800 at A.R.O. Banquet O V ER 800 attended the banquet
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and ball of Associated Road Operators . (Metropolitan Area) held last Monday at Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London, W., and presided over by Mr. J. F. E. Pye, A.I.A.C., chairman of the area.
Major H. E. Crawfurd, A.F.C. President A.R.O., asked what other national association connected with any kind of business could, from only one area, provide such an assembly.
He said there were only three types of restrictive licence-for drink, poison and road transport. A licence was much the same as a ticket of leave-you had to come up every now and then to ask if you could remain at liberty. Road transport had been placed in an anomalous position by unjust legislation.
Mr, J. F. E. Pye referred to the wonderful co-operation of the officials of the area. He said that roads and safety first are closely inter-linked. Both Sir Charles Bressey and Mr. Gordon Stewart had done a tremendous amount for the cause of safety, but we had no road policy. The roads, generally, are a scandal to Great Britain. Three years ago the Government promised to spend £100,000,000 on them in five years. In three years they had spent only £12,000,000; yet the Minister had £150,000,000 of proposals before him, of which he had accepted £92,000,000, but he had sanctioned only £8,000,000 for 1938.
Lieut. Commander J. Havers, Alil.I.Mech.E., vice-chairman, in welcoming the guests, referred to the splendid support given in the House by the Road Group.
Responding, Earl Howe, P.C., C.B.E., said we were all bound together by the roads; they are vital to us. County road surveyors know what they are talking about, and they travestied the Minister's claith that only 1 per cent, of accidents is due to road conditions. In 15 years traffic will be doubled, and if the roads be not improved conditions will be impossible.