NOTTINGHAM MAKES A SUCCESS OF THE CLEARING HOUSE.
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SUBSTANTIAL progress continues to be made in/ connection with the Motor Haulage Section of the Nottingham Chamber of Commerce, to the great advantage of Midland manufacturers and others, operations having been widely extended since they were inaugurated upon an admirable basis of coordinated arrangements in which clearing houses form an essential part. In spite of the depression in trade during the past year, the turnover of this department of the Chamber's activities has Considerably increased, proving, as was indicated in the report presented at the annual meeting of the Chamber'reeently held under the presidency of Mr. J. S. Bridgett, that properly organized road transport possesses advantages over railways which arc appreciated alike by manufacturers and merchants.
In addition to the ordinary traffic passing through the department, a daily service to London of " smalls " has been organized in conjunction with Messrs. Pickford (Nottingham) and Messrs. Carter, Paterson (London), and is working quite smoothly. Goods collected in Nottingham during the afternoon are delivered in London next day, and in most cases the following morning. The whole scheme has been carefully worked out, and the lorries are running to London according to scheduled times every night. Goods are most carefully handled, expensive packing is quite unnecessary, and pilferage is non-existent.
The report contained the further statement that a suggestion had' been made that the Chamber should hand over the department to a limited liability company controlling clearing houses in various parts of the country, but upon investigation it was found that the department was one a the most successful clearing houses in the country, and probably the best managed. The council felt that a good deal of the success of the department was due to the fact that it was a component part of the organization of the Chamber, and that it enjoyed the goodwill and confidence of the members, including the haulage contractors. It was therefore decided to continue the clearing house which was self-supporting, as part ef the organization of the Chamber.
Complaints had been received from members as to the unsatisfactory nature of their dealing with clearing houses in other towns, particularly, as to short weights and the extended credit taken by these concerns, and it was believed that the action taken by the department had had some effect in improving the position. The committee felt that the clearing-house system was becoming too much of a financial monopoly, exploiting haulage contractors for the purpose of earning • dividends for shareholders. Regret was expremed in the report that the Association of Road Transport Clearing Houses had been dissolved, as this organization could have done much use ful work in linking up the clearing houses on mutual lines.
The second annual dinner of members of the Nottingham section was held a few days ago, under the presidency of Mr. L. Alderman, district representative of Pickford, Ltd., and both there and at the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, earlier in the same week, unqualified satisfaction, which was expressed at the continued substantial progress of the work, was coupled with special reference to the untiring and consistently successful efforts of theetraesport manager, Mr. Donaldson Wright, who, in replying at the dinner, referred with appreciation to the fact that the establishment of this section of the Chamber's activities was due to the enthusiasm manifested by the secretary, Mr. Gregory Meakin. Mr. Wright also paid a fitting acknowledgment to the loyalty with which the haulage oontractors had co-operated with the Transport Department to promote the success of the work.
Mr. A. R. .Atkey, M.P. was one of the guests at the dinner, and, in proposing the principal toast, predicted that no page of history could record, or ever would record, so marvellous and rapid a development as that which had followed from the introduction of the internal-combustion engine and its application to road traction. The commercial motor industry should, he . urged, be given the fullest scope for free development.