AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

ANOTHER HAULIERS' SYMPOSIUM.

20th July 1920, Page 14
20th July 1920
Page 14
Page 14, 20th July 1920 — ANOTHER HAULIERS' SYMPOSIUM.
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Points on Subjects Discussed by the Liverpool Motor Haulage Contractors Association.

TILE open meeting of motor haulage contraeters at Liverpool, convened by the Liverpool Motor Haulage Contractors Association, was in two respects noteworthy :—(1) It was, perhaps, the largest meeting of the kind ever held in the city, and (2) the audience contained a good sprinkling of members of other organizations catering feu. motor users., The Association has 110 members, with 280 vehicles of something like 1,480 tons carrying capacity. There have 'been, said Mr. F. A. Cawson, who presided, a few resignations, but not more than four.since the inception of the Association, -whose membership, he dare Bay, was two-thirds of the haulier plying in Liverpool, but there was a number of large firma who were not members. "We have," he said. "compiled a tabulated list of information regarding the carrying capacity of all our members' vehicles, as -well as other particulars, arid a Teaffic Committee lass been formed, composed of experts of large experience, which has drawn up rates ready to be put into operation es soon as the trade is more thoroughly organized.

Solving the Return Load Problem.

"The ..4-seociation has linked up with

other towns, and has correspondents and agencies, which have been of great assistance in regard to return loads. At the present time, members of the organization are in a very favourable position, having very little difficulty in obtaining loads from Manchester, through our agency there, and the lorries belonging to our members, returning empty, do not teach 5 per cent. "It was an instruction from one of our meetings that we should endeavour to link up with other organizations ler:ally, having objects, if not altogether in accord with our own, then similar, but our overturee, after considerable correspondence, were .repulsed. Why, I cannot understand.

"-We have also made application for admission to the National Alliance. We have not been tUrned down. Our application has been -deferred, and we can only conjecture what the reason has been. Had we not joined the National Union of Horse and Motor Vehicle Owners

• Association, -we should have been out in the cold at the recent wages conference. Our view wentforward that the transport trade is not in a position to stand any further advances.

"We have not withdrawn our appliae 'tion to the National Alliance, because we felt that this was the organization to which we should have belonged—so much do we believe in co-operation and combination.

"Transport is not a trade that lends C16

itself to unrestricted competition, because of the amount of capital involved and the heavy working expenses. In order to do :justice to themselves, moTor hauliers should keep a strict account. of their expenses, otherwise they will notlee able to -work remuneratively.

Success Hinges on Organization.

To be successful, the meter haulier must be organized, because it is only by orgatrizatioa that 'he can get paying ratere Through -its traffic scheme, the Association is rapidly reaching the position when it will be able to supply its members with working details on various ,points, apart from running costs.

"Meetings have been held with the representatives of the three Manchester organizations—the Manchester Team: owners Association, the Horse and Motor Vehicle Owners Association, and tho Conference of Carriers—and we hope at no Very distant date to have a working arrangement with Manchester."

Mr. C. C. Morton said that :` An honourable agreement was entered Into by us that we would respect the Liver;pool Clearing House rates. My impression was that these rates were going to be increased. I know for a fact. that any a-mount of stuff is being carried from. Liverpool to Manchester at 20s. per ton, not 22s. 6d."

"Earlier on in'-our history," Mr. C. Taggart pointed out, "we approached the Liverpool Cartowners Association and the C.M.U.A. 'with a view to setting up a joint committee, one of the purposes being the agreement of rates, We wrote to the Clearing House zuggesting that asthey bad taken steps in the fixing of sates, their revision should be taken up by therethree associations with the cooperation oi the Clearing House. They wrote back saying it wasnone of their larieiness; it was a matter of crinferenee with the other associations, with whom, through no fault of ours, we have been unable to arrange a meeting. The other assotiations hid not seen the wisdom of co-operation."

A Joint Committee for Liverpool and Manchester?

"Yams are wasting your time discussing these petty questions of rates," said Mr. S. Nove (Manchester). "The real thing is to get organized. We in Manchester are looking forward to the day when these meaningless quibbles will cease and you Are no longer afraid of yourselves. Get a joint committee in Liverpool and come to business."

"You might as well ask," said Mr. Stoekdale, "the Imperial Cabinet to administer local finances as to ask the C.M.U.A. to deal with hauliers' affairs in Liverpool. There is no business that needs co-operatien in its most sincere form more than the motor haulage -trade. We all put otir dollars into the business, and if we do not get dollars, the man with nothing behind him will have to go -to the wall. There is need of excellentorganization."

The following important statement was made by Mr. Canisone—" Representatives of this Association waited upon, a very high official of the Ministry of Transport, and the dictum -was laid down that Aseociationseought to have their own traffic exehanges. '

"New railway rates are expected to come into operation on August lit. There is a forecast of 40 per cent., making about 100 per cent, on pre-war rates. Certain classes of goods are being carried to Manchester by motor for something under 20s. a ton; -whereas the railway, combined with cartage, rates are close upon 30e. If simply means you are making a present of the difference to someone else, while you are dieing all the work."

Rate Cutting is Business Suicide.

Again rising, Mr. C. C. Morton said, " I would strongly advise hauliers to get -a copy of The Conttner6at Motor for June 29th, if the.y have-not already coterie. Reference is made to the cutting of cares as being nothing more or less than business suicide.

"Ninety-five per cent. of the traffic from Manchester to Liverpool in normal times is for export, .either direct to ship or ex warehouse, for which there are preferential rates on both the railway and motor vehicle."

A haulier from Warrington said that in that town local menwere getting 12s. 6d. per ton for taking wire to LiVerpool. Some Liverpool firma then came on the scene and offered to do the work at 9s. fid. and 10s. a. ton.

Mr. Jude of the C.M.U.A., speaking in an individual capacity, regretted that there should be so many organizations for the motor haulage industry. "If we could unite-and forM one body under one executive for all, it would be very much better than having internecine strife," to which Mr. Taggart replied; -" This is the first indication we have had that the C.M.U.A. are prepared to discuss with us the unification of the trade. The difficulty is to understand one another. We are prepared to meet the other bodies, and at the same time, while working with them, preserve our own identity. Any bitterness that has been shown has not been from our side, and any overtures which have been made came from Us. If we are proved to be proceeding on the wronglines we are willing to be put right."


comments powered by Disqus