A.R.O. VIEWS ON NEW BILL.
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The policy of A.R.O. towards the . .
,Amending Bill recently placed before Parliament was revealed by Mr, R. W. national director, at a meeting at Salisbury, last week. He said that the.*Sociation was in touch not only with the . parliamentary Road Group, but alsO with other members. The Association was, he said, in _favour of -ail automatic renewal of A and B lii::ences, without public . hearing, in • those cases where no material alteration had taken place in the character. of a business and the regulations had -been .strictly coinplied .with.
Whilst .admitting the advantages of a longer currency period,, Mr. Sewill pointed out that the operator would still be faced with the possibility of having his business taken away from him through no fault of his own; the only difference would be that the period of suspense would be longer. The Association could see, he Said, no reason for or justice in killing or reducing a man's living, save for the gravest breach of the regulations. He w as prepared to agree, however, that, where variations were required, these should be listed for public hearing.
In connection with this matter, The Commercial Motor understands that every area and sub-area of A.R.O. is being requested to interview local Members of Parliament; requesting them to support the Association's policy calling for automatic renewals under certain conditions.
C.M.U.A. Pursues Its Recruiting Campaign.
Two successful meetings of the London and Home Counties Division of the C.M.U.A. were held at Guildford on Monday, and Grays on Tuesday.
At the Guildford meeting, the chair was taken by Mr. A. Lown, of Dennis Bros., Ltd., and the speakers included Mr. Dudley A. Elwes, who is now in charge of the Association's central licensing bureau. Mr. Elwes outlined the work of the bureau and explained its important benefits.
At the meeting at Grays, Mr. F. F. Fowler and Mr. W. A. Winson made recruiting speeches, whilst at both meetings Mr. J. L. Kinder, national organizer, appealed for support.
It was decided to form a branch at Grays, and the following provisional committee was elected :—Messrs. W. Sticklings; J. W. Johnstone, H. Copping, W. G. Day, 0.B.E., F. R. Harris, W. Davies and J. L. Pig.
1933 Act "on Right Lines."
Has the Road and Rail Traffic Act yielded benefits to goods-transport operators? This question was asked and answered by Mr. Thomas Taylor, president of the Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners Association, at the 65th annual general meeting, last week.
" Whatever may be the views of individual members about the Act, I feel sure it has conserved to established road transport, and to the railway companies the gradual increase in business that we have experienced over the past two years or so," said Mr. Taylor. " Can anyone doubt that, but for the Act-closing the road-transport industry to newcomers, there would have been hundreds of one-vehicle operators coming on to the roads, during this period, to plunge themselves into this increasing business?
". . . there are few among us who would not be prepared to say that, provided no single transport interest is permitted to use the Act in a manner detrimental to the true interests of trade and commerce, the Act was conceived on the right lines."
Mr. Taylor went on to say that the railway companies were extracting from the Act and the decisions of the Appeal Tribunal every ounce of pro tection. In doing so, they were retarding, rather than encouraging, that policy of co-operation and co-ordination which formed so prominent a feature of the Salter Report.
Altrincham Stands by A.R.O.
A.R.0_ Altrinchana Sub-area' has decided to stand solid and support the Association and its officials. Last week Mr. W. P. Twiddell was appointed chairman, and Mr. E. W. Beasant (Northern Automobile Col) was elected secretary for the ensuing year.
Progress with C.M.U.A. Sectional Boards.
Machinery has already been set in action for the constitution of the three sectional looards—hauliers', passenger operators' and ancillary users'—of the C.M.U.A. It is expected that these boards will be constituted at the meeting of the National Council to be held next week.
Morecambe Operators' Dinner.
The annual dinner of the Morecambe, Heysham and District Coach Owners' Association is to be held at the King's Arms Hotel, Morecambe, on February 213, at 7 p.m. Mr. H. Rainsbottom, Ml'., and the Mayor and Mayoress of Morecambe and Heysham are among those to be present. PARLIAMENTARY AID ENLISTED.
Following calls for the amendment of the 1933 Act, made at meetings in Ashton-under-Lyne, Oldham, Rochdale, Rawtenstall, Bury, Leigh and Wigan, held under the auspices of the Amalgamated Horse and Motor Owners Association and the South-East Lance C.M.U.A. (joint organization), copies of the resolutions passed were sent to the Minister of Transport.
He has replied that he sees no reason for altering the provisions governing the granting of variations of carriers' licences, the rights of objectors and the acquisition of transport businesses, Members of Parliament for 19 constituencies covered by the joint organization have been approached, and 17 Members have expressed sympathy with the industry's grievances. Several Members are to question the Minister on future cases of hardship affecting operators.
A.R.O. to Seek Support of Clearing Houses.
Following the meeting of freight brokers held on November 18 last, when a number of new A.R.O. members was enrolled, the committee appointed at that time has held several meetings. At a further meeting on Monday, it was agreed to work in close harmony with the haulage section of A.R.O.
A.R.O. Parliamentary Committee's recently completed memorandum on rates and services was circulated to meinhers of the freight brokers' committee, whose views were requested.
It has always been realized by the Association, it is stated, that any plan for placing rates and services on a more stable basis would be doomed to failure if it did not carry with it the co-operation of the freight brokers. Every effort will, therefore, he made by the committee to enlist the support of reputable clearing houses.
Clearing Houses and Insurance.
Criticisms concerning the methods of some clearing houses, and complaints about the attitude adopted by certain hauliers after their vehicles have been involved in accidents, were put forward by Councillor Arthur R.. Jones, of Arthur R. Jones, Ltd., Leeds, insurance broker to the C.M.U.A., at a meeting of the Leeds branch of the Industrial Transport Association.
Mr. Jones suggested that a moral responsibility rested upon people who took out insurance policies for goods in transit to see that the goods were in the hands of operators who would transport them safely and efficiently. In this connection Mr. Jones remarked that there were some clearing houses operating to-day which he would be pleased to see close down. They were cutting prices for haulage, and, this made neither for efficiency nor safety in the transit of goods.
Some operators did not take precautions to safeguard disabled vehicles and their loads,.adde,d Mr. Jones. He knew of cases where goods had been stolen from vehicles left unprotected.