SAILORS? NO, INDEED . .
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WE ARE HAULIERS
"WE DON'T consider ourselves sailors—we're hauliers", said Mr. E. G. Baker, at Romsey, last week. He was speaking for Baker's Transport (Southampton) Ltd., in an objection to an application before the South Eastern LA by Mr. T. J. Clune, of Emsworth, Hants, to add a 5+-ton artic semi-low-loader to his existing B licence for three Land-Rover boat-towing vehicles. Hill and Sons (Botley and Denmead) Ltd. also objected.
Mr. David Keen, for Clune, said the number and size of boats and yachts on the South Coast had vastly increased. Marinas were under construction and Mr. Clune alone expected to have to move 400 boats a year. His client had delivered boats by road to many places in Britain and Europe and he provided an exceptionally comprehensive service to customers.
Mr. N. K. Eddon, secretary of Emsworth Yacht Marina and associated companies, said the length of craft handled was increasing by about 44ft annually. Boats of 4 tons and over were best carried on larger vehicles than the Land-Rover towing outfits.
Best service Mr. A. J. Simmonds, secretary of Fairey Marine Ltd., said Clune carried 90 per cent of his firm's fast motor boats and cruisers weighing under 4 tons. His service was better than any other contractors' as he was prepared and competent to undertake sea voyages.
The objectors and others such as Pickfords and BRS were satisfactory for straightforward haulage jobs, he said, but they could not give the demonstration and hand ing over service that Clune provided. Often, it was necessary for boats to be sailed to a small estuary some miles away from the delivery dock. "This service has never been offered by anyone else.
Mr. E. G. Baker said his company had carried boats up to 30 or 35 tons weight for many years and there had been no complaints apart from "too much money". But on the various ancillary services provided by Clune Mr. Baker said they did not consider themselves sailors, but hauliers. He considered Land-Rover towing was safe for boats up to 3 or 3+ tons, "We have given up the smaller boats to the Land-Rover people —now the small operators want our business". His firm had fitted masts on request but it would not demonstrate a boat. "I'm no seaman," he added.
The LA, Major-General A. F. J. Elmslie, said he had noted that Pickfords, BRS and Adams, who had been mentioned during the inquiry, had not objected. He accepted that the objectors could do the haulage work as well as Clune and on occasion they had vehicle availability. Three customer witnesses had spoken well of the Clune services beyond mere haulage, getting boats ready and even sailing to the place required. Seven named customers of the objectors would be excluded from Clune's licence conditions but he would grant the vehicle as applied for although the radius would be limited to 250 miles, in accordance with the Land-Rover conditions.
• Work on the Ministry of Transport vehicle-testing station on the Carlisle Kingstown trading estate is expected to be completed by Spring. It will be operated by a staff of about six.