What the Associations are Doing
Page 58
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JOINT MEETING HEARS DEFENCE-PLAN DETAILS.
For nearly two hours last week members of the A.R.O., C.M.U.A. and Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners' Association, at a meeting which was convened by the Liverpool section of the A.R.O., fired questions at Mr. F. Williamson, the defence-plan officer for the area. Mr. Williamson mentioned that of the 35,000 operators in the North-Western Area, 20,000 had returned the forms distributed with the booklet issued by the Ministry of Transport. Three hundred letters had been received from individual operators, who were not members of any associations, asking for names and addresses of persons who would undertake the formation of groups.
Mr. Allen Walter remarked that a number of one-vehicle operators was fighting shy of joining groups, when approached by large neighbouring operators, fearing that if they did so they would lose their identity. Could Mr. Williamson emphasize that t'sere would be no interference with the goodwill of the small businesses?
Mr. Williamson said there was no reason why good one-vehicle operators should not become group organizers. As the group organizer would be subordinate to the sub-district managers small operators had nothing to fear.
Much discussion took place on tractors and trailers and one operator wanted to know if, in forming a group, one trailer would count as one vehicle. " That is the first time this question has been raised," replied Mr. Williamson. He would inquire into it.
Traders Must Resist Monopoly.
" We must stand absolutely firm for the unfettered right of the trader to carry his goods in his own vehicles," declared Mr. Herman Kent, secretary of the National Federation of Grocers Associations, at the annual meeting of the Taunton, Minehead and District Grocers' Association. " If we lose that," said Mr. Kent, " we place ourselves in the hands of monopolists and our plight will be a very sorry one indeed. We like to see healthy, if regulated, competition between the railway companies and the road haulier. It is the stimulus of competition and not the dead hand of monopoly that keeps enterprise realty progressive."
Lancs Associations Secure New Affiliation.
Two important bodies of operators in Lancashire have recently relinquished their attachment to the C.M.U.A. They are the Bolton and District Road Transport Association, had the Burnley and District Road Transport Association. These moves followed upon the call for increased percentages of subscriptions to be paid
n24 to the National Association and on the proposed reorganization of C.1LU.A. arrangements in respect of affiliated membership, coupled with which was the suggested tranater of members to offices in different localities.
For the purpose of national representation, both associations have become affiliated to the National Road Transport Employers' Federation. A.R.O. LIGHTENS PARLIAMENT'S TASK.
" Square deals" came in for comment at the annual dinner at Selby, last Saturday, of the Selby Sub-area of A.R.O. Mr. J. A. M. Bright (chairman) presided, and the guests included Col. L. Ropner (M.P. for Barkston Ash), Mr. D. M. Cochrane (chairman of the Selby Urban District Council) and Mr. Alfred H. Butterwick (deputy chairman of the Yorkshire Area of A.R.O.).
Mr. Bright said members of A.R.O. could claim that they had done much to lighten the burdens of members of Parliament. When the A.R.O. representatives met the railways it was quite evident they were going forward, if possible, with a measure of appeasement, and they had reached the stage when they could put before Parliament a beneficial joint effort.
Are Hauliers Branded as Criminals?
Thrusting home his now well-known point that railway losses are merely superficial, Major Crawfurd made a' strong speech to Newcastle and Gateshead Chamber of Commerce, on Tuesday. His effort was on behalf of the B.R.F.
When the country's trade improved, he said, the railway returns would show a corresponding recovery. In any case, they had fared far better than many of the great industries of the country. If the railways were to be relieved of restrictions, so, too, should the road industry, which had been hampered far more extensively. The industry was being treated by legislature as though those engaged in it were conspiring against the safety of the State. To engage in that industry, however, was not, he said, prima facie evidence of criminal tendencies!
North-Western A.11.0.'s A.G.M.
The annual general meeting of the North-Western Area Committee of A.R.O. was held last week at Liverpool. The business consisted mainly of the election of committee for the Liverpool Suh-area sectional hoard. The following were appointed tc serve :-Messrs. F. Blomley, F, Duerden, A. E. Adams, J. Fitzsimmons, T. F. Hargreaves, A. S. Hughes, T. La.wrenson, W. McCready, P. Perris, P. Stevenson, F. A. Makin.
Mr. T. F. Hargreaves mentioned that it was proposed to hold, on March 25 and April 8, lorry protest parades.
Associations Co-operate in Defence ' Plan.
The Yorkshire Area of ARC. is co-operating wholeheartedly with the North-Eastern Division of the C.M.U.A., and the Yorkshire Ftderation of Coal Merchants' Associations, in helping forward the formation of groups under the emergency scheme.