Preston C.M.U.A. Meet and Dine.
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OME interesting speeches were made at the annual meeting of the Preston Commercial Motor Users Association, held at the Hotel Metropole, Blackpool, a few days ago, when Councillor J. Leavesley (who is president of the Blackpool Motor Coach Owners' Association) presided. The formal business over, the company, which nunbored about 50 persons, adjourned to dinner.
In proposing the toast of "The Commercial Motor Users Association," Councillor T. Fielding, J.P., spoke of the friendly relations that existed between the Association and the Watch committee, and went, on to refer to the recent inquiry in London regarding the question of chars-à-bares plying for hire in the streets. He thought Blackpool could manage the "town" affairs better than a London board could. He appealed to the Association to ask only for what was reasonable and right from the corporation, as the watch committee had to look at things from the point of view of the ratepayer. If the Association would put on the spectacles of the corporation sometimes, it might do good.
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Mr, Charles Furness, the Blackpool tramways manager, said it was the duty of the corporation to provide good roads ; and the surveyor, who was a keen road constructor, was building roads and designing wide thoroughfares. He appealed for the co-operation of the Association to make the Blackpool carnival a success. From the entries which were coming in from road users and motor coach proprietors, it was apparent they were taking a very active interest in making it a success.
The area secretary, Mr. Walter Atkinson, in his annual report, said the membership of the area organization at the end of the year was 315. The Association defended 64 legal cases during the year on behalf of members. In 1922 year Corporation of Blackpool again refused to allow motor coaches to ply for
hire in the streets. The Association, with the assistance of the local members, pressed the matter before the Ministry of Transport, and an arrangement was come to whereby the vehicles were allowed the privilege which their owners sought. Mr. Atkinson stated that the, average number of losses from cominercial motors per week was 25, and the Association had made an arrangement with the police authorities throughout Lancashire to notify the Association of all goods found on the roads. The following officers were elected :— President, Mr. Richard Houghton; vicepresident, Mr. P. C. Harper, Chorley.
Mr. J. E. Mallalieu, Blackpool, raised the question of the action of the Association in opposing the petrol tax, and Councillor J. Leavesley, Blackpool, expressed the view that the petrol tax would be beneficial to the motor charit-banes owners of Blackpool, but he did not want to take a narrow view, as he appreciated that commercial vehicle users, out day and night, would be very severely penalized by the reintroduction of the tax.
Mr. P. C. Harper, Chorley, speaking on behalf of the haulage contractors, argued that the introduction of the petrol tax would be a serious handicap to commercial road transport.
It was eventually recommended that the Association should take a referendum of its members on the question.