A Break In the One
Page 20
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Voice
Northern-area Passengeroehicle Operators Form Separate Association
A DEFINITE:,' and substantial break
away from the principle of onevoice representation of the industry was marked by a function held last week, in Newcastle. This was the first annual dinner of the Northern Road Transport Owners Association. In the course of proposing the principal toast, that of the Ministry of .War Transport, Mr. W. Showier, of Durham, stated that:—" When, last December, Associated Road Operators decided to merge with other associations upon terms and conditions which were not acceptable to its passenger members, we decided to have our own association. We have 100 per cent, membership of private passenger operators of this area and we ate infinitely stronger than we have ever been before."
The significance of this statement and of this new departure was emphasized by Mr. Anthony Todd, a prominent member of R.H.A., in replying to the toast of the guests. He said that be had, for months, tried to persuade those at headquarters to take steps to meet the points raised by members in the Northetn Area, but without success.
Mr. Showier, chairman of this new association, pointed out that it was, in effect,. krevival of one which came. into being , when the 1930.•Act, was passed, and contianied as an entity until it was agreed to merge with the.Road Haulage Association, the Motor Hirers Associa, tion and ()the.: bodies existent at that time, He pointed out that members had always shown themselves willing to co-operate in schemes to help the community.Re looked hack to the period from 1920 to 1930, when control of the industry commenced, and he reminded his hearers that they had always loyally co-operated with the M.O.W,T. representative, Sir John Maxwell, who was with them to-night
as principal guest. -
The speaker said that they had some A and B licence-holder members, but, at the moment, all of them were also operators of passenger vehicles and had become members, in that way. ['hey would, however, in the future, consider applications from purely haulier members—holders of A and B licences. The new association, he said, was well organized. had well-equipped offices and staffs, was already dealing with blocks of traffic for Government Departments and was co-operating with the .M.O.W,T. The secretary was Mr. R. Hunter, well known to passenger-. vehicle .operators throughout the counT try.
Sir John Maxwell; replying to the toast of the Ministry, said that it should he obVious to all that conditions in the near future would call for hard work on the part of everyone. He thanked the transport industry for its loyalty to King and country, and particularly conlniended drivers of both passenger and goseds vehicles for the work they had done during the war.
Mr. J. Wilson, who proposcl the toast of the guests, also referred to the•spirit of co-operation between small and. large operatot43, and with the NI.O.W.T. and the railways. This spirit of co-operation, he thought, would be found more necessary than ever in the near future. and he hoped it would prevail.
Me. Anthony Todd., afteremaking the statement previously mentioned, ventured the opinion that this new association appeared to be going on the right lines. 'He regretted the break with the major association, but looked forward to the time when these matters would right themselves.
The function was described as one of the most 'representative ever held in
;Newcastle. Besides Sir John Maxwell, Alderman F. J. Carr, his deputy, and three of his principal officials were present. There were also representatives of United Automobile .Services. the Northern General Transport (CF., Newcastle Corporation, the
and. the Transport and General Workers ' Union.