Plea . for Better Road-transport Representation in Parliament A NTICIPATIONS that,
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before long, 1-1the Government haulage scheme .will be applied to traffic carried ,40 miles and over, and that its scope will be extend later to distancds from 20 miles upwards, were mentioned at last week's annual . meeting of the C.M.U.A.'s North-eastern Division, in Leeds.
Councillor Charles Holdsworth, of Halifax, chairman of the Division and a member of the Government's Road. Haulage (Operations) Advisory Committee, said that there was a feeling amongst higher officials that _these extensions of Government control from the present distance Of 60 miles and over were in prospect, Suggesting that as the scheme was proceeded with it would come more and more 'under Civil Service domination, Councillor Holdsworth recalled the Minister of Transport's stateinent that it was a war-time measure, and added: " All we can say is that we hope ,it will be nothing more than a war-time measure. If the scheme will help to. bring victory nearer by one day, I am sure this.industry.has sufficient loyalty to put its back into the project and to make it a success."
Alluding to the scheme for the merging of operators' asiociations, recommended in the report of the Road .rransport Organization Joint Conference, Councillor Holdsworth said' he thought it represented the hest thing that could be done, and he was hoping that the projected merger would become an accomplished fact within six months. Reports On the results of the consideration of the scheme by the
memberships of the organizations concerned would soon he presented..
Answering a question, as to whether C-licence holders could carry goods beyond the 60-mile radius to which the Goverament scheme applies, Councillor Ho/dsworth said that, at present, it was not illegal foe non-controlled operators to carry goods beyond the 60-mile radius. When he pointed this out to the authorities, the-reply was that once the scheme got going such operation outside the scheme would be precluded through the fuel-rationing powers of the Regional Transport Commissioners.,
Representation Woefully Inadequate
The subject of road-transport repre-sentation in Parliament was raised by Mr. E. J. Chamberlain, of Huddersfield,who moved that the Northeastern . Division should -set up a Parliamentary Committee with a view to making early arrangements for one or more candidates to stand for Parliament at the next election, -on the basis that if elected they • would directly represent road transport. At present, he said, the industry's representation in the House of Commons was woefully inadequate, and there was a necessity not only for giving greater voice to its views but also for earlier warning of moves affecting its welfare.
The industry's position to-day was such, Mr. Chamberlain declared, that, to a large extent, operators did not know where they were, and when they did it was too late to take any steps on the subject. His suggestion for seeking better representation for them in Parliament might seem ambitious, hut there was enough money in the industry " to run a fleet of M.P.s."
Councillor Holds:Worth, remarking that the merger scheme provided for the establishment of an active Parliamentary Committee, said he though t the question raised by Mr. Chamberlain was being taken care of' nationally. Parliamentary representation for the industry had been complicated in the pastby the differing voices of the various associations, but the position would be different under the reorganization se/ten:ie.
Mr. Chamberlain urged that the North-eastern Division should itself 'take immediate action on the lines which he had suggested, and Mr. J. Wallis, of Birstall, seconded the resolution, which was carried.
Members of the Ditisional Committee were re.elected en bloc, with the addition of Mr. T. H. Short, of Halifax. At the subsequent annual meeting of that committee Councillor Holdeworth was unanimously re-elected chairman of the, Division, an office which he has held continuously since 1938. Messrs. L. J. Mather (Leeds) and R, E. Clough. (Bradford) were re-elected vice-chairmen.
The Division's national representatives were also reappointed as follow:— National Council.—A and B licence holders: Messrs. C. Heldtworth and J. WaUis. C licence' holders: Messrs. R. E. Clough and A. Roberts (Ileckyriondwike). P.S.V. operators: Messrs., L. J. Mather and A. Feather (Bradford).
A and B Licence Holders' Sectional Board: Mama, C. Holdsworth. S. .Gillatt (Aberford), J. Newton (York), J. Wallis and A. S. Annison (Hull). C Licence Holders Sectional Board: Messrs. R. E. Clough, A. Roberts, E.. J. Chamberlain (Huddersfield), and J. T. 'Wells (Leeds). P.S.V. Operators' Sectional Board: Messrs. L. J. Mather, A. Feather. II. Midgley (Leeds), and M. A. Hargreaves !Leeds). Membership and Propaganda Committee: Messrs, R. E, Clough and J. Wallis. Finance and General Purposes Committee: Mweasishre. Q Holdsworth, R. E. Clough and J, 5.
highways Committee: Mr. .1. Newton.