THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY AND THE NEW MINISTRY.
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At an important meeting, held at the Ntiddlesex Guildhall early last week, of the Joint Industrial Council for the Road Transport Industry (which, of course, includes employers and labour), when the proposal to establish a Ministry of Ways and Communications was considered, the following resolution was unanimously adopted :—That any new departmental responsibility for roads and road traffic .shall be vested in a Board or Boards instead of in an individual Minister, and that on the Board which is concerned with road transport provision shall be made by the Government for representation of this Joint Indus
trial Council, such representation of the Joint Industrial Council to be equal in numbers to any State representation, the principle of equal representation of labour and employers to be observed throughout."
It so happens that, a few days earlier, Mr. Alfred Bird, M.P., asked the Prime Minister why there has been no consultation with, or reference to the Joint Industrial Council for the Road Transport Industry with reference to the powers of control of roads and road traffic which it was sought to confer upon the proposed Ministry, and the reply was then made that the Govern ment is very anxious to have the benefit of consultation with and advice from Joint Industrial Councils on matters relating to theirifespective industries, and a promise was then made that any representation:which the Joint Industrial Council for the Road Transport Industry might wish ,to make in regard to 'the Ministry of Ways and Communications would receive careful consideration from the Government. • • This was a, useful promise to obtain, and we believe that Mr. Bird intended during the present Week, when the Bill was discussed. to follow up the advantage that had been obtained.