News ot the Week
Page 16
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Unfair Use of Meat Pool Vehicles
COMPLAINTS are rife throughout the country regarding the use of Meat Pool vehicles which, it is stated, are being used for the conveyance of traffic which local vehicles might reasonably expect to handle. It will be recalled that, at the outset of meat ' rationing, London meat hauliers were appointed Country Traniport Managers and brought with them their own fleets, thus acquiring a virtual monopoly of meat transport with official sanction and support.
With the diminution of the meat ration many of these vehicles have become surplus to requirements; they are being used to an increasing extent for local traffic as above described, instead of, as would have seemed reasonable, being returned to London. Not only are they retaining the monopoly of meat transport in the provinces but they appear to be abstracting other traffics from provincial hauliers. Indeed, the proc-,s does not stop at that. In the Eastern Area, information is being received at the A.R.O. area office that the Meat Pool is hiring non-pool vehicles, even some which are operated under C licences, for the transport of munitions. Unfortunately, since these Meat Pool vehicles appear to draw their fuel coupons from central sources in London there does not appear to be the same means for effecting control over their use of fuel as is exercised in the respective areas by the Regional Transport Commissioners.
The secretary, Eastern Area, A.R.O., NIT.. G. W. Irwin, would be glad if any haulier whose interests are being detrimentally affected, would let him have full particulars at his office, 17, Hills Road, Cambridge. He is particularly anxious to obtain concrete evidence of cases in which C licensees are using their vehicles for hire and reward.