R.H.A. Progress in
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T*0 west-country sub-divisions of the Road Haulage Association held their annual general meetings last week, the meeting of the Mid-Cornwall sub-area faking place at St. Austell, on June 27, and that of the West Cornwall sub-area at Camborne, on June 29.
At the latter meeting, a total of 419 members in the Devon and Cornwall. area was reported by Mr. Humphrey Cooke (St. Austell), honorary secretary of that section. The West Cornwall division, with 120 members, just missed the distinction of being the largest in Devon and Cornwall, this going to the Exeter district, with 129 members.
Proceeding , to che question of licensing, Mr. Cooke remarked that it had been said in some pares of the country that objections were being raised principally to non-members of the Association, with a view to forcing them to join. That statement was entirely untrue.
Where the matter of uniform rates was concerned, some members were, perhaps, wondering why swifter progress had not been made in that direction. They should remember that it Would be slow until wages were stabilized. Plans to set up a joint conciliation board for Devon and Cornwall were on foot, and it was hoped that the formation of such a board would do much to settle the rates question, as well as to stabilize wages.
Commenting on county-council haulage rates, Mr. Cooke mentioned that some of the rates quoted in a western area had been sent to The Commercial Motor as an example. " S.T.R." had written a most interesting article on the inadequacy of the rates, and 500 copies had been reprinted and were being circulated to the members of every highway authority in Devon and B24 Cornwall, with results that had proved the usefulness of the step.
Mr. C. Hodgson (St. Austell), chairman of the Devon and Cornwall area, and a member of the National Council, said that after July 25, the date of the next meeting of the council, papers would be sent to every member of the Association so that the proposed amalgamation of the R.H.A. and the Commercial Motor Users Association could be decided by voting.
Mr. Alexander Fallon (Penzance) was chosen as chairman for the ensuing year, in place of Mr. R. E. Newham (Falmouth), who resigned for reasons of health. Mr. L. Christophers (Helston) was elected as honorary secretary. The committee was constituted as follows :—Messrs. J. R. Opie (Helston), J. G. Brewer (Perranporth), L. Nicholas (Penzance), S. Rogers (Truro), W. J. Shapcott (Camborne), J. Simmons-Hodge (Truro), Bowden (Camborne), N. Hold (Penryn), H. Ingram (Hayle), R. T. Pollard (St. Ives), H. C. Barratt (The Lizard), and R. E. Newham (Falmouth).
Three delegates on the area committee were appointed, these being Messrs. Fallon, Newham and SimmonsHodge.
At the meeting of the Mid-Cornwall sub-area, Captain Mark Richards (St. Dennis) was in the chair.
Mr. Humphrey Cooke, honorary secretary, stated that there were 63 members in the sub-area.
Mr. Cooke stressed the fact that objections to applications for licences were not personal, and explained that objections had to be put forward by individuals, and not by a committee. Strong criticism of this position was raised by a haulier, who said that it was an extremely unfair method and one that created a, great deal of bad feeling. He moved a. resolution that all members of the sub-area committee meeting present should, as a whole, sign all objections, but, owing to the impracticability of the suggestion, it could not be carried.
Mr. W. R. G. Hawke (St. Austell) was elected sub-area chairman for the ensuing year, in place of Mr. C. Hodgson, whose resignation of the position, in view of the heavy work entailed by his other R.H.A. activities, was accepted with regret.
Mr. Cooke was re-elected honorary secretary, and the committee was made up as follows :—Captain Mark Richards, Messrs. D. Rowett, C. Storey, J. H. Johns, R. W. Kemble, N. E. May, W. R. G. Hawke, C. Selleck, and a representative of Taylor and Low Bros., Ltd., with Messrs. C. Hodgson and H. Cooke.
Messrs. Hawke, C. Selleck and C. Hodgson were appointed delegates to the Devon and Cornwall Committee.