What the Associations Are Doing
Page 48
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
S.T.R. LECTURE DATE CHANGE.
The lecture which was to be given by S.T.R., The Commercial Motor costs expert, at the Castle Hotel, Norwich', on March 19, has been brought forward to March 18. Proceedings will start at 8 p.m.
The " Suffering " of Our Roads.
" Roads are the arteries of the nation, but to-day they are suffering from arterio-sclerosis, or thickening of the arteries."
Such was the opening of an address given by Mr. R. Gresham Cooke, secretary of the B.R.F„ to the Hampshire Automobile Club at Winchester last Friday.
He also mentioned how commerce depends to such a great extent upon road transport to-day, saying that there are now over half a million commercial and passenger vehicles on the road. Commenting upon congestion and delay, he said that every minute a 2-ton lorry came to a stop it cost two-thirds of a penny in overheads.
C-licensees and Wage Agreement.
The natioaal director of A.R.O., Mr. R. W. Sewill, speaking at the annual general meeting of the Eastern Subarea last week, said that the A.R.O. recommendation regarding wages was that the conditions of observance should be the same for A-, Band C-licences. There was not the slightest doubt, he said, as to the observance clause on the part of Aand B-licensees, but the issue was not clear with regard to the C-licensee.
Once a scale of wages had been laid down by the National Board it would become statutory, but there would still be an opportunity for discussion before it was enforced. There was every reason to hope for a fair settlement, said lkir. Sewill.
Rates Agreement Ignored.
Procedure which must, with regret, be regarded its being typical of the haulage industry, was referred to in scathing terms at Durham last Sunday, when S.T.R„ The Commercial Motor costs expert, opened his tour of the Northern Area of A.R.O.
The discussion turned on municipal haulage concerning which S.T.R. said that he had heard favourable reports of the Durham County Council. One haulier present asked S.T.R. what he thought of 51. 3d. per hour if the work included distances up to 23 miles.
S.T.R. pointed out that vehicles on day work were not usually supposed to n38 run such distances, It was then stated that the Durham C.C. had, more or, less, established rates on a lower level than A.R.O. considered economic.
It transpired that, following a meeting held last year, at whia certain rates were unanimously agreed, several of the hauliers present at the meeting, and others who tendered at the agreed rates, subsequently withdrew their tenders and quoted new and lower rates. It was these rates which were apparently the basis of the 'current season's prices.
Nationalization Ideas Not Dead.
A declaration that a certain section of authority was in favour of nationalization of the road transport industry was made by Mr, J, L. Kinder, national organizer of the C.M.U.A., in responding to the toast of " The Association" at the annual dinner of the Torquay Division at Newton -Abbot on Saturday last.
BAILLIE REPORT CRITICIZED.
SPEAKING at a meeting of the West Midland Division of the C.M.U.A., held at the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce on Friday last, Mr. W. A. Willson, president of the Association, said that with regard to the report of the Baillie Committee there was one proposal which was not acceptable.
It was suggested that the National Wages Board and Area Boards should be set up simultaneously. it was felt, said Mr. Wirison, that the Area Boards should be set up first in order that all areas might have an opportunity of considering the matter, and in order that the National Board, when established, might have the benefit of their considered recommendations.
Mr. F. G. 13ristow, general secretary of the C.M.U.A., in dealing with the question of roads and public safety, said that this country was the most congested in the world, there being about 15 vehicles per road mile.