MR. BURGIN'S "AUTOCRATIC POWERS."
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Major Eric Long, natiianal political adviser of A.R.O., made a fighting speech against the possible heavier taxation which might be forced on road operators, and the campaign now being run by the railways, when he spoke at a dinner held by the Salisbury Sub-area of the Western Area at Salisbury, last Saturday. Replying to the toast of "Associated Road Operators," he said that from their industry, every year, was taken £.37,000,000 in taxation alone, and " not content with that the Minister has taken unto himself those autocratic powers which Parliament has allowed, bit by bit, to creep into various ministers and ministries in this country, and he has fixed the licensing fee at double what you paid previously.
" What are we doing about it? A united front has been put up, to Parliament, and on December 13, in the House of Commons, Capt. Strickland, the member for Coventry, is leading 40 members into the " No " lobby whether the Whips like it or not
Major Long went on to describe .A.R.O. 's propaganda moves, and said they wanted the greatest support and sympathy of the trading public.
C.M.U.A. Says Mud Must Not Count.
The C.M.U.A. has again drawn the attention of the Minister.of Transport to the instances where, on re-weighing a vehicle for taxation, there has been found an increase consequent upon accumulation of moisture and mud, necessary repairs to the vehicle, deposits of oil and grease, etc., with the consequence that the vehicle has come into ,a higher taxation classification.
The Minister, has accordingly been urged to take steps to provide that a clause be inserted in the Finance Bilr, 1939, to provide that the weight of a vehicle, as admitted and certified at the time of registration, shall be accepted thereafter for taxation or other purposes, subject to there having been no structural alterations.
" Gross Misrepresentation of Facts.
At an A.R.O. general meeting operators, in Leicester, a resolution. was carried unanimously deploring the gross misrepresentation of facts in the railway 'propaganda now broadcast. The trade depression, it was stated, had equally affected both road and rail, and it was feared that the railways would be less than Useless in war time. It was significant that a solitary signal-box fire disorganized one of the main lines recently.
Confectioners' Loading Difficulties.
At the November meeting of the Council of the London Wholesale Distributing Confectioners Association, the secretary (Mr. G. F. Davies) reported that he had protested to the Ministry of Transport against the limitation of waiting, time for the loading and unloading of goods vehicles. He had pointed out that the nature of the goods in which wholesale confectioners
dealt was such that drastic restriction of time, as was suggested, would not permit of proper loading and unloading. The nature of confectionery containers, such as glass jars, also presented difficulty in loading and unloading quickly.
C.M.U.A. Changes in Epsom.
A successful meeting of the Epsom Sub-area of C.M.U.A. was held at
Ewell, last week. This sub-area has now been reorganized under the chairmanship of Mr. J. Swift and Mr. F. J. Haines has been appointed secretary,
Those "Private " Trailers Again.
The growing use of traders' trailers behind private cars was complained 'about at the recent monthly meeting of the Plymouth and district Grocers
Association. Mr. Leslie G. Dilleigh (chairman) said it was noted, with gratification, that the Grocers Federation was drawing the attention of the Minister of Transport to this unfairness. OUR INDUSTRY'S IMPORTANCE ' TO THE NATION.
The impoasible conditions under which hauliers had to conduct their businesses, and the many onerous and. harassing restrictions placed on them, were some of the problems dealt with by Mr. Frank G. Bibbings; the Yorkshire Area licensing and propaganda officer, at a meeting of A.R.O. held in Bridlington, Ycirks, last week. Mr. Bibbings said that road transport was an integral part of local and national life, and it was of great importance to the business communities of this country. He dealt with the propaganda which was being carried out by the railway companies at the present time, and he suggested that when they demanded a square deal it was but a prelude to a demand for future added legislation to restrict road operators.
Mr. E. Nugent Linaker, of Birmingham, a prominent insurance expert, outlined the new insurance scheme.