Free Sand and the Requisite Licence
Page 38
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AN interesting point with regard to the carriage of sand was raised before the North-Western Deputy Licensing Authority at Liverpool last week, when Mr. 3. McShane, of Moreton, Cheshire, applied for A licences for two vehicles of 31 tons total unladen weight on taking over the business of Mrs. J. B. Gibbous, of West Kirby.
Applicant said that part of his work was the cartage to builders of sand from the foreshore at Hoylake. The sand was obtained free, he said, and it was his property until he sold it, Mr. Beanies, for the railways, said that in that case the proper licence was a B licence.
Mr. Beames, in continuing, said that the case showed the need for a careful scrutiny of this type of application. Leaving out, for the moment, the question of whether this should have been a B licence, Mr. McShane now came along, knowing nothing of what was a highly specialized industry and proposed to take over two A licences. Applicant conceded that there was not sufficient work at present to keep the two vehicles occupied and almost agreed that there was hardly sufficient for one. He had, in fact, said, " If you grant me the .licence I will go farther afield. I will go to clearinghouses and other people for work."
Regarding the question of whether Mrs. Gibbons should not have had a B licence in the first place, the carriage of sand was entirely in connection with her business. Until it was delivered to the builder and money was paid to her for it, it was her property and she was carrying it on her own vehicles. In his submission, a 13 licence was the appropriate licence to be issued, and if that were done the potential value would be lost to Mr. McShane.
Mr. G. C. Lee, for the applicant, said he had purchased the business as a going concern.
Sir William Hart, reserving his decision, said: "I don't think he has appreciated what it is he was buying. He has bought it with the idea that he could build it up by canvassing and so on." •