NEWS of the WEEK
Page 36
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" The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all dignulties of transport, at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs.--John Beattie Crozier.
IS STEERSMAN OF TOWED VEHICLE A DRIVER?
Is a person steering a towed vehicle
a driver? This question was raised in a prosecution at Thorne (Yorkshire) Police Court, on Monday, in which Leslie Hind, a mechanic, of Thorne, was summoned for driving a motor
. vehicle under a limited trade plate, and failing to comply with the conditions attached to the use of the plates. John R. Lindley, a motor wrecker, of Thorne, was summoned, being the holder of the trade plate, for causing the vehicle to be used contrary to the conditions, and Horace Lindley, a mechanic, was summoned for driving a vehicle without having a driving licence. John R. Lindley was also summoned for employing an unlicensed driver in Horace Lindley.
The police evidence in support of the prosecution was that a car driven by Hind was towing a 2-ton lorry, which was being steered by Horace Lindley. Both vehicles were unlicensed and were being used under limited trade plates. When Hind was asIzed whether the lorry was disabled, he said that it had not been used for some time and he was taking it for scrap. He was told that he' should not have used limited trade plates unless the vehicle had broken down on the road. G. S. Ward, for the defendants,
said that the vehicle which was being towed was.not in a condition to be propelled, and the steersman could not be said to be driving.
The police submitted that the man steering the towed vehicle was in common law the driver.
The Bench held that there was no case and dismissed the whole of the summonses. .
Sought 35-mile Radius: Given Carte Blanche.
In view of the complaints concerning the restrictive conditions usually imposed on B-licences, special interest attaches to the West Midland Licensing Authority's decision on an application which came before him at Birmingham, last Friday.
L.E.P, Transport Co., Ltd„ Goole, represented by Mr. F. G. Bibbings, .E20
secretary of A.R.O. Yorkshire Area, asked for a B licence authorizing a vehicle to be based at Birmingham and to carry general goods within a radius of 35 miles from that city. It was explained that, hitherto, the applicant's only base had been at Goole.
. The Licensing Authority intimated that, as the vehicle was to be used solely for hire or reward, he would grant the licence for the carriage of general goods without any restriction as to the area of operation.
Another Licence Revocation.
The Eastern Licensing Authority has revoked a contract licence of 'Messrs. J. Crane and Son, of Littleport, as from June 1.
New Temple' Press Journal
, " Plastics."
The use of 'plastics in the electrical, automobile and aviation industries is extending very rapidly and those of our readers interested in the subject should seethe first number of Plastics, which deals fully with the subject from the point of view of the buyer of plastic -articles. It is a Is. monthly. and the first number is now on safe a.t all importwit bookstalls.
Horse Ban to be Extended.
Since January last observers have been carefully watching the. effect of the regulations which ban horses from certain London streets, and from their observations data has been compiled which will shortly be submitted as an informal report to the Ministry of Transport, It will then decide upon the success of the experiment and consider whether the ban should be extended. The official observers believe that other traffic would benefit from the extension of the scheme,
BRITISH ECONOMIST ACKNOWLEDGES TRACTOR'S MERITS.
" That the tractor, in one or other of its various forms, has firmly established itself in the economy of British farming does not require any statistical proof." •This statement was made by Mr. James Wyllie, head of the Department of Economics and advisory agricultural economist, South-Eastern Agricultural College, at the Agricultural Conference of the Incorporated Society of Auctioneers and Landed Property Agents, held yesterday, at Lincoln. Nevertheless, he showed that while the number of farm-work horses in England decreased by 17 per cent._ from 1913 to 1931, the acreage of arable land fell by 13 per cent in the -saine period. The number of tractors 'on farms increased from practically nil to at least 16,000,
By .a careful comparison of costs, Mr. • Wyllie showed the advantage of the tractor, where there is sufficient work • to keep it employed.
Transport Tour to U.S.S.R.
A special tour to inspect the road, rail, air' and water systems -in is being made from July 17 to August 8, under the leadership of Mr. B. Reed, 98 Gower Street, London, W.C.1. The individual cost of the trip is £26 10s.
Bury Workers to Have Higher Pay.
Bury Corporation's goods-transport employees are to receive the increases provided by the Lancashire and Cheshire Whitley Council agreement. This decision was made by a corPoration committee, on Tuesday, and the increases will operate as from May 10.
A proposed conference of local authorities regarding wages is not to' be