Railways Plead " C " Competition
Page 39
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A TTENTION was drawn to compei—k tition between the railways and C-licensees, when the court of inquiry into railway wage claims was sitting on Monday. The Railway Executive is resisting these demands.
Mr. W. P. Allen, labour relations member of the Executive, stated that the railways could not automatically recoup themselves for higher labour charges. Private competition, including that of C-licensees, had to be considered before rates could be raised and a case had to be made out before the Transport Tribunal.
The financial position of the railways was "serious." Last year's operation would show a deficit of £12m., increasing the cumulative loss to over £50m. since nationalization took place.
Mr. Allen pointed out that the Executive had agreed to some increases, provided that certain changes in work' were made, one of which was the discontinuance of the employment of vanguards in London.
1832 ACT: DRIVER FORFEITS £2
THE Stage Carriage Act, 1832, was invoked at a Derby court when a trolleybus driver was summoned for negligence in allegedly driving his vehicle into the back of a bus..
The Clerk told the bench that under this Act the driver could not be fined, . nor cou1s1_11e be ordered to pay costs, as requeated .loyzikeoprosecution. It was stated in defence that negligence had not been proved, and that such an antiquated" Act should not have been invoked.
The driver was ordered to forfeit 40s.
DIRECT SERVICE FROM FRANCE
BECAUSE they considered that ',British labour had been by-passed, Covent Garden porters on Tuesdaydelayed unloading a lorry driven direct from Chateau Renard, France, with a load of fresh lettuces and spinach. Usually, the vegetables are shipped across the Channel and come to London by rail. This was the first time that Covent Garden had received produce directly by road from France.