Bird's Eye View

8th November 1957, Page 180

8th November 1957

Page 180

Page 180, 8th November 1957 — Bird's Eye View

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Jovial Giant

By Th4 Hawk

THAT massive, jovial figure, Mr. Arthur Thompson, who

physically and in every other way fills the positions of publicity manager and labour manager of Fodens, Ltd., completed half a century with the company on Wednesday. For 50 years he has been inseparable from the little community that surrounds the works. In his time he has played many parts, beginning on November 6, 1907, as that almost extinct species, an office boy. His chief was Mr. S. E. Charlesworth, the present company secretary.

Later, Mr. Thompson became chief buyer and held the post for 12 years. Going over to publicity in 1934, he quickly built up a wide circle of friends, especially among the technical Press. But the prestige advertising of wartime was insufficient to absorb his energies, so he was given charge of the labour department. Fodens' Recreation Club is one of the institutions fot which the area is famous, and in earlier years Mr. Thompson put in nearly a quarter of a century as honorary secretary.

"A wonderful place to work at," says the man who has devoted so much of his life to Foden vehicles, the Foden band and the Foden club.

No Tax—No Bus

CEYLON must have more bus troubles per square mile, per %-'head of the population, or by any other standard, than any other country in the world. The latest news is that bus companies there owe the Government some Rs. 8m. in income tax and 10 of them have had some of their vehicles and earnings seized in default.

The operators have made an urgent appeal to the Minister of Transport to intercede on their behalf. This has placed him c42 in a difficult position, because, whilst he must not allow th, public to suffer, he must also uphold the fiscal system. Mr. Watkinson has never had it so bad.

Accidents First

NOW that during the past 20 months seven vehicles have eithe overturned or shed their loads at the junction of Derbl Road and Middleton Boulevard, Nottingham, a fault in tht road camber has been discovered and something is to be done

Attention should also be given to the roundabout at du western end of the Egham by-pass, where, during the past year 1 have seen one vehicle overturn and another shed its load

Renting Doublec

INTEREST in the renting of commercial vehicles in Britair I seems to have waned as quickly as it developed, but in America this method of conserving capital is growing rapidly, Last year the number of rented vehicles doubled, and expected to do so again this year. In 1956 there were about 225,000 commercial vehicles rented under various ingeniow schemes in the U.S.A.

Baiters Big

APLEASANT change from the ill-informed criticism that so often assails bus companies was made by a motion discussed yesterday by Leeds Debating Society. It is tha, "Privately owned transport undertakings serve the public anc make a profit. Why cannot Leeds Corporation do likewise?"

Ald. John Rafferty, chairman of Leeds Transport Committee, was invited to reply, but refused.