Provincial Associations Reject Joint Conference Report
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ARESOLUTION rejecting the report in which the Road Transport Organization Joint Conference has made recommendations for the merging of operators' assoolations was unaniMously adopted at a conference of representatives of provincial associations in the North of England and the Midlands, at Manchester, last week. This opposition to the merger scheme centres on the exclusion from it of any provision for local associations to be affiliated to the proposed new organization. • •
The conference was attended by delegates from all the North of England and Midland associations which are affiliated to the National Road Transport Employers' Fedetation, one of the organizations which are represented on the Joint Conference. Two associations not affiliated to that Federation also sent delegates, and it is learned that certain other provincial associations which were not represented have indicated support forthe resolution.
Those present at last week's meeting included seven delegates occupying the office of president or chairman of a provincial association, five vicechairmen, and the secretaries of all the participating bodies. Mr. Harry Clark, manager and secretary of the Federation of Yorkshire Road Transport Employers, was elected chairman 'of the conference, and Mr. E. Northfold, secretary of the Leicester and District Transport Assotiation, was elected hon. secretary. The resolution stated that, after careful study of the merger scheme in all its aspects, and in particular the sections relating to the future of local associations, the conference of provincial associations felt it had no option but to reject the report embody'tag the proposals. The fact that local associations contiuued to ihrive despite the competition of national organizations indicated that they served a useful purpoSe. Since the report premeditated the emti,iction of such associatibns by depriving them of their memberships, administrative powers and financts, the provincial conference. was not convinced that this sacrifice was justified 'bythe urge for national unity proclaimed by the report.
Pending the formulation of proposals which would ensure the pre'servation of local associations, the conference pledged its continued support for the Standing Joint Committee's short-term policir in the firm belief that, provided_ all constituent organieations Would co-operate with sincerity, it would, in the meantime, fulfil the needs of professional road carriers as a national and regional co-ordinating medium.
The resolution has been forwarded to the National Road Transport Employers' Federation.
Among those who took part in the discussion on the report was Mr. Anise Walter, secretary of the Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners' Association, one of the oldest provincial assotiations.