"Never Has the United," Says Industry Been So A.R.O. Director
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A T a meeting in Birmingham last 1-1.Moriday,, afranged by • the 'Joint Organization of A.R.O. and the C.M.U.A. in the West Midland area, a, large number of operators heard talks by Mr. R. W. Sewill, director of A.R.O., and Mr. F. F. Fowler, chairman of the National Haulier Seetionel Board of the C.M.U.A.
Mr. Sewell opened by saying that • operators would naturally be looking for some information on the new scheme for the control of long-distance haulage, but, in actual fact, little more ,information had as yet been given than what was contained in the Minister's original statement. There could be little quarrel with the reasons given for the introduction of the scheme, namely; the saving of fuel and particularly of rubber. .
'It is, h-owever, permiesible to say," continued 'Mr. Sewill, "that it seemed both to my Association and to. the C.M.U.A. before the scheme' was launched, that economy in the use of rubber could have been achieved through the existing machinery. From the beginning of the war the Regional Transport Commissioners' organization has' dealt, on the whole fairly and equitably, with the reduction in the use of fuel, and it follows that reduction in fuel neeessarily involvee•reductirin in the use Of rubber.
" Your Associations : are convinced that whilst the strictest economy has been and is being imposed, and lurther drastic -restriction is contemplated upon the operation of all our members, the industry would feel happier that all these restrictions were necessary could it be aesured that the game rigid economy is to be introduced, into tile use of Government-controlled vehicles."
Assuming, however, that this did not produce a sufficient ece,norny then surely an all-round percentage reduction in the amount of fuel available for commercial use would attain the desired end, namely, the compulsory • laying-up of vehicles; or at any rate a progressive diminution in the mileage run according to the stocks .of rubberavailable.
Mr. Sewill concluded by saying that " . • . never has the industry been so united as it is at this moment through the Standing Joint Committee. and that in spite of all rumouri• to the contrary no group or organization of hauliers is seeking Undue advantage-.to itself through this scheme, but all are pledged to work through the SJ.C."
Mr. Fowler, in endorsing what Mr.• Sewill had said, made one further point, namely, that traders with (I-licensed vehicles had been permitted to put forward their own pooling scheme, which from all accounts had resulted in pot only an immense saving of transport, but in satisfaction
to all concerned. It was tnue that these schemes had to be submitted to the Minieter of War Transport for final approval,ebut they were drawn up by those people directly affected.
"-Would it not," Mr; FowIee asked,. " have been possible for the same opportunity to have been given to the haulage industry even to the exeent of operators themselves arranging for any subsidy that might have been required for .laid-up vehicles?
• elr. Fowler then. turned to the work . upon which the seven 'organizations represented on the S.J.C. are engaged, through the enedium of a conference of which Lord Perry is the chairman, in negotiating .terms for a complete amalgamation.' This conference had progressed, so far, more rapidly probably ttra,n anybody could have anticipated, and it looked as if the details of the scheme might be ready in February.