Lord Wootton President of N.R.T.F.
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AAN important announcement was made by Mr. H. T. Duffield, chairman of the National Road Transport Federation at a dinner of the Worshipful Company at Carmen held last Monday. It was to the effect that Lord Wooltort is to be president of the Federation.
Mr. Dutfield, replying to Lord Wootton, said that this country owes him an eternal debt of gratitude for his magnificent work as Minister of Food during the war. It was truly amazing to recall that never once in that bitter struggle did the rations fail. Lord Wootton was lightly to be regarded as one of the greatest men in this country to-day, not only as a former leading member of the War Cabinet, but as a business man.
.it was therefore gratifying to hear him condemn nationalization of transport in such forthright terms. So confident is Lord Wootton in the justness of the transport cause that, despite the many calls upon his time, he has accepted the position of president of The N.R.T.F., which embraces hauliers, C-. licensed and passenger-vehicle operators.
The road haulage •industry is so' closely identified with the Worshipful Company of Carmen that he felt there was a special interest in this problem. It was for the protection of this trade that this ancient company was formed.
It had readily been admitted by manufacturers and distributors that the roadhaulage system has been one of the greatest benefits conferred on this country in recent years. Often it has come to the rescue, delivered the goods and saved the country from starvation. All this was achieved by private enterprise, and it is this that it is the intention of the Government to stifle, whilst the terms of compensation in connection with all forms of transport are monstrous.
In the gloomyprospect there is one
gleam of hope. Common sense has prevailed _so far as the C-licence holder is concerned. He congratulated Colonel Jerrett, chairman of the T.R.T.A., upon the success of his efforts and those of his colleagues: He also expressed pleasure at having within the Federation his full support and that of Mr. F. J. Speight, chairman of the P.V.O.A.
It would he a mistake to be lulled into a sense of false security by the success achieved. Only a minority of traders is in a position to operate its own vehicles. The rest must rely on the haulier, who is still restricted to 25 miles. This is grossly unfair, and he hoped the Minister would be bold enough to recognize this injustice and have it put right before the Bill receives its third reading. It is a matter of profound regret that this great transport industry has been chosen as a victim to satisfy a doctrinaire principle.