The L.G.O.C. Staff Dinner.
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It is tare to find Lord Ashfield, the chairman of the board of directors of the London General Omnibus Co., in a lugubrious mood when occupying the chair at a staff function, but he was certainly affected on Wednesday last by the day's occurrences in the coachbuilding department of the Chiswick Overhaul Factory, when a number of men struck because of the action taken against a small number who were considered to have adopted the " ea' canny" policy. The occurrence certainly altered the whole tenor of Lord Ashfield's speech, which was in reply to the toast of "The Company," proposed by Mr. Richard S. Tilling, J.P.
Amongst those supporting Lord Ashfield were: Field-Marsha Sir William R. Robertson, Lord Newton, Viscount Knntsford, Colonel Sir Herbert
Sir James Devonshire, Sir Frederick Sykel; Lt.-Col. R. S. Turnbull (the new Chief Commissioner of the City Police), Mr. Frank Pick, Mr. G. S. Shave, Mr. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith, Sir George Leveson-Gower, Sir Arthur Durrant, Mr. J. S. Pool-Godsell, Mr. L. G. Oldfteld, Mr. George Watson, Mr. C. G. Tegetineier, Col. Bressey, Sir Ernest Clark, Er. A. L. Barber, Mr. W. W. Howells, Mr. R. J. Howley, Mr. Norman Hardie, Major Clive Leese, Mr. Z. E. Knapp, Mr. Percy Wheeler, Mr. 0. W. J. Watson, Mr. Walter Wolsey, Lord Stuart of Wortley, Mr. George Rushton, Sir William Gentle, Mr. Prank Elliott, Mr. Daniel Duff, and a company that completely filled the Grand Hall of the Hotel Cecil.
Mr. Tilling, in his speech, was reminiscent, and Lord Ashfield, in his reply, speaking of the happy relations between the London General Omnibus Co. and Thomas Tilling, Ltd., said that he was fully confident that Mr. Tilling had all through been the more able negotiator, for he (Lord Ashfield) had each year examined the balance-sheet of Thomas Tilling, Ltd., in a spirit of envy. The speaker referred to the absence of the peaceful atmosphere which had characterized similar gatherings of the staff each year, and said that something in industry of the Locarno spirit was badly wanted. There were many problems besetting the company, and inspiration for their solution was desired. Mr. Shave for instance, was a man equipped with a most restless brain and, whilst there was always merit in his suggestions, the directors saw the problem in the light of the need to ask the shareholders for more millions. He referred to the "ca' canny" spirit which had disturbed their peace that day, and said that, in an industry of the kind engaged in by the London General Omnibus Co., they could not afford to stand still. Whilst every effort was made to treat everyone with fairness, they could not afford to ignore or neglect better ways of doing a thing when those ways were discovered. To ignore them is not the way in which progress can be achieved. However, during the
past twelve months the business of the company had been carried on in a most satisfactory manner. It had been said —and he claimed it to be true—that this was one of the finest and bestmanaged organizations concerned with transport in the world. He paid a high tribute to the administrative staff and to the working staff, and said that every person employed by the company had an opportunity to, work through tee the top. it was interesting to hear his account of his own rise from the bottom of the transport ladder.
Mr. Frank Pick proposed the Health of the Staff, and Mr. George Best replied, he, in turn, proposing the Health of the Chairman, to which Lord Ashfield replied.
The proceedings were extremely enjoyable and concluded with a dance.