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WHEELS of INDUSTRY

"The wheels of wealth will be slowed 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 C.M.U.A.-R.H.A. PROPOSED MERGER.

Just too late to he included in our issue for last week, we received an official notice from the National Councils of the Commercial Motor Users Association and the Road Haulage Association that meetings had been held in London to discuss steps to secure a closer measure of co-ordination within the commercial-motor industry.

The result is that the two organizations have agreed to negotiate with a view• to amalgamating into one large body, so that the whole industry can speak with a more united voice, and encouragement will be given to further amalgamations with other organizations in the industry.

Bid to Popularize Steamers Colliery Demonstrations.

Active steps are being taken to popularize the steam vehicle, and the Mining Association of Great Britain has the matter under close consideration.

Peculiarly enough, collieries themselves are not big users of steam road vehicles, and we understand that the Mining Association agreed to a suggestion of the Sentinel Waggon Works, Ltd., that it should organize an exhibition of steamers at collieries, Accordingly, Mr. Reginald Guthrie, secretary of the Durham and Northumberland Coal Owners Association, Coal Trade Offices, Newcastleon-Tyne, arranged demonstrations at Mainsforth Colliery, Ferryhill, Co. Durham, on June 12, at Blackball Colliery, Co. Durham, on June 13, and at Cowpen Mill Pit, Blyth, Northumberland, on June 14.

During the demonstration, the acceleration and braking capacities of the steam wagon, as well as its ease of control, were shown. It is understood that similar demonstrations were arranged to take place in Yorkshire this week.

Co-ordinating Transport Services.

Messrs. Beresford, Caddy and Pemberton, of Tunstall, have been running a service between Liverpool, Manchester, the Potteries and Birmingham. Under a new arrangement, their vehicles run during the night, and terminal deliveries and collections in Birmingham are performed by Red Arrow Deliveries, Ltd., of Waterloo Road, Yardley, Birmingham.

In return, the first firm will undertake the Potteries work of Red Arrow. Deliveries, Ltd, This arrangement has been made to enable long-distance operators to conform with the present legal require alS ments. Other Red Arrow joint arrangements are with Messrs. Blackburn Parcels Express and, through this firm, with Messrs. Scottish Express Deliveries. Arrangements are in force with numbers of other carriers.

Simms' Reduced Loss.

Improved trading and economies have resulted in Simms Motor Units, Ltd., making a loss of £10,833 for 1933, compared with £19,953 for-1932. The .directors have written off £39,011, representing shares in associated companies, etc., the sum being debited to the profit-and-loss account, but reserves of £24,117 have been brought to its credit. The debit balance is £29,642.

Road-accident Returns.

The Ministry of Transport returns of persons killed or injured by road accidents during the week ended June 9, 1934, show that, in England, 91 people were killed and 4,307 injured, 40 having died as the result of previous accidents. The figures for Scotland were 17 killed, and 459 injured. In Wales four people were killed, 205 injured, and two died from previous accidents. ROAD TRANSPORT CANDIDATE FOR PARLIAMENT LIKELY.

A road-transport candidate for Parliament may be put forward in Yorkshire at the next General Election. Consideration is being given to the question by the Yorkshire Stage Carriage Operators' Association, and-, a correspondent learns that an announcement may be made in the near future.

It is understood that the candidate put forward would have an intimate knowledge of road-traffic legislation and of both the passenger and goods sides of road transport. Many members of Parliament, if is pointed out, are sympathetic to road transport but something more than sympathy is required in the House. Although The Connizercial Motor is in possession of the name of the likely candidate, its publication would be premature.

Big Ribble Revenue: Net Profit of

over. 188,000. _

Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., achieved excellent results for the year ended March 31 last, the net profit rising from £78,446 to £88,417, and the total revenue from £1,156,502 to £1,213,810. A final dividend of 6 per cent. is to be paid on the ordinary shares, and £12,528 placed to reserve.

The company has acquired the share capital of Messrs. Wright Brothers, Burnley, whilst the capital, of Messrs. W. Armitage and Sons, and Messrs. Walker Taylor and Sons has been taken over with associated companies.

Dartford Engineering Progress, The Dartford Automobile Engineering Works, Ltd., Princes Road, Dartford, was recently placed on the Admiralty list. This concern specializes in cylinder boring and lining, white-metalling and finishing brasses, refacing cylinder blocks, and other work needing first-class workmanship. ROAD COST FIGURE DEFENDED.

At the 53rd annual general meeting of the Mansion House Association on Transport, held last Friday, Mr. W. H, Gaunt, president of the Association, referred to the matter of road cost and road maintenance. He said that the road representatives on the Salter Conference were taken to task for agreeing the figure of road costs at £60,000,000. This was because they wanted that amount spent on the roads and bridges, because he maintained then, and does so now, that we cannot have an efficient road-transport industry without efficient roads.

For instance, we have a fine highway chain, interrupted at 7,000 points by more or less weak links in the way of bridges. Imagine a new arterial. road—the main outlet from London to the West Country—with a bridge scheduled as weak, a quarter of a mile from its approach. The position is ludicrous. To put 1,000 of the worst of these bridges in a condition to carry 12 tons, would cost only £3,000,000. Five perU cent, of the taxes paid annually by road users, or less than the share claimed by the Exchequer out of one year's taxes, would put the matter straight, but it is not tackled in an effective way.

• Mr. Gaunt was unanimously reelected president.

A Spenborough Power Hydraulic Tipping Gear.

Sometime ago the Spenborough Engineering Co., Heckmondvirike, Yorks, put on the market a hand-operated hydraulic tipping gear. It has now developed a power-operated gear of this type, which is used in conjunction with a specially constructed three-way body. The whole gear is assembled in a sub-frame which takes all the stresses of tipping, without concentrating these at any point on the chassis frame. The

price of the 3-ton unit, with a body, 11 ft. long, 6 ft. 6 ins, wide and 18 ins. deep, constructed for heavy work and mounted on the customer's chassis, is £78. That illustrated is on a MorrisCommercial forward-control chassis with an 11-ft, 2-in. wheelbase.

New Vehicle Ferry Across Bristol Channel?

What is said to be a real move to provide the much-needed vehicle ferry across the Bristol Channel, from Cardiff, Barry and Penarth to Minehea.d (Som.), is being made by the Great Western Railway Co. The company is in negotiation with the owners of the Minehead Harbour.

Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies' Satisfactory Position.

After losses for three years, Ransomes, Sims and jefferies, Ltd., shows a net profit of £13,868 for 1933. With the balance of £15,603 brought in, the credit balance is £29,471. Arrears of dividends on the 5i per cent. preference shares will be paid for the year ended June 30, 1931. The total assets are given as £816,110 ; liabilities total £104,000.

Austrian Publicity Van to Visit • England.

The Austrian GOvernment has despatched a van equipped with cinematographic and loud-speaker apparatus on a propaganda tour of Western European countries. The vehicle is to visit England, and Blackpool is one of the places at which a demonstration will be given.

Atkinson Lorries (1933), Ltd., points out that, owing to a line being omitted from its advertisement under the heading " Oil-engined Lorries" in last week's issue, the prices appeared incorrectly. These should read: "4 I-1W 'for 6-10 tons, from 4385 fitted ; 4 RBL for 10 tons and upwards, from £455 fitted." PERSONAL PARS.

Employees of Glasgow Corporation's transport department who have completed 40 years' continuous service are to be entertained at a civic 'function. The transport manager, Mr. L. Maokinnon, is amongst the number.

• The many friends of Mr, W. IL Wakefield, of J. Gliksten and Son, Ltd., will be glad to learn that he is making a satisfactory recovery from a recent operation for appendicitis. He hopes to return to business in two or three weeks' time.

Mr. H. M. Weir has been appointed assistant to the sales director of Singer and Co., Ltd., Coventry. Mr.' Weir was formerly regional manager for Lancashire and the northern counties, and his place will be taken by Mr. A. Vernon. Kay, of the Daintier Co., Ltd.

Mr. R. A. Coventon has been appointed resident representative for Scotland for C.A.V.-Boseh, Ltd., Acton, London, W.3. The address of the depot is 32, Stevenson Road, Gargle, Edinburgh, where every assistance will be given to users ,of equipment made by this concern.

At the mayoral reception given to delegates of the Institute of Public Cleansing, at Southend, on Monday last, we were pleased to encounter Mr. T. H. Wagstaff, a director of Lacre Lorries, Ltd., who is also interested in H.ygienic Refuse Containers, Ltd. He told us that these hygienic bins are making great progress, and were adopted at Wallasey, Worthing, East Ham and Hounslow, whilst many other important inquiries are being received.

Trained as an engineer, with experience at home and abroad, eventually becoming managing director of one of the best-known motor agents' businesses in Lanes, and, for some years, chairman of Bolton Transport Committee, Councillor Walter Bradley, F.I.M.T., A.M.I.A.E., has recently received two distinctions. He has been elected chairman of the Lanes and Cheshire Municipal Transport Association, whilst the national organization of the same association has requested him to give a.paper, at the September conference, on "Transmission Systems of Motor Vehicles.'

Many Countries Represented at Exide Convention.

Over 700 delegates and guests, including visitors from Spain, Sweden, Ceylon, France and Belgium, attended the Exide Service Convention at Scarborough last week. The corporation officials co-operated with the company in arranging entertainment for the visitors. Various conferences gave opportunities for an interchange of views between the chief officers and the service agents.

The outstanding function of the week proved to be the banquet, ball and cabaret on the Wednesday. ALTERNATIVE FUELS: BIG FRENCH RALLY.

The annual fuel trials, known as the Rallye des Carburants Nationaux, which take place from June 25 to July 10, promise to be more important than usual. The object of the Rally, which is organized by the Automobile Club de France with French Government support, is to encourage the use of fuels other than imported petrol.

There are 41 vehicles participating, and they employ all varieties of fuel, solid, liquid and gaseous. Amongst the entries are three vehicles using the Claude! Atomisor, two with the Malbay gas-generating system, which includes a compressor, several Panhard-Levassor and Berliet producer-gas lorries, several machines running on town gas and two vehicles with the successful GohinPoulenc anthracite gas generator. Half a dozen more outfits run on petrolalcohol mixtures, whilst there is a number of oilers.

Goodyear's Successful Year.

The profit for 19:33 of the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co. (Great Britain), Ltd., after allowing for depreciation, interest on debentures, etc., was £109,912, compared with £73,108 for the previous year. The dividend was 10 per cent. (free of tax), compared with 5 per cent. A sum of £150,640 has been carried forward.

Railways and Furniture Transport.

At a meeting, held last Friday by the Yorkshire Licensing Authority, a railway representative, in opposing an application by a house furnisher, removal contractor and general haulier for a Class B licence for three vehicles and a trailer, said that the speed limit for vehicles with trailers is 18 m.p.h., so that there was an obvious advantage there for the railway service. When it was pointed out to him that it was impossible for furniture to be delivered by rail from Scarborough the same day as packed, the railway representative

stated that, " We could, in ease of necessity, run the traffic by road," which was rather contradictory, in view of his previous remark.

The licence was granted, but an application for an additional vehicle and trailer was refused.

Many Road Motors for the L.N.E.R.

The motor fleet of the London and North Eastern Railway is to be increased by the purchase of 79 new motor vehicles and 312 mechanical horses. The motors will be used mainly in developing the company's extensive system of country lorry services, whilst half of the mechanical horses will replace horse teams at various centres, with the object of giving new and ire proved service in many localities. The remainder will replace a number of solid-tyred vehicles which have become obsolete.

The company's total fleet is now nearly 2,890 vehicles, which is claimed to be the largest goods fleet owned by a single operator in the country. It will include SO() mechanical horses.

APPEAL FOR FORTH ROAD BRIDGE.

Sir Joseph Debbie, speaking to the members of Edinburgh City Business Club, appealed to business men in the East of Scotland to support the demand for a road bridge over the Forth at Queensferry. Estimating the cost of the bridge at £6,000,000, Sir Joseph said that the Government should contribute £1,000,000 annually for six years, thereby raving £4,000.000 in the dole and by way of increased taxation returns. He thought a charge of is. per vehicle would meet upkeep and repair expenses.

The East of Scotland Members of Parliament -who interviewed the Minister of Transport regarding

Government assistance towards the proposed bridge met with a discouraging reception, and it is felt that the initiative must now be taken by local authorities, it was made clear to the deputation that, unless a substantial contribution to the cost of such a bridge was made by interested authorities, no Government help would be forthcoming.

"No Sympathy for Price-cutters."

When the Northern Scotland Licensing Authority sat at Inverness, last week, there were six objections to an application by Woraie and Co. for a licence for an additional vehicle for operation from Inverness. Messrs. W. Urquhart and Sons, Inverness, maintained that they were pioneers of the road service' between Inverness and TaM in 1929 since when other hauliers commenced operations, the Wordie concern starting in February, 19,3:-1. The number of hauliers on the road was excessive and vetilaes were running half-empty, whilst price-cutting was rife.

Mr. H. Riches, Licensing Authority, in granting a short-term licence for the additional vehicle, stated that if he were furnished with evidence of price-cutting he would have no sympathy with the haulier responsible when he applied for the renewal of his licence. N.F.L7. CHAMPIONS, ROAD TRANSPORT FOR AGRICULTURE.

The National Farmers Union is taking up the cudgels in favour of the licensing of lorries for the transport of livestock. Last Friday, at a public inquiry at Cambridge, when a firm which had been operating two lorries applied for a licence for three vehicles, the representative of the Union said that it was anxious that there should be no restriction on the transport of agricultural produce by road, but it desired road-rail co-ordination.

A representative of Cambridge Corporation stated that there was a shortage of vehicles for the transport of livestock to the cattle market.

The licence was granted, Changes of Address.

Coopers Mechanical joints, Ltd., has moved to 14, Liverpool Road, Trading Estate, Slough, Bucks.

B. H. Pottier and Co. is now at 51-63, Loveda.y Street, Birmingham.

"Safety First" in Yorkshire.

The Yorkshire Stage Carriage Operators Association is helping in the promotion of the "safety-first " principle. Mr. Frank G. Bibbings, general secretary, has already addressed a considerable number of commeraal-vehicle drivers on this important subject. The Association has extended its activities in Derbyshire by the formation of a new branch at Bolsover.

Argentine's Imports Much Increased.

A steady improvement is taking place in the demand for commercial vehicles in the Argentine. During the first three months of this year, 1,787 goods vehicles were imported, as compared with 459 a year earlier. Of the total, 1,700 vehicles came from U.S.A.

An Expert's Views on Braking.

We recently pubflished a résumé of a particularly interesting paper on brakes, written by Mr. Field, of Ferodo, Ltd. Complete copies of this paper, which is most exhaustive, may be obtained direct from Ferodo, Ltd., Chapel-en-le-Frith, Stockport.

Anglo-Spanish Trade Relations.

The executive committee of the Federation of British Industries has decided to urge the Government to enter into immediate negotiations with the Spanish Government for a new trade treaty, as Britain has a consistently adverse trade balance of £7,000,000 annually from its trade with Spain. That country should be a good market for motor vehicles. BUYING VEHICLES BEFORE THEY ARE LICENSED.

Mr. W. Chamberlain held a public inquiry at Manchester, on June 14, when some 70 applications for carriers' licences were heard. An interesting case was the refusal of a licence because the applicant took over a business for • the transport of cattle food to farms, but was unable to assure the Authority that the former owner would not be claiming in respect of the vehicle concerned, which was owned by him during the basic year.

Another application which he refused was by a company formed in April of this year, which had purchased nine vehicles, weighing nearly 50 tons. In this connection he made the following significant pronouncement: "I am taking the stand at this stage that in no circumstances will the purchase of vehicles be a consideration to which I shall have regard in coining to my decisions."

An application for discretionary tonnage for vehicles to be acquired was opposed by several road operators on the ground that the rates charged were too low. No decision was given.

In another case, Mr. Chamberlain said that the rear portion of a treecarrying lorry, consisting of a pair of wheels, was actually a trailer.