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Evasion of the Act '—Mr. Hanlon
A T Carlisle on Wednesday, a Long town, Cumberland, firm of timber merchants was accused by the Northern Licensing Authority, Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, of trying to evade the Road Traffic Act.
R. Charnley and Sons Ltd., were asked to show cause why their C licence, on which they now had one vehicle, should not be revoked by the Authority following convictions and prohibitions resulting from maintenance defects on their lorries.
Mr. T. H. Campbell Wardlaw, representing -Charnley, said that between April, 1962, and November, 1963, there had been convictions against the firm for 26 offences at Wigton, Carlisle, Dumfries and Leyland for maintenance defects. There had been 12 prohibitions on their vehicles—six immediate and six delayed.
A director of the firm, Mrs. Violet G. Charnley, said they had one vehicle on C licence and four vehicles hired. The hired vehicles, at one time had belonged to them but had been bought by other people, including their employees, and were then hired back again.
Mrs. Charnley said: "The drivers didn't have any interest. I put it to them to buy lorries to give them greater incentive. Now it has made an awful difference ".
Mr. Hanlon said that this was a complete evasion of the Act and asked: "Why should not these people have B licences and pay them for the work they do?"
Mrs. Charnley: "We were not trying to evade the Act. I would thank you for the rest of my days if you would grant them B licences."
Mr. Hanlon: "My first reaction is that this is a way to carry on exactly as before --getting out of your responsibilities."
Mrs. Charnley: "It was something to work for—to give them a purpose in life. I have never tried to evade the law in any way."
Her husband, Richard I. S. Charnley, also a director, gave an assurance that the vehicles would all be maintained in a serviceable condition in future.
Mr. Hanlon adjourned his decision to await the outcome of a court case involving one of the firm's drivers and the number of hours he had worked.