What the Associations Are Doing
Page 51
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COAL CARRYING—A.R.O. TAKES ACTION.
In view of the serious position which has arisen in the Yorkshire Area, whereby vehicles operating without any kind of carrier's licence whatsoever are being employed on a coal-delivery scheme, a deputation of prominent Yorkshire members of the A.R.O. recently met a number of Members of Parliament from the county, at the Association's head office in London, together with the headquarters officials of the Association.
The disastrous consequences to hauliers, resulting from the continuance and possible extension of the scheme, were emphasized, and the Members of Parliament undertook to lay the matter before the Minister of Transport without delay. The Minister, however, whilst expressing his sympathy with the hauliers, regretted his inability to take any action, as the position could be changed only by amending legislation.
The Association has therefore decided to prepare a case for including the matter in an amending Act, which it is hoped will not now be long delayed.
Echo of a Newspaper's Attack.
A recent leading article in the Evening Standard caused, as The Commercial Motor has described, marked feelings of disgust on the part of road-transport operators and their protective organizations—this because is was, seemingly, written in the interests of railway stock and shareholders.
The national associations registered their strong protests in the form of letters to the Editor of the Evening Standard, and now the C.M.U.A. has issued for distribution a leaflet which, it says, ". . should convince you that the menace of a railway monopoly is real." The leaflet contains a reprint of the Evening Standard's article, also a copy of the C.M.U.A. 'a letter to the Editor of that paper.
It is of interest to note that another leader which appeared in the Evening Standard on September I bore the earmarks of repentance, but at the same time managed cleverly to suggest, once again, that road haulage is insufficiently restricted!
Prizes for Good Maintenance.
Entries will close, on September 21, for the C.M.U.A. Manchester and South-East Lancashire Areas' vehicle parade, which is to be held on September 23 and 24 (coaches on the Friday and goods vehicles on the Saturday).
Vehicles will be divided into six classes dependent on the weight. method of propulsion, and licence category, and any primary entry may compete in. the optional classes. An interesting feature is a special award for the best-kept vehicle (in fleets of not more than -three machines) where
all running repairs and maintenance have been carried out by the driver. A silver trophy will be presented for each class, primary or optional, and the driver will receive a replica of the cup as well as a money prize.
Insurance in the West.
Owing to the large amount of business which has resulted in the Western Area, as the result of the introduction of the A.R.O. special insurance scheme, Messrs. E. Nugent Linaker have decided to open a branch office in Bristol, situated in the same building and on the same floor as the Western Area office of the A.R.O.
A Matter of Chairmanship.
It was recently announced by the A.R.O. that Mr. F. J. Crosley had relinquished the chairmanship of the Derby Sub-area in favour of Mr. W. Parnell, but had retained the vicechairmanship of the area. In order to dispel a misunderstanding which has unfortunately arisen, it should be pointed out that Mr. Crosley is the vicechairman of the East Midland Area of the A.R.O., and not of the Derby Subarea, of which Mr. Kniefton is the vicechairman.
An A.R.O. Tees-side Sub-area.
The Northern Area Committee of the A.R.O. has confirmed the setting-up of a new Tees-side Sub-area, embracing West Hartlepool, Stockton, Darlington, Middlesbrough, and south of the Tees districts. The following members were nominated to serve on the new committee so formed:—Messrs. J. Williamson, H. L. Walker, C. Hopper, E. W. Wilson, J. Lamb, A. En.soll, G. 011is, F. Robinson, W. S. Donaghy, J. Henderson, B. Harrison and J. Sanderson.
HAULIER'S LIABILITIES DISCUSSED.
Mr. W. D. Broadbent, traffic manager of Rylands Bros., Ltd., Warrington, and chairman of the Warrington branch of the C.M.U.A., gave an address to the Liverpool branch of the Industrial Transport Association, last week, in which he dealt with some of the contractual obligations in the carriage of goods. Mr. M. J. W. Wright presided.
After dealing with the position of the railways, Mr. Broadbent said the outstanding difference between road transport and the railways was that the latter were regulated as they developed, whereas road transport was developed first and is being regulated afterwards. There were no recent statutes defining contractual obligations or conditions of carriage of a road-transport contractor. It followed that in the absence of special legislation the road carrier incurred liability at common law for the value of the merchandise entrusted to him, irrespective of amount. "A point of some interest arises here," continued Mr. Broadbent, "as in some cases the road carrier has an insurance which is limited in amount either to the value of load carried or to a maximum sum. If the carrier accepts a load which is in excess of the amount stipulated in the insurance policy, his liability is for the full value and not for the insured value. Briefly, in the absence of a special contract a roadhaulage contractor assumes unlimited liability."
In the discussion Mr. Broadbent pointed out that any claim arising from the late delivery of goods would be for breach of contract where there was a contract specifying delivery by a certain time, and not for loss of market.
An A.R.O. Rally.
The annual rally of the West Midland Area of the A.R.O. will be held to-morrow, September 10, at the famous beauty spot, Lilleshall Hall, Shropshire, when it is expected that the President, Major H. E. Crawfurd, also Mr. R. W. Sewill, will be present. ,
They Like the Licensing Scheme!
At a meeting of the Western Area of A.R.O., held at Bristol, last week, the new licensing scheme was unanimously approved by the area committee, and was accepted by all the Bristol members present. Mr. G. Smart, the area chairman, gave details of the working of the scheme.
Association Official's Death.
Mr. J. A. Irving, trustee and member of the committee of the Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners Association, died last week. Mr. Irving was 69 years of age and was principal of the firm of J. A. Irving and Co., Ltd., warehouse owner and shipping and forwarding agent of Liverpool.