ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO FORM A NATIONAL COUNCIL
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The S.M.M. and T. Lends a Helping Hand. Funds to be Avoided if Possible
"INURING the past few days another 1../ serious attempt has been made, with initial success, to form a National Council of Public Service Vehicle Owners Associations. This time it is the Society of Motor Manufacturers anti Traders which has convened the necessary meeting to discuss the matter. Nine associations sent delegates. With the exception of those representing the Wrexham and District Bus Owners Association, who could not commit their members without further consideration, 840 the delegates came to a unanimous decision in favour of forming a national body.
It will be remembered that a similar decision was formed at a meeting convened several months ago by the Motor Hirers and Coach Service Association ; In spite of the decision then made, the
effective council did not materialize. On that occasion subscriptions to the central body were decided upon and, when it came to sending in these subscriptions as an act of ratifying membership, ratification was not generally forthcoming, and so the attempt had to be abandoned for the time being. The previous effort to form a national council was summarized on page 208 of our issue dated March 24th.
At the recently held meeting Mr. D. C. MeLagan, of the S.M.M. and T., acted as the chairman and, mainly at his suggestion, the proposal was brought forward that the council be formed without any arrangements for finance, the object being that delegates should meet from time to time and discuss matters of common policy, and that, should any necessity of spending money arise, the question of a levy would be considered. For the time being it was decided to work along these lines and to allow for each association having two representatives on the com mittee. Should the association grow, it would appear that the committee may become rather large.
Mr. C. B. Jenkins, chairman of the Midlands Area Omnibus and Coach Owners' Association (17, Highcross Street, Leicester), was elected ehairman, and Mr. D. Pierey, secretary of the Motor Hirers' and Coach Services Association, undertook to act tem porarily as honorary secretary. The offices of the council will, therefore, be at 12, Spring Street, London, W.2.
In the course of discussion it was decided that the)M.H.C.S.A. shall act as the mouthpiece of the council, and that, in view of the relative importance of this London association, may be regarded as a satisfactory decision.
The new body is to be called the National Council of Public Service Vehicle Owners' Associations, and the eight associations which have agreed to be members are :—The M.H.C.S.A., the Omnibus Owners' Association, Ltd. (Argoed, South Wales), the Northampton Commercial Motor Users' Association, the Northern Road Transport Owners' Association, Ltd. (Newcastle), the Mansfield and District Omnibus Owners' Association (Nottingham), the Midlands Area Omnibus Owners' Association (Leicester), the Nuneaton and District Bus Owners' Association, and the Stourbridge Bus Owners' Association.
The next meeting of the council is to be held on September 14th, and, in the meantime, details as to the constitution are being considered by the members.
It is to be hoped that this fresh effort at co-ordination will meet with some measure of success.