What the Associations Are Doing
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MR. KINDER HINTS AT NEW RESTRICTIONS.
Threats of new restrictions on the road-transport industry, within the next year, were foreshadowed by Mr. J. L. Kinder, when he addressed the Derby Sub-area of A.R.O. at Derby last week. Mr. Kinder drew attention to what he described as recent " unjust, unfair, and insidious attacks " made by certain newspapers.
The substance of the attacks was that heavy long-distance haulage should be taken away from the roads and restored to the railways, he said. That, he might assume, was a plain declaration of inspiration from certain quarters. Through it, there was the danger that public opinion would be influenced and political opinion strengthened, to bring about future legislation for the elimination of longdistance road traffic.
" If I read the signs aright, the future of the road-transport industry is, to-day, on trial—and on trial with a prejudiced jury," Mr. Kinder declared.
"I am not one who says that the railway companies should be shut down, There is room for us both, but one branch of transport should not be supported by Parliament at the expense of the other."
Mr. Bristow on Cuerent Problems.
There was a well-attended meeting of the West of England Division of the C.M.U.A. at Bristol, on Monday. Mr. C. W. Jordan occupied the chair and Mr. F. G. Bristow addressed the meeting on "Some Current Problems Affecting the Road Motor Transport Industry."
Mr. Bristow drew attention to the increased tendency of owners of private cars to employ goods trailers, and urged that steps should be taken to bring the use of such cars and trailers within the provisions of the 1933 Act. The Minister of Transport had informed the C.M.U.A. that a memorandum was being prepared in support of its submissions.
Mr. Bristow said the Transport Advisory Council, the B.R.F. and the S.M.M.T. had been informed of the decision of the National Council of the C.M.U.A. that it could not accept the principle of the plating of goods vehicles unless it was accompanied by an increase in the speed limit of heavy motorcars from 20 m.p.h. to 30 m.p.h., an increase in the maximum axle weight of 8 to 9 tons, and an increase in the maximum width sufficient to fit the correct tyre to carry a 9-ton axle weight.
Celebrities for A.R.O. Function.
A distinguished company is likely to be found at the annual dinner of the Devon and Cornwall Area of A.R.O., fixed to take place at Plymouth on January 28, 1939, and the proceedings B38 will -probably be of unusual interest and importance. Col. Sandeman M.P., chairman of the Parliamentary Road Group, and the Duke of Richmond, who is a member of the House of Lords Road Group, have been invited as principal guests, as well as other M.P.s. The Lord Mayor of Plymouth has already signified his intention of being present.
It is hoped that the Western Licensing Authority, Mr. H. Trevor Morgan, the town clerk of Plymouth, the chief constables of Devon, Cornwall and Plymouth, and the chairman of the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce will also be present. RAILWAY COMPETITION LIKELY TO BE KEENER.
An appeal to commercial-motor users to organize, and improve the standard of their profession, was made by Mr. G. S. Vickary at a meeting, last week, in Edinburgh, under the auspices of the Scottish C.M.U.A.
In the near future, he stated, competition from the railways would be keener than ever and, therefore, as road hauliers they must expect much greater opposition for their traffic.
"I am quite certain," said Mr. Vickary, "that in the matter of organization, road transport can take a leaf out of the railways' book."
`` A BITTEFt ATTACK" REGRETTED.
On Tuesday, Mr. R. W. Sewill (A.R.O.) spoke to members of Southgate Round Table, his address being given under the auspices of the B.R.F. He said : " It is a great pity that, just when the prospect of more tsarmonious relations between road and rail seemed possible, a bitter attack upon road transport should have -been launched in a certain section of the daily Press. The inspiration does not appear to have come from the railway companies, and the campaign is the more to be regretted in that some of the statements are so extremely misleading and so wide of the facts."
Later, he said that there were three methods by which road and rail might be enabled to exist in a prosperous state, side by side. These were nationalization (or some form of Board). State subsidies, and a general increase of rates.
C.M.U.A. President Indisposed.
Owing to indisposition, Mr. C. le M. Gosselin, president of the C.M.U.A., has had to cancel the arrangement for his attendance at the annual dinner of the North-eastern Division of the C.M.U.A., to be held in Leeds on
November 24. Mr. Gosselin is not gravely ill, but he deems it wise to avoid any risk involved in travelling to Leeds. Invitations to the dinner have been accepted by Major R. A. a Smith (president-elect of the C.M.U.A.), Mr. Joseph Farndale (Chairman of the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners), the Lord Mayor of Leeds (Alderman Rowland Winn), and -Messrs. W. A. Winson and F. G. Bristow.
Mr. Richardson's Fighting Speech.
At -the highly successful annual dinner of the Brighton Sub-area of A.R.O., last Saturday night (Mr. A. V. Nicholls in the chair), Mr. D. Richardson made a fighting speech, touching upon A.R.P. newspaper propaganda in favour , of railways and an extraordinary occurrence in relation to rates stabilization. Mr. Richardson is chairman of the South-Eastern area of A.R.O.
He referred, first, to the lack of organization in utilizing road transport in case of emergency. He reminded those present that A.R.O. wrote to the Minister so far back as July, offering the services of all its members in the case of emergency. Those offers met with a chilly reception and, during the crisis, as is now known, it was demonstrated that the arrangements made were insufficient and inefficient. In the south-eastern area they had no instructions. They telephoned the Minister and he referred them to Mr. Gleeson Robinson who, of course, is the Licensing Authority for the Metropolitan Area, not the South-eastern Area. The first meeting with Mr. Gleeson Robinson was to be held this week.
In the meantime, an amazing suggestion has been put forward in one of the trade papers (not The Commercial Motor) that the Government was
afraid that if it _divulged its plans to the industry it would be exploited by those in the industry.
A new and•arnazing aspect of rates stabilization had been brought to light, he said, when a deputation met the Minister to protest against the action of a Government department which, in placing contracts for haulage of fertilisers, had gone considerably below agreed rates—rates which, he reminded his audience, had been arrived at in consultation with their good friend, " S.T.R.," of The Commercial Motor, and were agreed with the railways.
The Minister informed the deputation that, in his view, the stabilization of rates did not preclude any operator from accepting traffic, or transport users from purchasing transport, at rates lower than those stabilized.
Scottish Association's New Official. Mr. John Brannigan, Newmains, has been appointed assistant general secretary to the Scottish Horse and Motormen's Association. In January, 1937, he was appointed national organizer of the Association, under Mr. W. Hunter.
Yorkshire Haulage Association—A Disclaimer.
To avoid all possibility of misunderstanding, the A.R.O. wishes to point out that Mr. Frank Milton, its northern area secretary, has no connection with the Yorkshire Haulage Association. INDIGNATION AT NEWSPAPER • ONSLAUGHT.
The articles in the Sunday Express and its associated journals, regarding the position of the railways, aroused great indignation amongst the members of the A.R.O., and at the National Council meeting, last week, the following resolution was unanimously passed :—
Th, Natrnal Council of Associated Baal Operators. Ltd., directly representing some 12,000 concerns operating goods-carrying road vehicles in all parts of the country, is amazed that any section of the British Press should 4 sponsor the unjust, ill-considered and reactionary policy of forcibly diminishing or abolishing the use of goods-carrying motor vehicles, with the avowed purpose of artificially inflating
the profits of the railways. This Council emphatically asserts, on behalf of an industry employing not less than 800.000 men. and contributing at least Z35,000,000 per annum to the National Exchequer by reason of the special taxation of its vehicles and Its fuels, that any policy liable to impede the natural growth ol road transport ill directly opposed to the best interests of the nation, In respect of such vital matters as the reduction of unemployment. the prosperity of British agriculture and of general home and export trade, the provision of adequate national revenue, and the creation of an efficient organization for national defence
I.T.A. Lecture on Lubrication.
The first meeting of the winter series of the Industrial Transport Association. Peterborough branch, was held, last week, under the chairmanship of Mr. P. C. Hynam. A lecture on " Modern Lubricants and Lubrication Problems" was given to members and their friends by Mr. A. E. Hope, of ShellMex and B.P., Ltd.
A.R.O. Supports Tyne Tunnel Scheme.
At the meeting of the National Council of the A.R.O., held last week, a letter from the town clerk of Tynemouth, addressed to the national passenger secretary, was read, asking for support of the proposed tunnel from South Shields to Tynemouth. The passenger section had already indicated its support and the National Council unanirneusly passed the following resolution : — "That the National Council of the A.R.O., comprising both goods and passenger operators, gives its very strong support to the scheme for connecting the town of South Shields and Tynemouth by means of a vehicle tunnel. ' A copy of the resolution has been sent personally to the Minister of Transport.
Aldershot A.R.O. Hears About Oilers.
A successful meeting was held, last week, in connection with a lecture to the Aldershot Area of A.R.O. by F. Perkins, Ltd. The meeting was under the chairmanship of Mr. A. E. Robins.
of Farnham. The principal speaker was Mr. D. F. W. McNair, of the company, and he gave an interesting and comprehensive lecture on oil engines to an enthusiastic audience.
After an outline of the principle and the development of the oil engine; the speaker emphasized the advantages of the modern high-speed type for roadhaulage work and gave interesting comparative figures of operating costs of modern petrol and oil units. ' At the conclusion of his talk, Mr. McNair explained to his audience the application of the "Perkins Perpetuity Plan" recently announced by his company.