Applicant Operated Vehicle Taken Away by Police Mr. Hanlon
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AN application at Newcastle, last week, was adjourned so that Mr. I. A. T. Hanlon, the Northern Area Licensing Authority, could
produce witnesses to substantiate his allegations that the applicant had been operating a vehicle taken away by the police in connection with criminal proceedings.
The application was for the variation of a public A licence by the addition of a vehicle of unladen weight of 3 tons 6 cwt. in substitution for one of 2 tons 11 cwt.
Mr. T. H. Campbell Wardlaw, representing the applicant, Mr. Daniel Burns of Newcastle, said the licence had been granted in August last year, upon the expiration of a special A licence, and the vehicle specified therein had been in regular use.
Mr. Burns said the vehicle had reached the stage where it had to be replaced by a new vehicle. He had made inquiries about new vehicles, and had been advised that, nowadays, he could not get a suitable replacement under 3 tons unladen weight — the vehicle he proposed to acquire, if his application was successful, would be nearer 3 tons 6 cwt.
Previous Conduct Mr. Hanlon referred to a letter sent to the applicant from the Clerk to the Licensing Authority, which stated that the Authority proposed to take "certain matters" into consideration in connection with his previous conduct as a carrier.
Mr. Wardlaw said be understood the matters mentioned in the letter were not to be pursued at the inquiry, and the applicant had not come prepared to deal with them. In view of that fact, said Mr. Hanlon, the matter would be adjourned, but before doing so, he would ask the applicant whether he disputed any of the points mentioned in the letter, and whether it was necessary for any corroborative evidence to be called.
Mr. Hanlon read a list, attached to the letter, which included allegations that the applicant had been concerned in the stealing of an excise licence, operating a vehicle without a carrier's licence, exceeding speed limits on two occasions, using a vehicle without mudwings, and two prohibition notices.
Burns said he disputed that be was in possession of a vehicle which had been connected with an offence. "The police took possession of a lorry belonging to me," be said, " but it wasn't on this charge, That was loitering." He explained that the vehicle had been taken away from his home to investigate certain matters. , Mr. Hanlon, referring to a newspaper cutting, said the applicant had pleaded guilty to a certain charge, at Sunderland. Asked if he still said he was not in possession of the vehicle. Burns replied that he had not possessed it.
Referring to a photograph in another local newspaper, showing an overturned vehicle bearing Burns' name, Mr. Hanlon
n8 said. "You were operating that lorry, laden with goods, when it skidded and just missed a woman." Burns replied that this was so. Mr. Hanlon, "And you hadn't got a goods vehicle licence?" Burns: "Correct."
Mr. Hanlon said he would adjourn the application in order to call evidence.
RUSSIANS AT GENEVA
A MONG the 60 makes of commercial PI vehicle being exhibited at the Geneva Salon, which opened yesterday, are three from the Soviet Union. The greatest number of vehicles from any one country is 21—from Germany—whilst Britain is represented by 11 manufacturers. French and Swiss exhibitors each number seven, and there are four Austrian makes, three American, two Swedish and one each from Holland and Italy.
Seven makes of trailer are on show, all but one of these being of Swiss manufacture, and 12 bodybuilders are represented, including seven from Italy.
Britishexhibits, in addition to those already listed in previous issues, include representative models from Austin.
TURBINE IN RUSSIAN COACH A RUSSIAN Zil 127-seat luxury I-1 coach, described in The Commercial Motor dated January 8, has been equipped with a gas-turbine power unit. The engine, a Turlxmami-053 Al unit, which is stated to be both "powerful and 'economical," is located at the rear of the coach in the position normally occupied by the transverse two-stroke oil engine.
In this respect the development closely follows that of the American G.M.C. Turbocruiser gas-turbine-engined coach.