The Late Lord Long of Wraxhali.
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An Appreciation. By E. S. Shrapnell-Smith, C.B.E.
WALTE/ R LONG, as I first knew him in Liverpool, sat for the West Derby parliamentary division during several of the pioneering years of heavy motor transport.
Thanks to that local interest in, and connection with, Merseyside, and to the personal influence of his then Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. William Bull, M.P., he specially travelled to Liverpool in October, 1901, while President of the Local Government Board, and attended a meeting at the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce on the occasion of the presentation of the Judges' Report upon the third heavy motor trials organized by the Liverpool SelfPropelled Traffic Association. Mr. Long on that occasion gave an assurance that he would do all in his power to convert the Cabinet of the day to the necessity of increasing the three-ton limit of unladen weight to five tons. He redeemed his promise, by embodying the necessary powers in the Motor Car Act of 1903, and it was due to him that owners were granted the concessions which were embodied in the Heavy Motor Car Order of 1904.
On subsequent occasions Mr. Long continued a good supporter of commercial road transport, despite, or possibly on account of, his close identification with agriculture and country life generally.
B20 He on several occasions attended C.M.U.A. functions, and spoke at them with his usual virility, charm and common sense.
But for his efforts such portion of the Road Fund as is now applied to rural roads might merely have gone in relief of local rates, without regard to roads and its proper expenditure on them.
My chief .in the petroleum executive of the War Cabinet from 1911 to 1919, -when I was privileged to be a voluntary worker on his small staffs I recollect many cheery words and messages during periods of hard work and grave national depression.
Much could be written about him as a statesman, a man of affairs, and, above all, an English gentleman of the best type. To the last of his full run of three-score years and ten he was energetic and farseeing. He was amongst the few men who did many things, yet never made a mistake. His memory is honoured by all who knew him, and should also be by thousands of supporters of The Commercial Motor, who may not hitherto .have realized how much they owe to his prescience and broad spirit of consideration for all.
As president of the C.M.U.A., I paid last week my last duty in this world to Lord Long of Wraxhall. His end is peace.