C.M.U.A. COUNCIL MEETING AT NOTTINGHAM.
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Discussions on Taxation Methods, Bridge Tolls, Simultaneous Expiry of Drivers' Licences, the Railway Menace, and Foreign Triptyques
MATTERS of great practical interest were discussed at a quarterlymeeting of the Council of the Commercial Motor Users Association held on Wednesday last at-the Victoria Station Hotel, Nottingham, under the presidency of Mr. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith, C.B.E., IvI.Inst.T., one of the principal subjects dealt with being the taxation of mechanieally propelled vehicles, as to which a comprehensive resolution was adopted.
It was the first occasion of an assembly of the national executive in the Midland city, and both in relation to the business proceedings and the pro.
gramme undertaken on Thursday of visits to various places of interest in the city very pleasant recollections will be preserved of the admirable arrangements made by the committee of the East Midland Division, members representing Notts, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Rutland and Northants districts, of which it is composed, participating in according a characteristically hearty welcome. Among the members of the council present were Messrs. G. H. P. Dalgleish, chairman of the East Midland Division, R. Vile G. Barnett, J. H. Stirk, O. Cecil Power, W. T. Lalonde, G. F. Box, chairman of the North Eastern Division, C. Le M. Gesselin, chairman of the North Western Division, C. Cockcroft, J. L. Clewes, L. P. Oidfield, W. B. Livesey, P. G. Harper, A. C. Bloomer, W. F. French, F. G. Bristow, secretary of the Association, and Noel Berridge, solicitor thereto.
A largo-number of letters regretting inability to attend had been received from members of the council. The excellent arrangements in connection with the meeting were largely due to Mr. J. H. Trease, of Nottingham, secretary of the East Midlands Divisional Association, which now numbers about 350 members, on whose behalf the visitors were welcomed by Mr. Dalgleish.
The chairman acknowledged the heartiness of the reception, expressing the pleasure which it afforded the council to•meet in Nottingham.
Triptyques for Chars-a-banes.
Dealing with Continental arrangements, the Secretary reported that the triptsigne and international travelling pass facilities between England and France had now been extended. to motor charsft-bancs, motorbuses and vehicles of a like nature, a corinnunieation being read from the Royal Automobile Club stating that thig had been effected under a reciprocity agreement with the Automobile Club de France through the French Customs House authorities. Other automobile clubs were being con• stilted through the Association Internationale ties Automobile -Clubs to see whether or not similar arrangements could be devised with them," but, at the present time, it was understood that only France and England had agreed to an extension of the triptyque and international travelling pass facilities to this class of vehicle, but it must be clearly understood that the arrangement applied only to vehicles bringing their complement of passengers from France or vice versa. In no circumstances would a triptyque or international travelling pass be issued either for France or England, where the vehicles were to be used for the purpose of running trips to the detriment of the national proprietors.
Upon the subject of regularizing arrangements so that drivers' licences might fall due upon a fixed date in every year, opinion appearing to be almest equally diviaed, it was decided to defer further B22 discussion to the next meeting, it being understoot that the chairman and the secretary would meanwhile see Sir Henry Mayloury with regard to the matter.
Upon the consideration of the committee's report regarding railway companies' proposals • as to road transport, the •chairman •referred to the withdrawal of the Midland and London and North Western Companies' Bill before the opposition had been developed. It remained a question • whether there was yet going to be a fight. Having made inquiries, he was not in a position to say whether the two companies would proceed with their Bill or whether the railway companies would join together as a whole and seek to obtain the same general powers. Whatever happened, he thought it was desirable that the council should oppose in the public interest, as well as their own, any proposals which should tend to put control into the hands of the companies.
Counter Propaganda on the Railway Question.
Mr. Box 'suggested the desirability of propaganda work upon the part of the Association with a view to counteracting the subtle efforts which were being. made by the railway companies in the matter, he urging that this was especially desirable in the interests of proprietors of chars-it-bancs. Assertions which were . too frequently being made to the attempted detriment of the latter ought not, he thought, to be permitted to go unchallenged. If the attack now levelled, principally against char-abanes traffic, was to be continued to the disadvantage of other forms of mechanically propelled traffic, it might result in such restrictions as to make it almost impossible, to run motor lorries on the roads.
The chairman pointed out that the Government had appointed a committee to go into the whole question of hackney carriage regulations. He thought it best that the complete case should be put before it prior to any question of propaganda work being dealt with Mr. Box expressed his agreement with that course, if the committee's report was not likely to be too' late to answer an effective purpose.
The chairman said it could bedetermined at the next meeting' whether the time had arrived to embark upon the prepaganda suggested.
After a long discussion in private a resolution with regard-to motor taxation was adopted in the following terms, upon the proposal of the chairman, S'econded by Mr. H. A. Bennett, of Nottingham:— The Resolution on Taxation Methods.
!` The C.M.U.A. whilst strongly opposed to any change from, or rearrangement in, the present system of motor taxation, or any newsystem which will alter the incidence' of taxation, between private car owners and commercial motor users, is in accord with proposals that the Gevernment Committee now 'sitting should reconsider a petrol tax and re-examine, in the light: of all new and current circumstances, whether or not it is feasible to define and tax motor epirit.'according to any system. or on any basis which will in practice be enforceable," . •. .
The freeing of .tolls on roads and bridges was urged. by Mr. Box on behalf of the North Eastern Divisional Committee and the chairman agreeing with the demand suggested that the National Council should be urged to take steps to abolish the tolls levied in respect of 93 bridges and ferries which still existed "in Great Britain. .
Upon the subject of road signals general dissatisfaction was expressed at , the confusion resulting from present conflicting police arrangements, the chairman expressing the hope that, as a result of the joint endeavours which were 'being, Made by the Home Office and Ministry of Transport, a uniform plan would be decided upon. Much other business having been 'dealt with, the members of the council subsequently attended a dinner given by the Divisional Executive, when Mr.G. E. P. Dalgleish presided, the principal guests, including the Mayor of Nottingham (Mr. F. Berryman)' and Mr. A. R. Atkey, M.P. for, the Central Division of the City, the latter of whom, in proposing the principal toast, pointed to the work of • the Association as evidencing the gyeat value of combination to every owner and user of commercial motor vehicles.