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What the Associations are Doing

24th February 1939, Page 100
24th February 1939
Page 100
Page 101
Page 100, 24th February 1939 — What the Associations are Doing
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Keywords : Luton

BROADCASTING SUPPORT FOR ROAD TRANSPORT'S CASE.

With commendable enterprise, A.R.O. is joining with three other sponsors in a series of broadcasts. The first will be on February 26, froth 11.15 p.m. to 11.45 p.m., from Radio Normandy, under the title " Motor Magazine." The programme will be continued from Radio Lyons between 10 p.m, and 10.30 p.m., on March 3, and each Sunday and Friday of the following five weeks it will be broadcast .from• these stations respectively. In addition, a reference will be made to our industry, every evening from one or other station.

Railways Must Readjust Their Capital.

" If things are not going well with the railway companies they will have to readjust their capital, and do away with some of the services that do not pay," declared Mr. Herman Kent, secretary of the National Federation of Grocers' Associations, in addressing a mass meeting of grocers of Grimsby, Cleethorpes and district, on the "square deal."

S.H. and M.A.'s Excellent Assets.

" The world's richest trade union, in respect of funds per member," is the proud title again claimed for the Scottish Horse and Motormen's Association, in its annual report issued last week, This shows that the 'total assets of the union are valued at £180,054, including a gain of £7,143 over the past 12 months, Nearly 3,000 new members were enrolled in the past year, making a total of 5,000 for two years.

Steps Towards Proper Wageslegislation.

Family relationships between employer and employee, in the road/haulage industry, will not he allowed to deflect fulfilment of obligations under the regulations of the Wages Act, This was one of a number of important points emphasized by Mr. H. F. R. Sturge, of Rotherham, in the course of an exposition of the Act given at a meeting of the Road Passenger and Transport Association, which took place at Birmingham, last week-end, A resolution was passed to call a further meeting of the Association, in order to ascertain what wages are now being paid, and what conditions of employment are prevalent; the meeting to seek to agree on rates of pay, having regard to the unladen weights of the vehicles operating, and to agree on future conditions of employment. It was further resolved that the matters agreed upon be tabulated into a proposal to be entrusted to the chairman of the Association as its representative sitting on the West Midland Wages Board, in order that he might a58 bring them to the notice of the Board when the time came for the consideration of proposals, .

Fish Hauliers and Licence Objections.

Haulage firms engaged in the carrying of fish from North Shields. to London, recently held a meeting at North Shields; to consider the railway company's decision to oppose the renewal of road-haulage licences which will come before the Authorities shortly. Mr. James Miller, chairman of the North Shields I-Irring Merchants' Association, presided, and the position was explained by Mr. T. H. Campbell Wardlaw. A resolution was passed deploring the railway company's attitude.

S.T.R. SOLVES OPERATING PROBLEMS AT SOUTHAMPTON.

An interesting discussion, touching upon a wide range of subjects, followed an' address of S.T.R. (The Commercial Motor costs expert) to local members of A.R.0, at Southampton on. Monday of last week. It transpired. for instance, that one operator present had given a good deal of attention to the matter of tyre wear and he disclosed the .fact that periodic checking of inflation pressure and of wheel alignment, together with examination of the tyres for cuts and abrasions, had actually increased his average tyre 'mileage,. per set, from 20.000 to between 30,000 and 35,000.

The, question of depreciation was discussed and figures requested, in relation to the more expensive type of vehicle costing in the neighbourhood of £1,500. The annual mileage was estimated at 40,000 to 50,000 and the operator desired to have the depreciation assessed on the basis of time. In that case S.T.R. (insisting in the first place that depreciation must be reckoned on a mileage basis) then agreed that, provided the annual mileage was known, it was possible to convert. the depreciation item to a basis of time.

The topic of the day-the road-rail agreement-then. came 'up' for discussion and it was suggested, and strongly supported, that in the joint committee on rates which win to be formed, A.R.O. should insist that S.T.R., of The Commercial Motor, should be included, Mr. C. Blake,' chairman of the area, presided. There was also present Mr. G. Downer, chairman of the southern area, Mr. J. W. Flescroff, area secretary, and Mr. A. Leonard Beer, hon. sub-area secretary.

Heart;cry for a Merger.

" There are too many organizations dealing with road transport„" declared Mr. R. P. Bailey, secretary of the National Road Haulage Employers' Association, speaking at . the annual dinner of the Leicester District Transport Association, last week. " All the efforts of our organizations ought to be centred in one-to speak with one voice for A and B-licence holders," he said. " It was nearly accomplished a little while ago, but instead, we had difficulties with C-licence holders."

Prominent People to Attend Luton A.R.O. Dinner.

Prominent guests will attend the dinner of the Luton Sub-area of A.R.O. on Monday, March 6, Amongst them will be Mr. Burgin (Minister of Transport), Major H. E. Crawfurd, Major Eric Long, and Messrs.. J. F. E. Pye, R. W. Sewill and S. H. Jardine (A.R.0.), the Mayors of Luton and Dunstable, and Messrs. GleeSon E. Robinson and A. F. Palmer Phillips. MR. HENDERSON MAKES CLEAR THE EMERGENCY SCHEME.

Several hundred commercial-vehicle owners met in Glasgow, last Sunday, to hear the Government's proposals for the utilization of road transport to assist in evacuation in the event of war. The meeting, which was addressed by Mr. Archibald Henderson, Regional Transport Commissioner (designate) for Scotland, was presided over by Sir John McDonald„ It was convened by the Scottish C.M.U.A.

" There is no trade in the country with so many small units as that of the transport industry," said Mr. Henderson. " In Scotland, there are between 50,000 and 60,000 commercial vehicles owned by about 20,000 carriers. Naturally, we could not deal individually with that huge number and the organization provides for the formation of groups. Scotland is to be divided into 14 or 16 geographical districts, with subdivisions and groups in each district, according to density of population and the work involved."

Going on to• refer to the\ various officials that would be required, Mr. Henderson emphasized the importance of carriers returning promptly the forms already provided them, requesting detailed information of the vehicles in their service, He also stated that, if necessary. Glasgow and Edinburgh could be evacuated overnight. That was how far the plans had gone.

Replying to a question, Mr. Henderson stated that the National Service Handbook showed that transport men and men in ancillary occupations were regarded as " sacred." It was not the Government's intention to interfere with the transport communications of this country.

Goods-licensing System " Conspicuously Fair "1 How many people, in the early days of the railways, wohld have thought that, in 1939, the rail side would be begging the road for mercy, asked Mr. H..Backhouse, Junior, at the C.M.U.A. Manchester Area dinner, on Tuesday. That was what they had been doing during the past few weeks.

He wondered whether, under a rates

tribunal and rates structure, there would be any advantage. They were offered freedom from opposition at licensing hearings, but opposition brought out weaknesses in applications before the cases closed. The goodslicensing system was conspicuously fair. If opposition was withdrawn, they would have to meet with objectors from the tribunal itself. Its duty would be to look for snags and not to sit back impartially. The "Square Deal " business was rather a bombshell for operators in the North-west.

Vehicle Parade in South-west London.

A successful propaganda demonstration, in the form of a vehicle parade, was carried out last Saturday by the Croydon and Tooting Sub-areas of A.R.O. Some 50 lorries 'made their way through Kingston, Sutton, Croydon, Tooting and Wimbledon covered with banners showing various types of slogan. Two loud-speaker vans marshalled the parade and, of course, fulfilled their function of broadcasting propaganda. Large quantities of literature were distributed by volunteers at several places en route.

Dinner to Mr. De Turckheim.

Held at the Savoy Hotel, London, last week, the dinner to Mr. A. De Turckheim, 0.B.E., by his friends in the transport industry, demonstrated the affection felt for the retiring secretary of the Tramways, Light Railways and Transport Association—a position held by Mr. De Turckheim for over 33 years. The Hon. Sir Arthur Stanley, G.B.E., C.B., M.V.O., presided over a large company, and a presentation was made to Mr. De Turckheim by the chairman, on behalf of the members of the Association.

In returning thanks, Mr. De Turckheim referred to the invaluable help given by Sir Arthur Stanley in the early days of the Association, and in conclusion he said that his short acquaintance with his successor, Mr. E. D. Croft, had satisfied him that this gentleman had the interests of the Association at heart, and would in every way fulfil his duties. MERGER STILL WANTED—SAYS DE VON AND CORNWALL A. R .0. Satisfaction with the present state of the negotiations between the road industry and the railways was expressed at a meeting at Plymouth of the Devon and Cornwall Area Committee of A.R.O., last week, over which Mr.

K. G. Foster presided. The matter was reported on by Mr, C. G. L. Hodgson, who reminded his hearers that the railways had asked for the removal of restrictions, offering to enter into discussion with road operators, on questions of rates. It was felt that that might be dangerous, so the road operators asked that a tribunal for rates should be set up, its findings to be binding on both industries. Road transport thought it was fairly reasonable that the present. tribunal should be altered and simplified. The railways had agreed that, so soon as a Bill embodying those provisions was passed, they would cease objecting to licence renewals.

The idea was that immediately road operators and railways got together, and hammered out rates for traffic with which both were concerned, their agreement would be submitted to the joint tribunal. There was no question of having to wait until rates were fixed all over the country: they could start right away. Mr. fIodgson contended that these developments justified his appeal for the prompt setting-up of rates committees. The Hauliers' Sectional Board of -A.R.°. approved, but considered that canal and coastwise shipping should he brought into the plan. The proposals were now before the Transport Advisory Committee.

Mr. Hodgson assured the meeting that every point had been covered, and suggested that the area rates committee might be called together. The chairman considered that would be a little premature. He said the negotiations with the railways still showed the necessity for a merger forthwith.

It was resolved to recommend the National Council to appoint a subcommittee, to • meet similar subcommittees of other associations for discussion, with the ultimate object of establishing a national association.

Mr. J. Opie announced that the West Cornwall Sub-area's dinner was to take place on March 17. The annual meeting of the committee was fixed for Monday, March 13.

Traffic Decline, But Greater Security.

In the annual report of the goodsvehicle-licensing scheme committee of the Liverpool and North Wales Division of the C.M.U.A., submitted to the annual general meeting held at Liverpool last week, comment is made on the marked decline in traffic, during the past year. This is attributed .to unsettled political and economic conditions at home and abroad. One result was the reduction in the number of applications for increased tonnage. The extension of the currency period of licences promoted a feeling of greater security in the industry.


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