News of the Week
Page 20
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Linking Up Long-distance Hauliers
VV/E have referred to the scheme put ITV forward by Mr. M. W. Harris to :establish an organization for the grouping or pooling of a number of .longdistance hauliers, and this was more Fully explained by shim in an article published last week. On May 12'wesattende1 a meeting of representatives of the concerns in, terested. of whom some 40 were present, and the interest aroused is shown by the fact that this meeting la.sted from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
It is intended to form a private company, which, of course, Will be limited by law to 50 persons, but there will be nothing to prevent other companies 01 a sitnilar nature being constituted to work in liaison, with this; each would thus be more of a " family " affair than if one big public company were lb be formed The capital in each case will, of course, be reasonably small: as the main object is not the making of profit by the company, but the proper organization•and inter-working of the shareholding concerns. It was also stated that bulk buying was not a primary consideration, the chief motive being to give unity and strength. The arrangement closely resembles the present' Government R.H.O., as each member would be virtually a unit controller,"
Many of the questionnaires seat out have been completed, and amongst the concerns Which returned these are nine controlled undertakings. They cover 424 lorries and '24 trailers, with a tonnage capacity of 2,975. This must, however, be very much .ou the low side, because many contractors failed to
state their tonnage. Some 85 per cent. are A licensed and some 190 lorries and 20 trailers are on hire to the M.O.W.T.
The following facilities are available: —Repair at 24 depots; petrol at 18; oil, fuel at 16; storage and distribution at 19; garaging at 31; 24 concerns have loading banks; 29 offer sleeping accommodation. It must, of course, be einphasised that not all of the, coneerns giving these particulars have agreed tci join the company.
The following arrangements'', were decided upon:—It.was resolved that the meeting should be constituted the first meeting of sthe new company, and, subject to sonic .alterations to the articles of association, which became necessary as a restilt of the discussions, the company is to he lormed with a share capital of £5,000. The name cannot yet be decided upon, as the promoters are awaiting a reply from the Registrar of Companies as to which names are available.
The maximum and minimum shareholding is to be ,E100, so as to affoi-d equal r-sTits and power to each member.
The following Is ere provisionally elected as directors of the proposed company:—Messrs. M. W. Harris, H. L. Walker, N. E. May, J. S. Muirhead, J J Richardson, W. L. Simmonds, L. V. Ward, whilst Mr. F. C. Dowles was appointed secretary, If all those who filled in the questionnaires join, the long-distance facilities available Will cover practically the whole country, with the exception of areas in which long-distance transport is barely required.