Coal Haulage and Rates Fixation
Page 45
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T"'possible effect upon road hauliers of the setting up in the coal industry of co-operative selling associations, under coal-mines legislation, was mentioned during a discussion of haulage rates -at a meeting of Bradford operators, on Monday, ,convened by the transport section of the Chamber of Trade.
Allusion was made to proposals which have been trained for setting up a coals sales association in connection with the Midland Amalgamated District Coal Mines Scheme. (established under -the Coal Mines Act). •It Was stated that a committee of representatives of coat interests, with headquarters in Leeds, was dealing with the matter. The Midland Amalgaa mated District 6-or-reprises Writ Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire; Derbyshire, South Derbyshire
and Leicestershire. •
At the Bradford meeting it was Stated. that road haulage was figuring largely in the consideration of the
Midland District proposals, as the selling plan provided for the sale by the association of industrial coal delivered at works, and at a price including the cost of transport. This would replace the system of selling coal at the pit-head, at a price not including transport.
The view was expressed that the new plan would be of benefit to road hauliers, as the sale of coal by the association at a stabilized deliveredat-works price, including the cost of transport, would tend to check ratecutting in coal haulage. it was declared that in order to obtain trade, dealers had, in some cases, reduced their prices and then recouped themselves by beating down the haulier.
The meeting gave provisional approval ,to certain proposed rates for coal ha-ulage, but it was agreed that before a final decision is taken, the committee dealing with the coal-selling ,plan should be approached on the question of haulage rates.
Detailed censicleration was given to proposed schedules of rates coveting haulage generally, which were submitted by the short-distance and longdistance committees. Both the schedules were approved, with a few emendations and reservations in the case of -the short-distance. schedule, which includes both hourly and 'tonnage rates. The .other rates were finally approved for .submission to the Yorkshire Licensing Authority, along with rates schedules from other parts of the Yorkshire Traffic Area."
Mr. =Harold Goodwin (rice-chairman of the section) explained that the schedules were being prepared in various districts at the request of the Licensing Authority, and they would be used for purposes of reference in -the traffic courts. Mr. Fred Pickering (hon. secretary) emphasized that no:3e rates were approved Hand submitted to the Licensing Authority. "failure to observe them would be a serious matter.