News of the Week Nation Against Nationalization
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D ESULTS of a series of 12 Gallup 1 \polls taken by the British Institute of Public Opinion to ascertain public opinion on the nationalization of road transport, show that the Government has no mandate from the majority of the people to take over road transport undertakings.
These surveys reveal that if a referendum were held, the result would be a majority of. no fewer than 1,500,000 votes against the nationalization of road transport. This figure is based on the assumption that the number of voters in the referendum would be about the same as that which voted at the 1945 General Election.
There are big majorities against nationalization in the Home Counties, Southern Counties generally, SouthWestern Counties, Midlands (with the exception of the industrial area of Warwickshire and Staffordshire) and Lancashire. There are majorities, although not quite so large, in Yorkshire and the Eastern Counties, and small majorities in opposition in the Metropolitan constituencies and in Scotland.
Opinion for and against is evenly balanced in Wales. Thus, except for neutral Wales and one industrial area in the Midlands, the whole country is opposed to the nationalization of road transport.
Everywhere the bulk of the support given to the Socialists comes from men and women under 30, and particularly from that section which is stilt under /5 Few of them can have much experience of trade and industry.
Amongst people above 30 years of ace and in the middle group of incomes, there is an overwhelming majority against nationalization. They are the people who are in a position to judge the question.
Of those who voted for the Socialists at the General Election, about 20 per cent. record their antagonism to
nationalization. This is, to a slight degree, neutralized by the support for nationalization given by a small per
centage of people who voted Conservative. On balance, the movement against the Socialists amounts to about 15 per cent. of the voters.
Investigation also shows that throughout the country about three-quarters of the electors who voted Liberal are now opposed to nationalization.
These details were issued this week by Aims of Industry, an organization that stands for free enterprise and a fair deal for industry.
"CEASE FIRE" FOR THREE WEEKS QECOND Reading of the Transport
Bill took place in the House of Lords on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Division was due to take place on Wednesday night.
It is understood that the Report Stage will not be reached by the Lords for at least a week after the House reassembles on June 3. The first week will be occupied with other matters.
CUB ENGINE: NEW DESIGN
PRODUCTION of the Cub oil engine, which is being redesigned, is to be transferred to a new factory on the site of the old Pather Ironworks, near Wishaw, Scotland. The new factory will have workshops of more than 100,000 sq. ft.
Associated British Oil Engines, Ltd., announces that the title of Oil Engines (Coventry), Ltd., one of the group of oil-engine manufacturers, for which A.B.O.E. is sole sales concessionnaire, has been changed to Cub Oil Engines, Ltd.
PIT LABOUR ARRANGEMENTS WASTE TRANSPORT
THERE would be a big saving in I transport costs if miners were normally employed at pits nearer to their homes, said Mr. Raymond Birch. M.I.Mech.E., chairman of the Yorkshire Traction Co., Ltd., at the company's annual general meeting on Wednesday. He added that the company was running many more buses on workmen's services than before the war, and that most of the services to and from the pits were operated at a loss.
Last year the Yorkshire Traction buses ran nearly 2,225,000 more miles and carried 6,000,000 more passengers than in 1945. Many of the vehicles were more than 15 years old. Of 50 new buses expected to be delivered last year, only five were received. The company had 120 vehicles on order, but delays in delivery were becoming ever greater.
Mr. Birch severely criticized the Transport Bill, which, he said, gave the Minister of Transport "blank transfers" to take over road passenger transport undertakings on his own terms.
INFORMATION WANTED ON
OVER-WIDTH VEHICLES QO far concessions concerning cerL-itain ex-Service vehicles sold at Government auctions but illegal on our roads because of excess width have been refused. To bursue this matter farther, detailed information is essential, and members of the T.R.T.A. and R.H.A. should send to the secretary of either the following information: (1) Number of such vehicles in operation, or which would be if the Regulation were to be relaxed; (2) the particular models of vehicles involved; (3) the extent to which each is over-width; (4) the reason of over-width (i.e., chassis construction, wheel fittings, cab, . etc.); (5) approximate cost of conversion to the present legal width of 7 ft. 6 ins., if this be practicable; (6) the extent to which the vehicles, if in use, are engaged on essential work, such as the haulage of coal, round timber, or other tasks of similar national importance.
MINES MECHANIZED: MORE ' ROAD VEHICLES NEEDED TWO large rubber manufacturers have laid down new plant to meet the increasing demand for conveyer belts for use in coal mines. This development has caused an additional need for road transport, and was quoted in support of an application by Messrs. Dallas Services, of Leyland, for A licences for 12 vehicles and seven trailers in possession and two vehicles and two trailers to be acquired.
The North Western Licensing Authority granted the application after Mr. L. G. Spalding, North-West Regional Officer, had stated that, although 75 per cent, of the mines were now mechanized, few carried adequate supplies of spare conveyer belts, which had a minimum life of 12-18 months.
TRIBUNAL TO SIT IN SCOTLAND TWO appeals are to be heard in
Edinburgh, next week, by the Appeal Tribunal. They are those of Mr. J. Thomson against a decision of the Scottish Deputy Licensing Authority, and Mr. J. Cosgrove against a decision of the Scottish Deputy Licensing Authority (NorthernDivision). In the latter case there are four respondents.
The sittings will take place at the Scottish Land Court, 1, Grosvenor Crescent, Edinburgh, 12, on May 30 at 10.30 a.m. Professor T. M. Knox will replace Sir Archibald McInstry as a member of the Tribunal.
FUND PROPOSAL OVERRULED
rlA SPECIAL general meeting of the Motor and Cycle Trades Benevolent Fund refused, last week, to accept a recommendation of the executive committee that mechanics and other manual workers employed in retail establishments (except van drivers) should be made eligible for benefits. Membership now totals 12,140.
OPERATING COSTS UP
BECAUSE of the appreciable rise in Lthe world price of petroleum products, the retail price of petrol has been increased by 1/cl. per gallon, to 2s. 00. per gallon. Wholesale price is Is. 9d. per gallon. Oil fuel for road vehicles now costs id. per gallon more, and vaporizing oil for tractors an additional id. per gallon.
FORCED LNTO POLITICS A LTHOUGH the Road Haulage /-1Association was not a political organization—it disagreed with many of the Conservative Party's actions— politics had been forced upon it, said Mr. R. W. Sewill, director of the Association, at the first annual dinner to be held since 1939 by the Western Area of the R.H.A. He said that the Transport Bill had no saving grace.
Captain G. A. P. Upston presided.
TRANSPORT MANAGER AND ENGINEER AVAILABLE A TRANSPORT manager and engineer controlling the fleet of an important trading concern in the Midlands desires a post of wider scope and opportunity. He has had 25 years' experience in the maintenance and overhaul of goods and p.s. vehicles. Letters should be addressed, "Transport Engineer," care of the Editor.
DUPLE BUILDS LUXURY 14-SEATERS
Di OWES for 15 luxury 14-seater longLP distance coaches are being built on Bedford OB passenger chassis by Duple Motor Bodies, Ltd., The Hyde, Hendon, London, N.W.9. They will be operated by Overseas Motor Transport Co., Ltd., 120, Pall Mall, London, S.W.1, for Overseas Touring Co., Nairobi.
The chassis are standard products of 14-ft. 6-in, wheelbase, with special equipment for overseas use, including front and rear shock absorbers, and twin 20-gallon petrol tanks. Single front and twin rear 8.25-in. by 20-in. tyres are fitted.
In the design of the bodywork, special attention has been, paid to ground clearance and to ventilation. The action of six roof ventilators and extractors is supplemented by winding windows, above which are glass louvres.
Individual armchair seats of tubular construction, incorporating a footrest and a parcels carrier under the seat squab, are provided. Ample baggage accommodation is'avallable in the rear locker, which is waterproof and dustproof. Additional luggage can be carried in containers built over the rear wheel-arches and on the interior parcels racks.
There is a sliding door in the parti tion which separates the cab from the passenger compartment. Two spare wheels are carried in a special fabric container on the near side of the cab.
The body framing is of African timbers, and, except for the steel scuttle and rear corner panels, panelling is of aluminium. The roof and side panels are insulated against heat by the use of Isoflex between the double skins.
The first three coaches have been completed and the remainder are to be built later this year.
"NO WAITING" ORDER: PUBLIC INQUIRY
NMINE months ago Leicester introIduced as an experiment the "no waiting" system in the main streets in the centre of the city. This experiment has met with so much opposition that a public inquiry is to be held.
Main opposition comes from traders, because loading and unloading of goods are prohibited during the hours of restriction. Recent extension of the scheme to additional streets is being strongly criticized by Leicester Chamber of Trade, as it has not been sanctioned by the Ministry of Transport.
POOL SERVICES DELAYS? roM PLAINT of delay in the 1.--delivery of points-rationed food supplies under the pool delivery system is made in a resolution which the council of Bradford and District Chamber of Trade has adopted for submission at a meeting of the National Chamber of Trade's North-Eastern Area Council at Darlington.
"The time is considered opportune to abolish the war-time expedient of pool delivery," the resolution states, " and the manufacturers are, therefore, urged to use their own delivery service to the retail traders."
OBITUARY
THE recent death of one of its oldest and most valued employees, M. S. NORTH, chief representative and engineer of the Zenith Carburetter Co., Ltd., is announced by that concern. Joining in 1912, he had been closely connected with the development of many of the new models introduced by commercial-vehicle makers, and was widely Known in engineering circles in the industry, in which he had many friends.
TO REPRESENT FRENCH EXPORT ORGANIZATIONS
THE formation of Commercial Transocean (London) Ltd., 4, Seamore Place, Park Lane, London, W.I, is announced, as the exclusive representative for the United Kingdom, British Empire and Eire, of Office Francais d'Exportation de Materiel Aeronautique (0.F.E.M.A.), the centralized export office of the French aircraft industry.
It includes a special department for the export of motor parts, under the direction of Mr. M. M. Cansick, formerly export manager of Specialloid, Ltd.
The semi-trailer chassis illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 on page 328 of last week's issue was of Taskers make. £50 SCHOLARSHIP OFFERED
BENEFITS from the Sir William Chamberlain Memorial Trust are to be made available immediately by the Institute of Transport. Applications can be received for a scholarship for £50 and for up to seven grants not exceeding £10 each.
Those eligible are persons engaged, or intending to be engaged, in road transport in Lancashire, Cheshire, Cumberland or Westmorland. Applications must be made on a form to be obtained from the honorary secretary, Sir William Chamberlain Memorial Advisory Committee, 55, Piccadilly, Manchester, I. Completed forms must be sent not later than July 14 to the Institute of Transport, 15, Savoy Street, London, W.C.2.
320-TON PRESS BY ROAD
ON Wednesday, Sir Robert Micklem, chairman of Vicket•Arrnstrongs, Ltd., handed over to Sir William Rootes, chairman of Rootes Securities, Ltd., the latest British clearing triple-action press to be completed at Elswick Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne. It has a capacity of 1,500 tons at a stroke and is to be used in manufacturing car bodies.
This press, which is more than 45 ft. high and 23 ft. long and weighs about 320 tons, will travel in sections by road to Acton. The 410-mile route mapped out is over 100 miles longer than the most direct route. Travel is permitted only by night and rail or river bridges must not be used for at least 30 minutes before traffic is due to pass under them.
CONDITION OF MAIL VANS CRITICIZED QPEAKING at the annual conference of the Union of Post Office Workers, at Rothesay, on May 14. Mr. Richard Carr, of Manchester, criticized the condition of " antiquated " mail vans.
It was stated that the inadequate supply of vans had repeatedly been discussed with Post Office headquarters and was under constant review by the Executive Council. Priority had been sought by the Post Office from the Ministry of Supply and marked improvement had been effected.
DISASTER FOR SCOTLAND"
A DISASIER for Scotland" was 1-1.• how Col. A. Gomme-Duncan, M.P. for Perth, described the Transport Bill, when he addressed a public protest meeting in Aberdeen, last week.
Lady Grant, M.P., who supported Col Gomme-Duncan, said the Government was completely drunk with the power that it wielded.
E.V.A. LUNCHEON
A LUNCHEON will be held at the l'"X Connaught Rooms, London, W.C.1, on June 4, by the Electric Vehicle Association of Great Britain. Lord Brabazon of Tara, P.C., M.C., Sir Felix Pole and Mr. A. W. Barham will be among the speakers.
The Triplex Safety Glass Co., Ltd., is co-operating with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents by providing material for future road safety exhibitions.