Haulage Business Disrupted by Family Quarrels
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cAMILY squabbles had caused serious troubles in an old-established County Durham haulage business, the Northern Licensing Authority, Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, was told at Newcastle upon Tyne on Monday. Miss Elizabeth-1 Humphrey, Brandon Colliery, was applying for a new B licence for eight vehicles following dissolution of a partnership.
A variation to add to the conditions of four of the vehicles "goods for British Chrome and Chemicals, Ltd., Eaglescliffe, as required" was opposed by British Railways; British Road Services; H. L. Walker, Ltd.; R. Durham and Sons, Ltd.; Copley Haulage; Road Materials (Middlesbrough), Ltd.; and D. Tarren (Transport), Ltd.
Miss Humphrey said she started in haulage on her own in 1936. There was a proposal in 1946 to take her brothers, Benjamin and Robert, into partnership. but no agreement was reached.
Names on Renewal
Questioned by Mr. Hanlon, she admitted that from then until 1954 the licences were renewed in the names of E., R.. and B. M. Humphrey. In that year, Benjamin left her employment, and an application to put the licences in her own name was not opposed.
Robert had never claimed to be a partner. Later, in Chancery Court proceedings, judgment was given for Benjamin, and he was awarded £2,000 and costs for his share in the business.
Mr. J. Croft, for the B.T.C.. said there was a substantial body of objectors present who would give evidence that they had worked extensively for British Chrome. Durham's and Walker's had had accounts running into thousands of pounds, which had now almost disappeared.
Mr. -Hanlon said the application would be adjourned until many unsatisfactory questions had been dealt with. If some of the B-licence vehicles were being used solely on site work it would have to be considered whether they were in use under the licence, and it might be necessary to delete them.
Vehicle on Two Licences
Because of failure to notify the Licensing Authority of alterations in her fleet, Miss Humphrey had the same vehicle specified on both her A and B licences. It also appeared that. throueh an error in notification of surrenders. she had been operating a vehicle not on licence which would involve a question of insurance.
All these matters must be straightened out, and in addition he would require proper figures and three months' drivers' records—not clean and in copperplate writing, but exactly as they were received from the vehicles.
Mr. Robert Humphrey, the applicant's manager, said that although there were eight vehicles on the B licence, two were unroadworthy and had been laid up pending replacement. Four of the remainder were permanently employed within the works of British Chrome, and they had been asked to carry fertilizers outside during the peak periods in spring and late autumn. Their two A-licence vehicles also worked for the company.
Mr. Croft said Humphrey's had no work at Eaglescliffe before B.R.S. gave up tipping work. Details given by Mr. Humphrey about occasional work done on B licence suggested that it was outside the conditions.
After the luncheon adjournment, Mr. E. Freeman, for the applicant, intimated that it was proposed to withdraw the variation.
THREE COACH SERVICES TO -4
INDIA THIS YEAR
riREE return coach journeys to Bombay are planned this year by Garrow-Fisher Tours. The lndiaman, which pioneered the service, will leave King's Cross, London, on April 8 and July 31, and there will be another outward trip en October 5. The first journey from Bombay will begin on May 31.
The trip takes 45 days, with stops of one or two days at the main tourist centres. Passengers will occasionally have to spend nights camping when it is impossible to reach hotels or rest houses. The single coach fare to Bombay will be £93 10s., with about £45 for hotels and food. The return coach fare will be £167.
Garrow-Fisher say they have had a. flood of inquiries from Americans who want to use the service as part of a round-the-world tour.
FREE PARDON FOR DRIVER
ADRIVER convicted in December, 1956, of exceeding 30 m.p.h. in a dual-purpose vehicle outside a built-up area has been granted a free pardon by the Mine Secretary, following representation made on his behalf by the Automobile Association.
When the case came before the court, the driver was not legally represented and pleaded guilty. Subsequently, he discovered that, because his vehicle was equipped with four-wheel drive, it was not in fact restricted to 30 m.p.h.
Although the right of appeal had been forfeited, the A.A. legal advisers felt confident that the conviction could be. quashed, and submitted the case, to the Home Office. Now the £4 penalty which the magistrate inflicted has been refunded and the licence endorsement expunged.
COACHES ON PARIS SERVICE THREE coaches are to be used from
May 21 by Silver City Airways as part of their plan to improve services between London and Paris. The coaches will travel in convoy from Victoria every day, carrying 100 passengers to Lydd Airport, where two airliners will be waiting to take off for Le Touquet. The aircraft will touch down in France five minutes apart, and passengers will then travel by Diesel train to the capital.