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Cha I rm en Indicate A FEW days ago the joint Work of Road and rtchairmen of the Road. and
Rail Conference . Rail Conference, Messrs. R. W.
Sewill and A. E. Sewell, addressed the West Midland Road and Rail Regional Committee, and to some people who believe that the Conference has had little to do during recent years, details of some of the work carried out may be a surprise. Mr. Sewell, for example, congratulated the Committee on the fact that, during four years, it had examined 500 streams of traffic and reached agreement on 800 individual rates. He added that the compilation of statistics -in different parts of the country had demonstrated that for much traffic there is not a wide gap to be bridged in bringing road and rail charging arrangements into closer unison. Of equal importance had been the regular meetings, around one table of representative leaders of the two big transport agencies. Railway rates were standard all over Great Britain, and it was necessary for road transport also to think and act in terms of universality. A method could be found which, whilst retaining the sturdy independence of the individual operator, would make it possible to arrive at a national agreement 'with the railways. Any coin-se involving sectional agreements or • those with individual hauliers would prove impracticable. Mr. Sewill said that although be did not ask members of Regional Committees to spend time upon the agreement of rates for traffic which no longer existed, there remained, much work which could be profitably
undertaken. Sir Cyfil Harcomb had stated that the Conference would have a place in the post-war world, and that the Government did not wish to see a return to the cut-throat competition of pre-war days.
Treatment of Foreign N we were last. in
Press in Berlin in YV Germany, in February, 1939 1939, we noted a distinct
deterioration in our treatment. The occasion was the International Motor Exhibition at Kaiserdamm. We were staying at the Kaiserhof, and during the evening we were introduced to a so-called leader whose -task was to shepherd the Press representatives around file Show; we were asked to attend at the Adlon Hotel at 10 a.m. the following day. However, as we had always hitherto'been free to find our own way about, we went straight to the Exhibition. This had always been open for a Press preview at 4 p.m. on the day previous to the public opening, but we had managed to enter early on that morning. This time we met with a curt refusal, but after a visit to the Press office special admission was granted. Hours later, we observed the entry of a heated party, and it appears that, despite all cajoling, the rest of the foreign Press was kept at the Adlon, and only after an appeal to a Ministry and, a threat that all would return home immediately, was sanction given for the representatives to enter the Show by 1 p.m. Haulier Looking for AN opinion concerning the
a Well-equipped hiring rates issued by the Workhouse . . . . 111.0.W.T., and published in "The Commercial Motor " dated April 23, was well expressed in a telephonic message recently received by the head of a financial concern. He was asked by a friend, who runs a large fleet of big vehicles, if he could advise him as to where there was "a good workhouse fitted with hot and cold." So far as our informant could judge at the moment, it seemed to him that the haulage industry will, if the war lasts for another two years, find itself, at the end of that period, with worn-out vehicles and worn-out bank balances, without considering the loss of customers' goodwill.
Good Wishes for A BOUT the middle of April, Our Victory from the I-3Christmas greetings from Argentine . . , . representative in Buenos Aires, Mr. Raul A. Pinero, although dated December 24, were received by Vulcan Motors, Ltd. He mentioned that for four years he had sent such greetings to a people and a country under the shadow of. the most diabolical %war that human beings can invent, but, this year, he sent them in the almost certainty that the end is near and victory -for the United Nations in sight. His sincere wish is that England should reap the utmost benefit of thie victory so justly won by "blood, sweat and tears." We are sure that such appreciation will be treasured by the company.