C.M.U.A. DEVELOPMENTS.
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Centres Formed in the East and West Midlands to Watch Local Commercial Motor Interests.
A meeting of commercial motor users was held in the Assembly Halt of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, 16th May, for the purpose
of forminga West Midland Centre of thc ii.ssociation. Mr. J. F. Myatt, Mayor of Wolverhampton, occupied the Chair, and there was a good attendance, Mn. THOMAS JENKINS, who acted as convenor of the meeting, having read letters of apology, The CHAIRMAN said that the Commercial Motor Users Association was formed under another name .about 15 years ago, at the time when motor trans
port was in its infancy, and many benefits had been obtained for the members through its agency; but it was a well known fact that a body: with head quarters in London was always stronger when it had powerful branches in various provincial centres.
Each centre had its own special difficulties, and these difficulties can best be dealt •-with by those. on the spot who were actually acquainted with them. He .thought it would be to the bonefit of motor users to have a strong Association in Birmingham.
Mn. F. G. BRISTOW then spoke at some length upon the work of the parent body. They had done exceed ingly well, he said, in dealing with Government departments. In fact,. they had never met with a refusal when they had asked any department to re eeive a deputation from them. They had also taken. up a large number of test eases, and he was pleased to say that for the last five years they had not taken up any appeal in which they had been unsuccessful. In one instance a member was accused of setting fire to a village, for it was contended that the steam Motor that be was using set fire to a rick, and that the sparks from the rick led to the destruction of the whole village, and a claim for £6000 wasmade against him., The Association were able to prove by
expert evidence that it was impossible, that the rick could have been fired by his motor. After the war they would be faced with a great many difficulties,
many of them entirely local, but some of them national, and they were most anxious to have proper organization through local •centres throughout the country, Local matters would be left entirely to their discretion. But in regard to national matters, those
• would have to be referred to London. Already one-third of the general committee .of the AssociaT•
tion ecinsisted of provincial representatives, including two from that -district, arid he hoped that the time would come when the membership of the committee. would comprise two-thirds from the proVinces and one-third from London.
He was authorized by his Chairman to say that members of the centre joining now would be accepted at half the subscription : that meant that they would get six weeks subscription for nothing. MR. O. C. POWER (Birmingham and Midland Tramways Joint Committee) then proposed the following resolution :—That a branch of the • C.M.U.A. be formed, and known as the West _Midland Centre of the C.M.U.A . which was unanimously adopted.
• Mr. S. K. Thornley (Thornley and Knight) was elected President of the Centre for the first year. The committee was then elected as follows :—Mr. Gooch (Ansell's Brewery), Mr. George .Walker (Bir-.
mineham and Midland Counties Transport Co.), Mr. 0. C. Power' (Birmingham and, Midland Tramways
,Teint Committee), Mr. J. H. Stark-(Birminham In dustrial Co-operative. Society), Mr. Hallett (Cadbury Bros., Ltd.), Mr. 0. Le Owen (Bent's Brewery, Ltd.),
Mr. Shotton (MitclielIs and Butlers. Ltd.). Mr, A. F. Lowenthal {The Leatheries, Ltd.), Mr. Plumley (R, Maddox and Co . Ltd.), Mr. (Bormfield Bros.), Mr. H. 3. Y. Greenwood (A. Bird and Sons, c240' Ltd.), Mr. F. Burnett (3. Satchwell and Son, Ltd.), Mr. Morgan (W. Pilkington), Mr. Underwood -(Underwood and Co, Ltd.) Mr. •Thorniey (Thornley and Xmgtft, Ltd.), Mr. 1', 3. Priestman çT. 3. Priestman), Mr. T. A. Everton, Junr. (T. A. Eyerton, Jam.).
The Chairman, in closing the meeting, said that transport difticultieS were certainto increase, and the Centre would be able to do many things of practical utility. In Wolverhampton motors regularly made journeys of 50 miles and returned empty. That was a great waste of energy in such times as the present, when there ought to he no waste of energy..
Motor • Transport Employers Federation.
MR, THORNLEY subsequently presided at a meeting called to consider the advisability Of forming a West Midland Branch of the Motor Transport Employers Federation. He. was very .much impressed, he said, by the Whitley Report, and under that Report the Government called for a Conciliation Board in every industry. After the war they would still be ra,tioned for material, and he thought they ought to induce the workmen to co-operate with them in seeking Government departments to place adequate -supplieS at thenservice.
• Mn.. F. G. BRISTOW then addressed the meeting in support of the proposal. Under the •constitution of the C.M.U.A. they were precluded from dealing with any such matter as wages. They hoped to form branches throughout the country ; the subscription would be a nominal one : Only half a guinea per annum. In exceptional circumstances the general committee had power to make a special levy, but that could not exceed 55. per man for every man they employed. Under the Whitley proposals they were bound to have such an organization.
Mr. Bristow then moved that the branch be formed. This was seconded by Mr. Power and 'carried with unanimity.
Mr. 0. C. Power was elected Chairman.
The hairman proposed and Mr. Myatt seconded "That the first committee of the branch of the Federation be drawn from the committee of the C.M.U.A., with power to add, the total number not to exceed 20." This was carried unanimously.
Organization in East Midlands.
FolIowieg the example of Birmingham, the work of organization has been extended to the East Midlands, it haVing been decided at a. representative meeting held on 17th May at the Theosophical Hall, Park Street, Nottingham. to form an auxiliary embracing within the scope of its operations Nottinghamshire, .Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northants.
The movement was inaugurated with considerable enthusiam, it being at the same tune determined to set on foot a branch of the Maar Transport Employers Association to deal with many questions of importance likely to arise in the immediate future. The meeting, which was presided over by Mr. R. A: Bennett, had the opportunity of hearing-an address by Mr: F. G. Bristow. r..o.i.s., Secretary of the Central Associatien, and it also served the purpose of according a .welcome to Mr. E. Metcalf in his capacity of local chairman of the Road Control Board, he promising his practical co-operation in the matter.
The .CITAIRICAN emphasised the necessity of combination under the changing conditions occasioned by the war, and his surprise that the work of organization had not been undertaken at an earlier
period, having regard to the extensive area to be covered and the important interests involved. • MR. F. G. BRISTOW spoke of the desirability of establishing local committees to act upon matters of detail in various districts in the country and in consultation with the central executive upon questions of general importance. A centre was established in Birmingham on the previous day with adequate prospects of success, and it was desirable that Nottingham should follow the example as the centre of the East Midlands. It would be of advantage that a strong committee should be formed, with a subcommittee of haulage contractors and other sub-committees to deal with propaganda work and general matters. There had been an erroneous impression in the past that the Association had not sought the co-operation of the provincial motor users, but he assured them that they welcomed it and invited it throughout the country. His view was that they had very hard times before them, and that they would be beset with restrictions which some of them never contemplated. In London they got into the inner circle of Government departments and knew a great deal more than provincial users of what was going on, as an instance of which he cited' the action that was taken in regard to petrol prices. Locally much useful work might be accomplished in fostering better feeling. There had been somewhat of a dietrust in the past between local authorities in some areas and the users of read, and, supposing they were not already in that desirable position, if they could bring about better relationships between local authorities and themselves, they would be doing a valuable work not only for motor users in their own district, but for commercial motor traction as a whole. There was also the question of examining public and private bills which might be brought before Parliament, sometimes by local authorities or by railway companies and other bodies. As a
-national organization they always kept an eye upon the. larger hills, but sometimes there were local bills which escaped the attention of their Parliamentary committee, and in watching which district committees might serve a most valuable purpOse,. There was the question also of the condition of the roads. As they knew the roads to-day were for the most part in an abominable state and, generally speaking, there was not much opportunity of putting them right whilst the war VMS on, but they must look ahead and prepare during the next few months to 'counter the various re-strictione with whiehathey might be faced later on. The Association had always endeavoured to encourage the driver in every way, and the work might be extended. The Association had not yet been refused a hearing by any Government department. In 191_5 they were successful in getting the petrol tax reduced from 3d. to ld. a., gallon. The following year a similar tak of ad. was suggested, but when they pointed out that it would entail an extra burden of .2600,000 annually the idea was abandoned. It had been suggested to him that the4 Association was only fce"petrol motor users, but they looked after the interests of steam wagon users, of • whom there were hundreds in the country, equally with others. They had taken a practical interest also in gaspropelled vehicles, and were represented on the Electrical Vehicle Committee of Great' Britain,
Mn. l'Itarcaele explained the desire of the Government authorities to be the most economical use possible of road transport. The North Midland Division of the Road Board would he only too .pleased to deal with any suggestion put forward. It was decided to form an East Midland branch of the Asseciation, a representative committee being appointed, with Mr. C. M. Barker as secretary, and it was also determined to establish an auxiliary of the Motor Transport Employers Federation upon the basis explained by Mr. Bristow.