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SPEECHES AT THE INAUGURAL LUNCHEON.

3rd November 1925
Page 7
Page 7, 3rd November 1925 — SPEECHES AT THE INAUGURAL LUNCHEON.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Sir William Letts, K.B.E., Replies to the Note of Optimism Struck by the Minister of Transport, and Emphasizes the Fact that the Road Fund Must be Used for Road Developments.

(AN ThurSd-ay laNt an Inaugural luncheon was held at

OlyMpia, when a very large number of guests assembled, representative of the industry as a whole and of the Press. Notable features of the gathering were the feeling of optimism which pervaded everyone and the general impression that the Commercial Motor Transport Exhibition of 1925 was destined to prove an outstanding sucess.

After the usual toast of " The King," the toast of "The Commercial Vehicle Industry" was proposed by Lieut.-Col. the Rt. Hon. Wilfrid Ashley, P.C., M.P., Minister of Transport, who made a very able speech embodying many items of great interest to the industry and to road users in general. He said that although he had only examined the exhibits cursorily, he was very much struck by the progress evidenced since the last Show in 1923. He pointed out that, on September 1st last, in round figures, 225,000 commercial vehicles were licensed, in addition to which there were 100,000 omnibuses and taxis. figures which, he thought, indicated that the industry had become one not only of national but also of world-wide importance. In going round the Exhibition, Colonel Ashley stated that he had been particularly struck by the way in which pneumatic tyres were ousting the solid tyre, and he regarded this as a very welcome development from all points of view.

Colonel Ashley also gave the following figures. He said there were 62 British and foreign commercial vehicle exhibitors, 27 exhibits by bodybuilders, 21 tyre companies, 124 accessory concerns and 40 exhibitors classed particularly as inventors. In this connection, Colonel Ashley remarked that all the exhibitors could claim to be inventors, although only a certain number was classified as such.

Colonel Ashley -declared himself to be an optimist, and said that the British industry is perfectly well able to hold its own, given fair conditions in trade. He caused some amusement by saying that whatever he set out to do is characterized as being wrong in some quarter or other. He remarked: "If I build trunk roads or by-pass roads I am accused of squandering money at a time when the country is hard up, but if suggest stopping work on some of these roads our chairman to-day would say that I was strangling road transport ! "

Colonel Ashley went on to say that he was unashamed of his advocacy of arterial roads. As regards the Mersey Tunnel scheme, the full value of this, he said, would be realized when the newly projected trunk road from Liverpool to Manchester was completed ; there would then be a through road from Manchester through Liverpool to the whole of North Wales.

Colonel Ashley made some very pointed remarks regarding the question of the inspection of public-service vehicles. He said that it is to be regretted that in certain localities the authorities have no power to inspect the construction and braking of vehicles engaged in passenger-carrying service. Owing to many calls on

• 'the time 'of Parliament it wasdifficult to bring fresh legislation forward, but Colonel Ashley assured the gathering that at the earliest opportunity a Bill dealing with this question of inspecting public-service vehicles would be brought forward.

In conclusion, Colonel Ashley said that he was not

• a pessimist as regards our, trading prospects and that surely the British people, who had proved themselves capable of winning the war, would equally be able to win the peace. He urged his hearers to break away from certain pessimistic newspapers and to turn to the heartening statistics available concerning the progress of the commercial-vehicle trade.

In response, Sir W. M. Lett, K.B.E., President of the Society, made a notable fighting speech, beginning by explaining that he was acting as chairman in place of Mr. Burford, owing to the recent death of Mrs. Burford, He said that he felt sure that everyone present would extend their deepest sympathy to Mr. Burford on his great loss. He said that he was delighted by the note of optimism struck by Colonel Ashley, and was sure that the present Exhibition could be said to be the greatest ever seen and was something of which the industry could be truly proud. The Society of which he was chairman was of an international character, but, nevertheless, be felt he must say that, after viewing the exhibits, he had come to the conclusion that Great Britain leads the world in the design and construction of commercial-motor vehicles.

Sir William Letts then made reference to the struggle which the commercial-vehicle manufacturer had experienced since the war owing to the large number of W.D. vehicles which were sold. As regards the future, Sir William Letts urged that serious attention should be given to the matter of the roads and that some policy should be settled, and settled soon. He emphasized the fact that payments to the Road Fund by commercial vehicle users had been made in the anticipation that good roads would be forthcoming, and urged those present to see that this was done.

Turning to Colonel Ashley, Sir William Letts asked him to push on with road developments and prophesied that within three years f50,000,000 would be available for this work. In conclusion, Sir William Letts urged the various motoring associations to pull together and impress upon the Government the need for road improvements, giving the slogan, " Hands off the Road Fund," which met with great applause from those present.

The toast "The Dominions and Colonies" was ably proposed by Sir John E. Thornycroft, Sir Joseph Cook, the High Commissioner for Australia, responding.

• Finally," The Guests" was proposed by G. M. Young, Esq., B.Sc., speeches being made in reply by M. W. Montgomery, Esq., Lord Provost of Glasgow, and by Sir Joseph Nall, D.S.O., M.P., President of the Institute of Transport.


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