News of the Week
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S.J.C. CONSIDERS THE NEW GOVERNMENT SCHEME
LAST Monday, Lord Leathers, Minister of War Transport, met the S.J.C. Executive Committee and announced the Government plan for the future of the road-transport industry. ' The Minister stated that, whilst the broad principles of the plan must be accepted as settled: he would be ready to consider, any constructive suggestions which might be forthcoming in regard to the application of the principles, and would be prepared again to meet the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee met to consider the plan, noted certain matters which require elucidation, and reached certain preliminary conclusions in regard to recommendations 'to be made to the Minister. These points will be embodied in a memorandum to he submitted to the Minister after approval by The full S.J.C., which is meeting next Tuesday.
The Executive Committee emphasizes the need to avoid independent action so that the public road-carrying industry may speak with one voice when the Executive again meets the Minister.
VALUING TYRES AFTER THE CENSUS —COLLOWING the completion of the census of tyres on laid-up vehicles (this affects those commercial vehicles' under 2 tons in unladen weight, also three-wheelers and hackney carriages carrying fewer than seven passengers), the tyres will be inspected and valued by a special staff supplied through the Tyre Manufacturers' Conference, CO-OPERATIVE PLAN FOR . VEHICLE DECONTAMINATION Pr HE Heavy Woollen District Trans". port Association decided at a meeting in Dewsbury last week to co-operate with Dewsbury Corporation in the promotion of a scheme to provide facilities for the cleansing of vehicles in the event of their contamination by liquid gas during enemy attack. Mr. Harry. Pickard, president, was in the chair.
Mr. J. Jackson (hon. secretary) said the plan was to establish decontamination stations in various parts of Dewsbury on open-air sites where the necessary water supply and drainage for the washing of vehicles were already available. Five such stations were contemplated, and the estimated cost of the special equipment, including cleansing implements and materials, protective cloihing for personnel and so forth, was estimated at £25 per station. It was hoped that about 300 operators in the town, including hauliers and C-licence operators, would share this cost in proportion to the number of vehicles they run.
The corporation offered to give decontamination training to vehicle owners, who could then pass on the instruction to their employees.
NORTHERN AREA A.R.O. SUCCESS ON DEFERMENTS
DROMINENT among many activities
of the Northern Area, A.R.O., is that dealing with applications for deferment of calling-up notices. A scheme has been devised for helping the members of the Association in that area and it has met with particular success. No fewer than 1,500 applications have been dealt with since January 1 last, and we are informed, out of that total, not more than half-a-dozen applications have been refused out of hand.
A large number of applicants has been granted the six months' minimum period, in other words, indefinite deferment, and all the others have been given satisfaction.
Of the cases which gave the secretariat of the Northern Area a certain amount of difkulty, most have been due to the operator. himself sending in N.S.300 and failing to give all the information for which that form asks. The scheme provides for the automatic advice to the member of the expiration of an existing deferment (one month before it expires) so that there is ample time in which to apply for renewal. THIRD-PARTY INSURANCE AND LOADING OPERATIONS
FOLLOWING a recent judgment at Liverpool Assizes, when damages were awarded to a railway carter for injuries sustained through alleged negligence in loading operations at a flour mill, some Liverpool 'haulage contractors have been asked by flour millers to disclose particulars of their insurance against third-party risks. They have also been asked to give an indemnity against any claims for damages against manufacturers, arising from injuries suffered by drivers or loaders.
When this matter was discussed by the Road Transport Section of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, it was realized that if haulage contractors acquiesced, they might be required to carry the burden of an insurance which properly fell on traders.
The Section unanimously decided to use all means in its power to resist the imposition of this additional burden, and, because its implications were so serious, to invite the national associations concerned with the well-being of the haulage industry, to support the Section by taking any action which might contribute to a resistance of the proposals.
INDESTRUCTO REPRESENTATION IN MANCHESTER
THE Northern agent and distributor 1 of -Indestructo safety glass, Auto Glass Supplies, Ltd., has centralized its Manchester works for the motor and allied industries at new and modern premises at 376, Deansgate, Manchester, 3.
RECONSTITUTING TRANSPORT REPRESENTATION •
AT a meeting of the Standing Joint 'Committee held on October 27, a resolution was passed approving the S.J.C. long-term proposals for the reorganization of the road-transport industry, and recommending its constituent bodies to proceed with the setting up of a committee representative of the various sections in order to complete details for final approval by these • bodies.
It will be recalled that the proposals provided for the creation of three new associations and a federation to cover p.ublic road carriers, private road carriers and operators of passenger-service vehicles.
CO-ORDINATED BUS SERVICES IN PLYMOUTH AREA
WE learn that an agreement has been VV reached between Plymouth Corporation and the Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., on the question of establishing a joint transport system in the Plymouth area. The joint services are already in operation, and they provide closely co-ordinated transport facilities over a wide and populous district.
THE ENGINEER'S PART IN AGRICULTURE Q ELECTING •as his subject, kJ" Engineering in Agriculture," when giving his presidential address last Tuesday before the Institution of Civil Engineers, Sir John E. Thornycroft, K.B.E., stated that from the earliest times the engineer has played an important part in helping agricul turists. His address dealt in detail with the problems of land drainage, soil erosion and the application of steam and internal-combustion engines to agricultural tractors and farming machinery.
He stressed the importance ox research, and referred to the establishment by the government of the Agricultural Machinery Development Board and an Institute of Research in Agricultural Engineering.
MOTOR INDUSTRY'S RED CROSS APPEAL
TWO important campaigns are being I launched to obtain for the Red Cross the maximum support of all those engaged in the motor trade. H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester has asked Colonel A. C. R. Wolfe, M.C., President of the S.M.M. and T., to appeal to manufacturers, and Mr. G. Lucas, President of the M.A.A., to pciembers of his Association. These twin funds, although separately organized, should ensure that the industry has an opportunity of supporting one of the most deserving causes of the day.
A feature of the appeals is that subscribers are being invited to contribute
4nnually for the duration of the war, nd the exemption of the Red Cross from income tax renders it possible, by entering into a covenent, for those who agree to double the benefit of each subscription without extra cost to the contributor.
Subscriptions to the appropriate funds should be sent to the Red Cross Appeal to the Motor Industry, St. James's Palace, London, SAVA, and to the divisional secretaries of the Motor Agents Association.
DEATH OF LATE "CM." BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE I T is with much regret We announce that Flight Lieut. Denis MannersSpencer, R.A.F., who was at one time * on the business staff of "The Commercial' Motor," has been killed in the Middle East. He had a number of friends in the commercial-motor industry, among whom he was a popular personality. TYRE MANUFACTURERS' CONFERENCE MAKES PROGRESS DWRING the war the Tyre Manufac turers' the has considerably extended its functions and now represents the whole of the tyre manufacz turers in Great Britain. Associate membership has also been provided for certain other branches of the industry.
The constitution of the conference now embodies commercial, technical and production functions arid the following appointments are announced:— President, Mr. H. L. Kenward; chairman of the Factory Advisory Committee, Mr. A. Healey, B.Sc.; secretary, Mr. W. B. Stokes, B.E.M., F.C.I.S.; consultant, W. G. Kay and Co. CO-OPERATIVE GROUPING OF • HAULIERS GOES AHEAD
AS evidence of the fact that the .Mco-operative grouping of hauliers is gaining ground, we are able to announce the formation, in the course of the past few days, of a new graup of this kind covering the Biggleswade area. We are told that 11 operators are concerned, and that the fleet total represented is 32 vehicles, operating under A and B licences.
•THE SPOT WELDING OF NICKEL, MONEL AND INCONEL RESULTS of an intensive research programme on spot welding are given in a new publication issued by Henry Wiggin and Co., Ltd., Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London, W.1, under the above title. The work deals with effects of electrode size and shape, and influences, of temper and grain size, and the cause and control of porosity. Copies of this publication may be obtained, free of charge, on 'application.
PLEA FOR SPECIAL FARES RATES. FOR MINERS THE Ministry of War Transport is being approached to concede workmens tickets at special rates to miners who have to travel long distances, because bf the closing down of collieries near their homes. Mr. William Pearson, acting president of the National Union of Scottish Mineworkers, stated that the Union was suggesting a uniform charge of 3s. per week for miners travelling by bus or train. This concession has been granted to munition workers in several areas, whilst in other districts labourers in ordnance factories are granted free travel. It was a hardship forthese miners to have to pay 6s. to 10s. a week on travelling expenses.