No Licence to Move "a Mountain"
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"A MOUNTAIN of coke" existed at the Howdon-on-Tyne gasworks because of the lack of transport, the yard foreman, Mr. J. Gray, told the Northern Licensing Authority, last week, when he supported an application by Mr. W. Falconer for a B licence for three vehicles.
The applicant said that he could not meet the National Gas Board's demands with his existing lorry and was having difficulty in hiring vehicles. When Mr. Gray was asked by the Authority why he had not tried to obtain some of the Board's vehicles, his reply was: "You know what nationalized industries are—it takes a long time to get things moving."
The Railway and Road Haulage Executives and two local hauliers, Mr. J. Sharp and Mr. R. J. Whinham, objected. Mr. Sharp said that he had had two lorries working for the Board until the applicant's present vehicle was first licensed in February, 1951. His services had then been terminated. Mr. Whinham stated that the Board was hiring one of his vehicles and he was willing to put on another.
The Authority rejected the application, saying that stronger evidence of need was required. It was clear that Mr. Gray had not taken advantage of the existing licensed facilities, and if the evidence of Mr. Sharp and Mr. Whinham had been before him when Mr. Falconer's original application had been made, this would have been refused also.
The Austin Motor Co., Ltd., Birmingham, has published an illustrated booklet entitled "Austin Records," describing post-war achievements.