New Association : No Breakaway " S O far as I
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am aware, there is no element of a breakaway movement." Mr. Cecil F. Pike, honorary secretary of the new Sheffield and District Road Hauliers' Defence Association, gave this information to "The CommercialMotor" Yorkshire correspondent, who asked whether formation of the organization could be regarded as a breakaway from the Road Haulage Association, as a result of dissatisfaction at the loss of open-cast coal traffic by A and B-licence holders in the Sheffield locality. " The Sheffield Association," said Mr. Pike, "includes operators who are R.H.A. members and others who are not. Although some are dissatisfied with the R.H.A.'s handling of affairs in this matter of open-cast coal haulage,
our members, as a body, have no open or declared grievance against any of the larger and better-known transport organizations; but all feel that a more direct approach to their problems in the matter is likely to have better chances of success than the usual procedure of association representations?'
Outlining the circumstances which, he said, led to the formation of the new Association, Mr. Pike stated that when the Road Haulage Organization had control of the traffic, some 30 or 40 vehicles—mostly owner-driven—were employed on full-time open-cast coal haulage by Sheffield and district haul iers.
When responsibility passed from the R.H.O. to the Ministry of Fuel and Power, the work was put out to tender on conditions which automatically excluded the owner-driver. The Sheffield hauliers who had been operating under contract with the Ministry of Transport became redundant, unless chosen for work under contract with a Barnsley hauliers' pool, the Barnsley and District Transport Co., Ltd, which had successfully tendered to the Ministry of Fuel and Power.
Experienced Men Idle Thus, said Mr. Pike, fully experienced Sheffield loaders and drivers living near the open-cast sites were in enforced idleness, whilst vehicles and personnel working in their stead daily travelled 25 to 30 miles unladen from and to their home stations.
The president of the new Association is Mr. Lawrence Hill, managing director of J. W. Ayre and Co., Ltd. The honorary treasurer is Mr. Herbert Allsop, who, with his son, was for nearly four years engaged exclusively on open-cast coal haulage. Mr. Pike was M.P. for the Attercliffe Division from 1931 to 1935.