The committee have pleasure in presenting the Annual Report and Balance sheet. With regard to membership of the club, the competition of the R.A.C. Scouts continues to be severely felt; in spite of this the membership continues fairly constant, the present numbers being 242, 25 were elected during the last year and the club has lost 14 from death and resignation.
The scheme put forward by the General Committee of the R.A.C. is still pending, a number of meetings have been held at which delegates from this club have attended, but as yet there is no final agreement. It is hoped that this will be definitely decided within the next month or two, when doubtless a fresh agreement will be made between this club and the R.A.C. For the present year the status of the club and the relation with the R.A.C. will remain the same.
Your Committee have kept in close touch with the Local Authorities with regard to improvements in the roads and at various corners in main and subsidiary roads, and the attention of the Authorities has called to a number of points reported by different members. Also several complaints of bad roads have been reported direct to the R.A.C. in London, which have been submitted to this executive for investigation; some of these have been well founded and have been brought to the attention of the local Authorities concerned, but others noted were unreasonable, as the roads reported to the club executive instead of direct to London, and it is also essential that the club should make no complaint unless there is sufficient reason, other wise future complaints would not receive the same amount of careful consideration by those concerned.
No meets or club events have been arranged as such fixtures appear not to be popular but arrangements were made for the Members at the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society’s show, at Skegness when free garage was provided for cars and a Marquee provided for the convenience of the members to whom tea was served; this appears to have been highly appreciated by those attending.
The committee have had under consideration the proposed alteration in Motor taxation, and have submitted to the Ministry of Transport an alternative scheme, suggesting that the ideal form of taxation would be a tax on imported fuel, failing this, suggesting that the tax on horse power should be reduced and a further tax levied on the unladen weight of the vehicle, and that vehicles using solid tyres should pay a weight tax upon a higher scale in view of the extra damage such vehicles produce upon the road. There is fair indication that one or another of these suggestions will be accepted.
The committee regret that the publishers of the yearly Hand-Book failed to produce an issue for 1922; a revised hand-Book is promised for 1923 at an early date.
Arrangments are under consideration for suitable accommodation for the members at the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society’s Show, at Lincoln in July, and other fixtures of which due notice will be given.
In conclusion, the committee trust that members will assist in getting new nominations for membership during the coming year and thus adding strength to the club.