No More Restraint on Unions
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in Mr. Black Succeeds Sir R. Fryars
Opposing Transport Bill
BY OUR PARLIAMENTARY CORRESPONDENT
PROTESTING vigorously in the House of Commons, on Monday, against the imposition of the guillotine on the Transport Bill, Mr. Chuter Ede, for the Opposition, said:
"There was a strong desire on the part of responsible trade unions, when the Bill was first introduced, to take drastic action against it, We opposed it, and we told them they must accept decisions which were the result of full Parliamentary discussion. That we can no lager say," Answering shouts from Members, he replied, "I am merely stating facts."
The timetable proposed by the Government was for a seven-day committee stage, two days on the report stage, and one day for the third reading. The Liberal Party proposed 12 days for the committee stage and four days for report, but Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, for the Government, replied that this would be longer than even the longest committee stage on a Finance Bill that he remembered-11 days this year.
A four-day report stage was suitable when a Bill had been in a standing committee, but this Bill was to be considered in committee of the whole House.
Mr. Chuter Ede quoted repeated instances where the Minister of Transport, on second reading, had promised "f u 11 examination." "scrupulous examination," and "the most meticulous examination" on the committee stage. How could there be that examination in the time which the Government was going to allow?
Known for 11 Months Mr. Harry Crookshank, Leader of the House, moving the timetable motion, said the Government's transport policy would, when the Bill became law, have been before Parliament for 11 months, compared with eight months for the 1947 Act. The present Bill was of 48 pages, whereas the 1947 Act was of 136 pages. Yet he had given 45 to 49 hours for its discussion, compared with 75 hours for the 1947 Act.
There was on the part of the Opposition. Mr. Crookshank maintained, the clear intention of opposing the Bill very strongly. He recalled the Health Service Charges Bill, which, after three days in committee, had only five lines passed.
Mr. Herbert Morrison said it was a particularly brutal guillotine and a Government with a small majority had no right to bring it in.
"This Bill is an undoing Bill," he argued. "It is not one to reorganize or positively organize the transport industry, but is proceeding to disorganize that industry and to disintegrate transport."
The guillotine motion was carried by 301 votes to 275, a Government majority of 26.
The business committee of the House is to report by December 1 its recommendations on the dates for the committee stage.
A.28 BOURNEMOUTH COACH PLAN: SO OBJECTIONS
BOURNEMOUTH'S proposals to modify existing coach-parking arrangements so as to require expressservice and excursion and tour operators to deposit passengers over two miles from the centre of the town, are meeting heavy opposition. Over 50 objections have been registered with the South Eastern Licensing Authority, which is to hear the corporation's case in the week beginning January 26.
Support for the scheme. on the ground that the plan will relieve congestion in the centre of the town, has come from the Bournemouth Hotel and Boarding House Association. On the other hand, local coach operators, many of whom will not be affected by the plan, have decided to support the objections of the Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association. This was decided recently at a meeting of the coach section of Bournemouth Chamber of Trade, The chamber is also to be officially represented among the objectors at the \ bearing.
M.P.T.A. MEETING
THE annual meeting of the Managers' section of the Municipal Passenger Transport Association will be held in Cardiff on may 27-28, 1953. Programmes and details of functions are to be announced later. mR, W. R. BLACK, managing director of Park Royal Vehicles. Ltd., has been appointed chairman of
A.C.V. Sales, Ltd. He succeeds Sir Robert Fryars. The announcement of the appointment of a new managing director is expected shortly.
An official announcement this week said: " The long-standing connection between Sir Robert Fryars as chairman and managing director of A.C.V. Sales. Ltd., and as director of Associated Commercial Vehicles, Ltd., and other companies of the A.C.V. Group, has no now severed by mutual A spokesman of the A.G.V. Group was unable to disclose Sir Robert's plans for the future.
Sir Robert was for nearly 25 years secretary and treasurer of the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd. When the A.C.V. Group was formed, he became its first secretary and, immediately afterwards, also a director of the holding company. He became chairman and managing director of A.C.V. Sales, Ltd., when that organization was formed.
From its creation, in May, 1944, until August, 1951, he was chairman of the British Transport Vehicle Manufacturers' Association.
25,000 LORRIES WILL BE BOUGHT BACK
D R1VATE enterprise would buy back about 25.000 of the vehicles now owned by the Road Haulage Executive, said Mr. B. Winterbottom, national chairman of the Road Haulage Association, speaking at the annual dinner of the West Riding Area in Leeds. These lorries, plus those already in private hands and freed from restrictions, would be enough to run the country's road transport efficiently.
• During the next few years, Mr. Winterbottom stated. private hauliers would not find it easy to make profits. They must be prepared to work hard. " Road haulage has more to fear from bad roads than from the competition of the railways. This eotkntry needs a road system fit to carry the vehicles of the future. At the moment, it is a system only fit to carry vehicles of 40 years ago," he comrinapted.
M.P.T.A. CASE FOR THESIGER COMMITTEE
RECOM MENDATIONS de a I ing with the operation of contract carriages have been sent by the northern branch of the Municipal Passenger Transport Association to the sub-committee of the executive council which is seeking views in connection with representations to be made to the Thesiger committee.
The branch has also made proposals on simplifying procedure for running services outside a local authority's area. the licensing of vehicles and staff, and freedom for and protection of local authorities' services within their areas.