Provincial C.M.U.A.' s
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The Statement of the Case in the West Riding of Yorkshire.''
A irieeting of users of commeacial motor was MO on Thursday afternoon, 30th January, in the Mechanics Hall, Bradford, to discuss the question of forming an association for the protection of the interests of the members. 'dr. Henry Whitehead presided.
The Need for Organization.
Mr. Whitehead said that the meeting was the outcome of one which took place about three weeks previously in reference to certain clauses in a Parliamentary Bill which was being promoted by the Bradford Corporation. These clauses would have imposed a severe line or exaction on the motor wagon users di the West Riding if they had been allowed to pass. It was decided to oppose the Bill, but fortunately the Corporation withdrew the clauses, It was felt, however, that they were in .3 very difficult position in dealing with any emergency of that kind because they had no organization whatever, and every motor wagon user present at the meeting decided that it would he a beneficial thing if some organization could be created. If those clauses had been allowed to go forward, the Corporations of every city in the kingdom would have felt it incumbent upon them to insert similar clauses in ally Bills they presented to Parliament in order to secure some payment for what they alleged to be damage to the roads. It was agreed at the meeting, in view of this feeling, that it would be advisable to seek advice from the Commercial Motor Users Association, and Mr. Shrapnel-Smith, the treasurer of the Association, had been good enough to come down to explain its work, and the advantages which would be derived from the formation of a local association.
The Attitude of Boroughs on Through Routes.
Mr, E. S. Shrapnell-Smith said that the recently-withdrawn clauses of the Bradford 1913 Bill proposed that certain charges should be mode for motors above two tons in weight. When he first saw -the clauses he was amazed, for the charges amounted to no less than £16 a year for a five-ton rubbertired petrol lorry, and £40 a year for a five-torn steel-tired steam lorry. He ventured to think that many users in the West Riding did not see or hear of these clauses, and therefore did not realize that they were threatened with such abnormal and unjustified charges. On the other hand it was only fair to admit that Bradford was not the only city or county borough in which the council was very much exercised in mind at the increasing number of heavy. commercial motors coming upon the streets. They found not only inschines locally owned, but that large numbers were not so owned, and thus contributed nothing to the rates, while, it was alleged, they damaged the roads considerably. The question of road damage, of course, was not to be taken for granted. It was arguable. But some boroughs, especially several Lancashire boroughs, did take up that attitude, and had brought forward proposals, although not so drastic as those of Bradford, which would greatly harass motor traffic. He ventured to say that that attitude was one of extreme short-sightedness, and he came across an example in Lancashire recently. One of the boroughs which had been most hostile to commercial-motor traffic had before it recently applications from two large groups of capitalists who wanted to put down a new factory. They were largely dependent upon motor traffic for carrying on their business, and when the committee responsible for developing the property of the town realized this they at once gave a promise that the attitude of the council would be revised. This supported his view that the methods of these hostile councils was wrong. Instead of repressing commercial motor transport— which in these days of international competition was essential to the continued prosperity of any producing centre— and adopting a retrogressive policy, he suggested that the proper and fair course for everybody was that the local councils $honld concentrate upon the problem of getting a larger share of the allocations of money from the State for the improvement of roads. All petrol-using vehicles contributed to the fund at the disposal of the Road Board, and if steam vehicles paid a reasonable amount their owners would be in a position to argue for better roads. To return to his main point, however. He did commend to the councils of Lancashire and Yorkshire the suggestion that they ought to cooperate with the Commercial Motor tsers Association to get more from the National Exchequer in respect of this through traffic. They had an equitable case, and they would find that such co-operation could not fail to produce results if it were pursued with tenacity.
The C.M.U.A. and the Bradford Clauses.
How did the owners of these vehicles in the West 'Riding find themselves placed now? asked .N1r. Shrapnell-Smith. This Bradford proposal was sprung upon them, but happily a few of the owners got together, and they were prepared to put up a fight. " When we of the Commercial Motor Users Association heard of these clanses," he went on, " we knew no individual owners with whom we could communicate with advantage, not having the benefit of pre-arranged channels in the shape of a. local association, We therefore called our Finance Committee together, as of course we appreciated the fart that if these amazing proposals went forward they might become a precedent for other cities to embody in Bills for Parliament. We voted a sum of £500 to oppose these clauses if they ever reached the Cuunnittee stage of the House of Commons. I suggest filet if we had 4 local association in existence we could have kept ie touch with each other, and although no harm has been done as it happens it shows the good reason there is for having a local association to deal with matters of this kind."
The Advantages of Affiliation.
Speaking on the point of affiliation with the London Association, Mr. Shrapnell-Smith said it was open to them to have a local association entirely on their own, or one affiliated with the Commercial Motor Users Association, which was really the heavy vehicle arm of the Royal Automnbik Club. Their offices were in the Club's building, and the Club was always willing to help, either in a financial or advisory way, when they had a good case of principle to put before the committee. He thought that the existence of this close connection with the Club was a good augary, because sometimes on the road these heavy motors were heartily cursed when they did not get out of the way, and it might, therefore, seem a little surprising that there should be a close association between the two bodies. The Users Association had an entrance fee of a guinea, and an annual subscription of a guinea, and that was as much as many societies need charge. They had a subscription of £3 in the North and East Lancashire Association, hut out of that they paid members' fines, which he personally thought was a risky obligation. He suggested that if a West Riding Asseciation were formed the better course for them would be to have a reasonable subscription such as a guinea, with the entrance fee a guinea., and thee afterwards extra service could be provided for those with a large number of vehicles if they paid a larger amount. The Association existed to watch the interests of owners generally. They searched through every Bill that was deposited in Parliament, and that was how they found the Bradford clauses, although at about the same time they had a letter from Mr. C. C. Fell, who was acting as secretary for that meeting. They had also a scheme of free legal defence when drivers were summoned, and every member WAS entitled to two free defences a year. He was delighted to say that the average demand did not come up to that. If a member wanted unlimited defence he could pay 10e. per annum per vehicle up to six. and 5s. for each above that number. They would appreciate the advantages of being affiliated with a national body with this scheme of free defence, especially those users whose wagons went to all parts of the country. They advised members on any points that arose, and in cases where a principle was involved they voted money to take the matters to the Appeal Court if necessary. They made a special feature of eudeavouring to secure a quid pro quo for the taxes they paid. They acquiesced in the petrol tax, in 'the year 1909, once they had succeeded in obtaining from the Chancellor of the Exchequer the undertaking that the money should go to the improvement of the roads, and they succeeded in getting a clause put in the Act which specifically directed that money should be applied to the rebuilding of weak -bridges. They had an arrangement with the touring department of the R.A.C. under which a member of the Association could be supplied with a route if he had to send a vehicle a long distance, and this often enabled a driver to avoid bad roads and weak bridges.
If they affiliated with the London Association they would arrange mutual terms. Under the arrangement with the Lancashire Association they received 10s. 6d. per annum per member, and the guinea entrance fee, and for that they gave the free legal defence, the journal which he had the honour to edit, the " Automobile Club Journal," and the 'Automobile Club Year Book" They were now on the point of publishing a list of night shelters all over the country, so that drivers would find it easy to get suitable accommodation, and they had also arranged with over 50 local councils that if a vehicle arrived in the night the man could drive it to the market place or some other specified opee place, and leave it there without risk of being eninmoned for obstruction, upon a small payment being made to an official the following morning. They also gave the use of the bake of the Aesociation, which was very useful at times, as well as ornamental.
To Contest the County Councils Association Bill.
In conclusion Mr. ShrapnelbSmith said that. the reasons for forming associations became more and more pressing. The County Councils Association, which was the body representing all the (minty councils so far as bringing in legislation was concerned, had at the present time in draft a Bill to deal with matters of very deep interest to every commercial motor owner. The clauses in that Bill, to show how serious some of them were, included proposals for a redimtion in the axle weights which were now legal, an increase in the tire dimensions which were now legal, to give power to certain kcal authorities to forbid these vehicles front going through their districts, and to give power to certain local authorities to make owners pay when the vehicles went into their areas, on the ground that they were extraordinary traffic. These clauses were very obnoxious to commercial motor users, and although he did not say that they would go through in the bald form in which they were embodied in the Bill there was danger unless a strong fight was put up, and no fight could really be strong by a London organization unless provincial organizations co-operated. He hoped they would decide to work in touch with them in London. They had good funds and they wanted to be in touch with the provinces, because it was bad procedure to have two sets of people going to a Government department or a Parliamentary committee with diverse views. If they could act in concert he was sure that they would be amply recouped for any subscription they decided upon. (Applause.)
Decision to Form a West Riding C.M.U.A.
.3h-. B. N. Dodge said that one clause of the Bradford Bill was even more drastic than those mentioned by Mr. ShrapnellSmith. Any machine net registered in Bradford, but passing through the city was to have been subject to a daily charge of 25s. If such a thing became common it would mean that an owner would have to pay the fixed charge in the town where he was registered, and the daily charge in addition in other towns if his vehicles went into other towns. That was a point which should emphasize the need for taking some definite action. Mr. Leo. Swain, Manchester, spoke of the advantages that Lancashire users had derived from their Association. He could confirm all that Mr. Shrapnell-Smith had said, It was a further advantage that the members were able to discuss various points, and in this way little jealousies and differences tended to disappear. He trusted that a West Riding Association would be formed, and he suggested that a wide area be decided upon. He hoped that their Association would make as goad progress as the Lancashire body had done.
Mr. J. Duncan suggested that the full co-operation of users Leeds and Sheffield. and other places should be secured before any arrangements were completed. Mr. Win. Greenwood (Halifax) expressed a similar view, and the Chairman said that it was not desired that the Association should be a Bradford Association in any sense. They would invite users from all parts of the West Riding to join ; action had been taken in Bradford because they had beeu the first to he attacked in this way. Mr. fledge moved a resolution that steps be taken immediately to form a West Riding Commercial Motor Users Association, to be affiliated with the Commercial Motor Users Association, London. the question of fees to be decided later, but probably a guinea entrance fee and a guinea subscription; and that arrangements be left in the hands of a provisional committee to bring before a further general meeting. Mr. Ce.phas Rhodes seconded the resolution, and suggested . that they should take in all the industrial parts of the Riding as far as the Lancashire border.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
After some little further discussion as to the area, Mr. &rap/tell-Smithsaid it was a good idea to make the committee provisional, with power to add to its number by inviting users from the other places to join it. The Provisional Comthittee, with power to add, was elected as follows, on the motion of Mr. Duncan, seconded by Mr. Greenwood Whitehead. Mr. Duncan. Mr. Dadge. Mr. Rhodes, Mr. Greenwood, Mr. Harold Hudson (Leeds), Mr. J. W. Je.ssop (Leeds), Mr. J. Laycock, and Mr. C. C. Fell as secretary. Votes of thanks were accorded to Mr. Shrapnell-Smith and the chairman.