LIVERPOOL OPERATORS DISCUSS THE GOVERNMENT SCHEME
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NAORE than 350 operators attended, 111/last Sunday, a joint meeting convened by A.R.O., C.M.U.A. and Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners' Association, to hear explanations and to ask questions about the Government's haul age scheme. Sir William Chamberlain, Regional Transport Commissioner, presided, and a resolution was adopted unanimously promising to render every assistance to further the working of the scheme.
Sir William Chamberlain paid tribute to the efficiency with which the existing port-transport pools were being operated. Major G. A. Renwick declared that the Minister of War Transport was convinced beyond all question that a ".hard core," whereby a given number of vehieles should pass to direct Government control, was positively essential. In his opinion, the 2,500 vehicles under continuous Government control were not the real " hard tore,"
but the defence lines. The Government had in its possession 704 International vehicles and bad given an assurance that these would go towards the 2,500.
Mr. C. Holdsworth disclosed that a lot of time was spent in earlier deliberations in combating an idea to take over all the large hauliers irrespective of the class of work on which they were engaged. Comment had been made that the rates schedule did not look "too good." The rates he considered to be fair to all parties, but they did not provide for E.P.T. The road haulage industry now had a set of standard conditions backed and supported by the Government. The conditions of carriage were a big step forward in the stabilization of the industry. Support of the defence lines was one of the greatest safeguards of the industry against the possibility of nationalization.
Then followed a long session of questions and answers, during which queries were raised by Col. A. jerrett and Messrs. C. lg M. Gosselin, W. J. Harper, H. Allan, R. B. Stockdale and W. J. Comes, amongst others.