil changed at frequent intervals, compared with a machine which has been neglected in these respects, is enormous.

In normal times, whilst it is important to attend to the maintenance of equipment, it is a matter which is important to only the contractor immediately concerned, and neglect will react on only himself. Furthermore, the general average of skill of the_ drivers and mechanics employed on contractors' plant in pre-war days was appreciably higher than it is to-day, and the owner of a machine could, therefore, reasonably expect to leave the matter of maintenance more to their discretion then than now.

To-day, machines are workihg very long hours, often under adverse conditions, and largely in the hands of unskilled drivers. It is therefore essential that both driyers and mechanics should be given the strictest instructions as to the maintenance programme they are to follow. The present state of war has made every man's business also that of his neighbour, and, where raw materials are concerned, and spare parts in particular, it is of the utmost importance to take advantage of every possible means for cutting down the demands.

Every item of contractors' plant when delivered is accompanied by the manufacturers' recommendations on this all-importarit subject of lubrication, and if operators would carry out these recommendations fully, the demand on spare parts could be cut down to a mudmum and the time lost on breakdowns be correspondingly reduced.

This is not an effort on our part to sell lubricants—we are neither oil producers nor oil merchants; but it cannot be stressed too strongly that strict attention to the recommendations issued is of-vital importance.

Muir-Hill dumpers are everywhere engaged on work of vital importance at the present time, and every hour lost through breakdowns, every spare part demanded as a result of neglect, is a drain on resources which we are doing all in our power to 'conserve. The greater part of our present advertising programme is devoted to this subject. Additional lubrication charts and instructions are available on request, and we would be happy to advise in any instances where machines are engaged on particularly onerous work.

Another point of importance, on which the most definite instructions should be given to all drivers, is the necessity, so long as the danger of frost exists, of draining the water every night from the engines of all machines left in the open or in unheated garages. A cracked cylinder block to-day is more than a mere matter of annoyance and expense. It is an unnecessary drain on the national resources.

E. BCPYDELL, Managing Director, " Manchester, 16. For E. Boydell and Co., Ltd.

ORGANIZED TRANSPORT SHOWS ITS CAPABILITIES EXETER may not be famous for its industries, but even one of the most exacting and, probably, the largest removal job the city has ever known has not caught its transport system napping.

In a series of reshuffles something approaching 200 tons of office requisites and some thousands of records have been removed in a matter of days. Such an Achievement could not have been carried through in the limited time without the co-ordinated efforts of the local members of the National Association of Furniture Warehousemen and Removers. The fact, too, should be borne in mind that this work coincided with the Christnaas-pressure period and was undertaken at Very short notice.

There can be little doubt that whatever calls. may be made upon this section of transport in Exeter it will stand supreme in its organiaa.tion, and will always supply the answer to the well-known slogan, "Go to it." Exeter. W. E. BLATCHFORD, Managing Director, Blatchfords Burrow and Co., Ltd.

S.J.C. MAY CREATE A STATISTICAL BUREAU YOU stated in a recent issue that one of the primary needs of the industry is a General Secretariat or Statistical Bureau. This is a matter which has for some time received the consideration of the Standing Joint Committee, and it was anticipated that the new organization which this committee recently sponsored would meet this need.

In the Press notice issued on July 10, 1941, it was stated that the proposed organization would meet a longstanding need, and that, both nationally and locally, a Secretariat would be available for joint work such as that arising from the Road and Rail Central Conference• and the Wages Board. The Secretariat would make possible "the collection, collation, dissemination and distribution of statistical and other vital information previously only available to those met across the table."

Although the new organization is not being proceeded with at the moment, steps are being taken to make the Standing Joint Committee more effective both nationally and locally, and one of the matters which is receiving consideration is the creation of a statistical and generalinformation bureau.

G. W. QUICK SMITH,

London, S.W.1. Secretary, Standing Joint Committee of Road Hauliers' National Organizations.


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