Meat carriers may face flood of rivals
Page 22
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• "The testing time for our association will be when the licensing system allows newcomers to flood into the Royal Group of Docks with little control other than that for which this association will be responsible". This warning was given by Mr. M. W. A. Norris when he presented his chairman's report at the annual general meeting of the Smithfield Meat Carriers Association.
Earlier he said: "You will recall that at the very time that most of us had to consider replacing sections of our fleets, investment allowance on vehicles were withdrawn. And that, as we were exhorted to contain costs and retain existing rates schedules, fuel and licensing taxation was raised to unprecedented levels. Our membership has withstood the impact of these measures and the manner in which our vehicles have passed the tests imposed by the Testing and Plating regulations is proof that our standards are of the highest."
Mr. Norris went on to say that meetings with representatives of the PLA, the major shipping companies, the New Zealand Tonnage Committee, the New Zealand and Australian Agents Association, the Imported Meat Trades Association and other bodies had created a forum for presenting the Association's views and had identified it with the trade. The acknowledgment that dock store charges were not the responsibility of the carrier was a case in point. It would be interesting, he said, to see the extent of the benefits resulting from the discussions and trials designed to eliminate dock shortages.
"Our membership", said •Mr. Norris, "has increased and we welcome as new members Grangewood Transport, represented ' by Mr. E. T. Tomlinson, Powell and Rance (Mr. J. Powell), Robertson Buckley (Mr. G. Porter) and C. Lock (Mr. C. Lock). The association has strengthened its links with the RHA and our delegates have attended and contributed regularly to the meetings of the Meat and Allied Trades Functional Group and we have already considered proposals which could result in the bond between the two bodies becoming even closer.
"The Joint Negotiating Committee has been outstandingly successful and the productivity agreement we have negotiated and had approved by the PIB is accepted as being a model of its kind."
Mr. Norris was re-elected chairman and Mr. R. P. J. Tapp was re-elected vicechairman.