_Leeds Group Decides On "Open-door" Policy
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I NCLUSION of a disciplinary safe guard in the set-up crf.the new Leeds road haulage group, was approved at a recent meeting of interested operators, when proposals were considered as to provisions of the memorandum and articles of association of the company being formed for the operation of the group, Air. Benjamin Spink presided.
It was decided to include in the articles a clause whereby a shareholder could be expelled from the company for conduct of such a character that his continuance in the membership of the group was adjudged' to be no longer desirable. .
rt Was explained to the meeting that unless there be an expulsion provision in the articles, a delinquent member could still exercise his vote as a shareholder at meetings of the company in defiance of the directors and the other shareholders.
Discussion en the suggested expulsion cause touched the subject of rates maintenance when Mr. Allan Tiffany said that the clause would enable appropriately severe meaSures to be taken if an operator, to whom another haulier's surplus traffic was passed through the group, cut the rate .with a view to obtaining future business from the same client,
• Mr. Spink, remarking that rates stabilization discussions were proceeding under the auspices of the Road and Rail Conference, said he anticipated that any resultant agreement on road rates and ' conditions, would be strengthened by the attachment to hauliers' licences of a condition requiring them to adhere to a certain code of conduct, Discussion concerning admission to the group arose on a proposal that the directors be empowered to refuse admission to any operator. In support of this proposal, it was argued that, unless authority he given for the exercise of discretion as to who was admitted to membership, there would be a possibility of operators joining who were not prepared " to put their shoulders to the wheel" for the common good of the group, but who simply sought to obtain individual advantage from it.
Mr. Allan Tiffany, who was one of th,e originators of the Leeds group movement, said that the idea. of the
project, as he understood it, was to throw the group wide open to Aarid Blicence holders with the object of securing co-operation for mutual help. If people were to get the idea that membership was open to only a "select body " of operators, that would be deplorable.
Mr. Spink, emphasizing that this was not the intention, said that that evening's meeting had been advertised in the local Press as for all Aand Blicence holders who intended, to become members of the group. The only bar which had been laid down, as decided at the previous meeting, was that operators holding only contract A licences were ineligible for membership. A resolution affirming support fell an " open door" policy in respect of admissions to membership was adopted.
The following group officers were appointed:—Chairman, Mr. B. Spink; vice-chairman, Mr. H. Storey; secretary, Mr. D. Armitage, Mr. Spink and Mr. Storey were appointed representatives to the National Conference of Road Transport Groups, with Mr. H. Tinker as deputy representative.