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Calling All Milk Hauliers
Page 77
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Presenting an Opportunity For That Organization Which is Most Essential For Those Engaged in Milk Haulage
By
THE position of milk hauliers is an unfortunate one. They are subject to pressure from at least three quarters: from farmers, from dairymen and from the Milk Marketing Board. All over the country attempts are being made to squeeze them in the matter of rates. Success in this in the past is encouraging further efforts.
The milk haulier cannot successfully resist. He has no means for defence. If a dairy says to a haulier : "You must reduce your price by a farthing per gallon, otherwise I shall put mi my own vehicles," he has, as affairs are at present, no alternative but to acquiesce.
Moreover, it is a fact that in many eases the farmer on whose behalf it is as a rule claimed that these reductions are being made, does not derive the full benefit; the dairies take a share. The farmer, who, be it noted, is the haulier's customer, pays the full amount for the haulage, but the haulier does not receive what the farmer pays. In one case within my knowledge a dairy takes from ELM() , to £1,200 per annum from the amount set aside for the haulage of its milk, and the work is all done by It gitimate haulage contractors.
These and related matters can be remedied in only one way, a way which I have recommended again and again in these columns. That way is organization of milk hauliers who, because of the peculiar and special characteristics of their work, are in a better position to band themselves together than most.
Organizing Milk Hauliers.
An opportunity now arises to do what is so essential in the new organization known as Associated British Milk Carriers, Ltd., having as its chairman Mr. R. W. Sewill, Director and Secretary of Associated Road Operators, and as directors a number w well-known milk hauliers. This Association has been formed to organize milk hauliers and to obtain better conditions all round for them. It is not inimical to any existing organization: indeed it can be part of, or work in conjunction with, all tie any of them in just the same way as the National Parcels Conference, which also is an organization of hauliers having special and peculiar oifficulties of their own.
It may be asked : Why a new association? Why cannot one or several of the national associations already existing do all that is necessary? The answer is that none of them is in a position actually to trade or to enter into agreements or contracts involving trading terms and conditions. It is necessary for the achievement of the objects of this organization of milk hauliers that there should be such powers.
No Threat to Other Interests.
At the same time it is important to note that there is in this capacity to trade no threat to hauliers, large or small. It is, I am informed, not intended that the Association should own any vehicles or depots or operate directly as haulage contractors. In its methods and in the way it is proposed that it should. work, it closely resembles a co-operative society.
This capacity to enter into contracts is an important one. It will enable the Association to carry through on behalf of its members such arrangements as were attempted a short time ago in the Midlands. Then there was a scheme afoot to agree upon a fair rate for the conveyance of milk for the benefit of one large consumer. The scheme fell through because there was no one able to act for these hauliers, considered as a body, and because the national associations, although willing to help, had no power to do so.
Further, the Association can deal very effectively with that abuse to which I have just referred, namely, the collection of rebates by dairies. It can contrive to establish proper relations between the three parties concerned in milk haulage ; the farmer, the haulier and the dairyman. This is important. At present the dairies make their own arrangements and select the hauliers to carry the milk which they buy. In view of the foregoing it is not difficult to see why they prefer to do so. Yet it is the farmer who is the haulier's customer and he is made responsible for delivering the milk in proper condition. He has to take back any milk
which is sour on arrival and to bear losses in transit. They stipulations are obviously unfair.
At present the farmer, although he is presumed to have free choice as regards the transport of his milk, dare not exercise that right in the face of opposition by the dairyman.
The Association will thus be able to secure not only better treatment for the haulier, but also for the farmer. The problem of assessing fair rates for milk haulage is a vexed one, yet it is the simplest of all traffics so far as that is concerned. The difficulties which do exist arise from the tendency for dairymen and others concerned to utilize C-licensed vehicles for the traffic. There is some doubt as to the legality of this pro cedure, as to whether it is really, as is claimed, justified by Section 5b of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, which states that the delivery or collection by a person of goods which have been, or are to be, subjected to a process . . . by him shall not be deemed to constitute a carrying of the goods for hire or reward.
Illegitimate use of farmers' vehicles for the conveyance of milk is another complication.
Useful in an Emergency.
A well-constituted body of milk hauliers could be very useful, I should imagine, in case of emergency. Milk is second to none in its importance as a food product. Its collection and distribution, even in times of peace, is a complex affair. In war, when, under evacuation schemes, the population would, to a large extent, be redistributed, that collection and distribution would Present almost insuperable difficulties. It is then that the services of those experienced in this class of work will be particularly useful.
The peculiarities of this special problem of haulage seem to me to have been quite overlooked in the Grouping Scheme, as at present envisaged. The very fact that milk hauliers are, in the main, small operators and are scattered will, under the current scheme, mean, in effect, the disintegration of the present method of milk haulage, because the operators concerned will be attached to so many different groups, whereas for their proper functioning they should be kept together and their services should continue to be utilized in the transport of this most important commodity.