Manchester, Liverpool and Counties C.M.U.A.
Page 11
Page 12
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Presentation to Retiring Chairman. His Successor : Mr. Leo Swain.
Progress achieved, and boundless progress still possible— in those words is the keynote of the fourth annual meeting of the Manchester, Liverpool and Counties C.M.U.A., held at the motorists' Mecca, the Midland Hotel, Manchester, on Monday, the 8.h inst. The proceedings were stimulating; business and song were intermingled to the delight of a large attenclafice, and there was the over-welcome leaven of some words in lighter vein. As a preliminary, a coterie of commercial motor gentlemen had dinner together, as the guests of Mr. R. C. Reynolds and Mr. Leo Swain • then followed the A.G..M., and a charming concert, with a dual presentation to Mr. R. C. Reynolds.
The annual review referred to substantial progress in membersh:p, and in work done to protect members' interests. The addition of 83 members in the twelvemonth lifted the total to 215. Attention was drawn to the arrangements which now permit owners of not more than one single pneumatictired motor vehicle to become full members at half charges, " and the Committee hope that the steps taken to meet the case of the small owner will be justified by a considerable increase in membership." The revision and extension of the legal defence scheme had been of great value to members, and had elicited many expressions of approval. (Summonses defended by the solicitors, 114; of these 40 dismissed, or withdrawn with or without payment of costs.) Messrs. J. Dean and Sons, solicitors, 22, Lord Street, Liverpool, had been appointed to act in the territory more conveniently workable from that city. Efforts to induce a better understanding between commercial motor users and highway authorities were ment:oned in the report; also, the attention paid to the Act which restricts road-usage by _passenger-carrying vehicles, and other matters, such as the Liverpool B.rkenhead ferries, insurance, etc.
The accounts showed £102 9s. 8d. surplus ; subscriptions, £317; entrance fees, £88; C.M.U.A. capitation fees, £92; legal defence, £28.
The Report and Accounts.
Mr. R. C. Reynolds (retiring chairman) moved the adoption of the report and accounts, and pointed out the advance from a membership of 30-40 three-and-a-half years ago 'o over 200—a satisfactory record. Meer, hear.) The modification of the legal defence scheme had proved an unqualified success, and he regarded legal defence as one of the greatest benefits conferred on members. In future, the Association would undertake free the legal defence of all summonses due to alleged contravention of statute or regulations and arising out of the ownership or driving of a commercial vehicle—excluding practically none but such aummonees as insurance companies should undertake. The Association had met the needs of users, but had not been accorded the full measure of support due from users, and, he added, the C.M.U.A.' s usefulness would be in proportion to its strength.
Mr. Leo H. Swain (Geo. Spencer, Moulton and Co.), vice
chairman, seconded.specially directed attention to the rule whereby the " little" man as well as the " big " man had become eligible for membership, and that change ought, he commented, to bring a large influx of members. The resolution was unanimously carried.
Mr. Swain, the New Chairman.
On the business of electing a chairman, Mr Reynolds briefly recalled his views against any man being in office permanently. Amidst applause, he announced that the Committee recommended, as chairman for 1917, Mr. Leo Swain, in whom originated the idea that culminated in the formation of the M.L. and C. C.M.U.A. The preliminaries which led up to the establishment of the Association redounded to the everlasting credit of Mr. Len Swain. During the last three-and-a-ha'f years also none had been more enthusiastic than he; on the Committee he had been a source of strength; and as vice-chairman he, had been a most valued colleague of himself (the chairman). The nomination of Mr. Swain as chairman was briefly yet heartily seconded by W. Geddes Reece and applauded by the members. The newly-elected Chairman thanked the meeting for the honour, and expreased the hope that he might be able to render the same able service as his predecessor in office, thus furthering the association and leasing it even stronger than he found it. The new Chairman proposed Mr. John Faulkner (C. T. Faulkner and Co.) as vice-chairman, a member since the Association's inception and tr.easurer all the time. Unfortunately he was absent through sickness in the family, and the members unitedly regretted that fact. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Geoffrey Fairres. (Fairrie and Co., Liverpool) seconded, and the proposition was unanimously accepted. Mr. J. F. Kitchen (Liverpool Co-operative Society) was appointed hon. treasurer, on the motion of the new Chairman, who commended the nominee as a regular attender on the Committee and one who put in a great deal of service, but he was unavoidably absent from that annual meeting. Mr. Chas. Davies, M.I.A.E. (Fodens), recalled that Mr. Kitchen had had long experience of the carrying business about Liverpool, and the speaker having seconded the nomination, it was heartily approved.
The Late Lieut. Dan Simpson.
The death of Lieut. Dan Simpon by a motoring accident was deplored by the Chairman when Committee appointments came up for consideration, and to fill various vacancies Messrs. C. S. Percy (Leyland Motors) Robt. Chffe (Hans Renold), R. W. Barnett (Elder-Demps-te;), and A. P. Coppinger (Union Petroleum Co.) were proposed by Mr. Gosselin, seconded with good-humoured brevity by Mr, Tom Garner, and agreed to. "The most delightful duty I have had to perform in my lifetime" was the Chairman's happy introduction of the nett, bit of speechmaking on the programme. That duty, Mr. Swain continued, was to propose the health of Mr. Reynolds, the ex-chairman ; and his graceful allusions to tho latter were accompanied by the presentation, on behalf of the members, of a silver salver and a silver cigarette box to Mr. Reynolds. "It is to him in the main that the prosperity of the Association has been what it has. I have personally had great pleas.ure in serving under him," the new Chaerman commented. "It is not a souvenir from two or three friends, but from a large majority of our members—and our membership to-day is 215—and therefore Mr. Reynolds will realize that the gift is the absolute emblem, so to speak, of many good wishes towards him for the future." With fervour, and with a passing word of banter about the climate of Manchester, the recipient acknowledged the dual gift, the sentiments expressed by his successor in the chairmanship, and something else which he described as worthy of the fullest recognition—the work of the committee and of Mr. Ellis Green (secretary). The committee comprised gentlemen heart and acal in their work, and the secretary had determination and conscientiousness in a superlative degree. Under the circumstances, it was small wonder the Association had not stood still. There was a great future for it ; and there was a great work for them all to do. "You will perhaps permit me," he added, "to congratulate you in the choice of my successor, and I take this opportunity to affirm the utmost confidence I feel in Mr. Swain's conduct of the affairs of the Association."
Manchester's Successful Year.
The toast ,of "The Manchester, Liverpool and Counties C.M.U.A. " was proposed by Mr. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith (Editor of THE CO3.1 MERCIAL MOTO11)-a pleasurable duty and an easy task, he described it. The parent Association's record in London showed that it was not easy to get through the first three or four years of an organization, and achieve something useful, and end up with a substantial balance ; hence he expressed envy of and congratulations on the M.L. and C.
C.M.U.A. achievements. His experience of membership fluctuations on the " plus " side of various organizations was that they came in "surges "—sometimes rapid in arrival. But they had a nasty habit of slumping. He was certain that such an Association as the M.L. and C. C.M.U.A.—serving the common good, and preparing for risks which might not be covered by insurance—would continue to progress. Encouraging each gentleman to secure one new member, he added that be had "nobbled" one new member for the Association that evening. Legal defence was a matter at present somewhat in abeyance, though in some parts the policeswere still unduly active in motor work, whereas they might be occupied in stopping burglaries—in Kensington, for example. There was police trapping, and timing, and axle-weighing—though in one Lancashire city they did turn a blind eye to a 12-ton
axle load. (Laughter.) Mr. Shrapnell-Smith, in closing,
Manchester, Liverpool and Counties C.M. U.A.—con.
referred to the need for attention to such matters as tolls on motor traffic, interference owing to the unsatisfactory nature of bridge laws, etc.
The response to the toast came from the Chairman, who recalled the proposer's assistance in the inauguration of the Association, and pointed out the increasing advantages of membership. "I have every confidence it will continue to grow," he observed. " 'Service' is the order of the day, and this Association certainly gives Service,"
Mr. W. H. Burgess (Sutton and Co.) revealed himself as a novel after-dinner speaker. He offered the toast of " Guesus and the Press," and thanked those Press representatives who had travelled specially from • London,• and amongst other visitors he cited Councillor Wm. Dodson, Mr. Sidney Norris, Mr. John Newton, Mr. McElroy (Manchester Tramways), and Mr. W. I. Davies.
Responses were made by Councillor W. Dodson, who, with the cheerfulness of a seer, suggested that the membership should become not merely 200, but 2000, seeing that owners of
5-cwt. vehicles were to be welcome; by Mr. F. G. Bristow, who gave C.M.U.A. points—as well as telling stories; aml by Mr. R. A. Osman, who announced that Manchester had, nine months before the war, 391 heavy motor vehicles regls. tered, compared with 722 at the present time, whilst Salford's respective figures were 101 and 143.
Mr. Pratt (the Association's solicitor) had the felicity of handling a popular toast—" The Secretary " (Mr. Ellis Green), and in a reference to the legal defence scheme confessed to surprise at the work got through. Mr. John Newton asserted that the British motorcar trade (evidently he had the pleasure sedion in mind) had been robbed of its inheritance by the war; "but your section of the trade has not been robbed," he added, "because the manufacture of heavy vehicles goes on to-day just as it did before the war."
The Secretary returned thanks for the reception accorded the toast, for the compliments bestowed on his efforts, and foi kindnesses and courtesies experienced by him; then, with amusing naivete, he mentioned the oldAime questions that were asked him—how to get from Manchester to Prescot without touching St. Helens, for example. (Loud ',augeter.)