R.H.A. Official Criticizes Clearing Houses
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ASTATEMENT that there were many " bad " clearing houses was made by Mr. A. H. Butterwick, chairman of the Yorkshire Regional Area Committee of the Road Haulage Association, and of the Leeds Sub-area Committee of that organization, at a sitting of the Yorkshire Licensing Authority at Leeds, last Friday.
Mr. Butterwick asserted that these clearing houses obtained their ordersby cutting rates, and that they preyed on hauliers who were short of work and would take a load at any price.
Mr. Butterwick made these statements when asked to explain the standi,ng and functions of clearing houses during his evidence against an application by Advance Roadways, Ltd., Leeds, for A licences (discretionary tonnage) in respect of nine vehicles with a tonnage of 25 tons 16 cwt. in possession. He made it clear that there was no imputation that Advance Rcadways, Ltd., had been or was a "
bad" clearing house.
It was stated that Advance Roadways, Ltd., was started as a clearing house last autumn. At the beginning of this year the company obtained a large contract to carry products for Messrs. Taylor's Drug Stores from Leeds to the South, on condition that the goods were transported in the
applicant's own vehicles. In consequence, the haulage concern ordered several lorries.
Mr. R. J. Elmes, acting managing director of Advance Roadways, Ltd., said that his company made regular
daily journeys to London and district for Messrs. Taylor's, and carried goods for a large number of other undertakings, with two of which it had contracts. From last October to the beginning of January he was hiring 100 different vehicles a week at a cost of £200-£400 a month.
Mr. W. R. IIargrave, opposing for the Road Haulage Association, said he had brought the clearing-house question into the case because the applicant, from being a non-operator, had now launched out as an operator and was competing with other hauliers.
For the first time since he began to hear applications under the Road and Rail Traffic Act, Mr. J. Famdale, the Licensing Authority, deferred his decision.