Family Fined £135 on Multiple Charges
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SIX charges against Messrs. W. D. Houston and Sons, Langdykes, by Leven, concerning excessive driving hours, failure to keep proper records, overloading and the use of lorries contrary to licence conditions, brought fines totalling /135 at Cup.ar Sheriff's Court, Fife, last week.
The charges, all admitted, were:. That on February 4 and 16 two partners, john Wood Houston and Joseph J. Houston, each drove lorries for seven hours continuously; that proper records were not kept by Joseph Houston on 15 occasions between January 22 and March 9 and by John Houston on 23 occasions between January 15 and March 5; that overweight lorries were used on four occasions between January 15 and March 9; that B-licence conditions had been violated and that on four occasions a C-licensed lorry had been used for hire or reward.
Mr. J. C. L. Anderson, defending, stressed that the offences had been corn mated by partners in the firm and not by employees. There was no question of emplOyees being forced to .break the rules. The business consisted of Mrs. W. D. Houston and her four sons. The men were all in their twenties and ran two lorries.
He stated, in connection with the charges of excessive hours that the two partners had stopped for meals, but had not recorded the halt in the log books.
Of the overweight charges he said that three 'loads of sugar beet had been taken on in wet weather. It had been impossible to weigh the beet in the fields when it was loaded. The other charge involved lime, but the driver was ins ,a hurry and had not Check ed the weight.
. The charges of using lorries contrary to licence conditions arose out of a vehicle lying idle and the concern being persuaded to use it to help out .another contractor who was short of transport.