Blow for Aberdeen Fish Haulier
Page 32
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AFTER a hearing involving 21 sittings spread over nearly a year, Mr. Henry Riches, Northern Scotland Licensing Authority, gave his decision, on Monday, in the hotly contested Aberdeen fish-transport case. Under the decision, Mr. Charles Alexander, of Aberdeen, is permitted to continue his original service to Manchester for the carriage of fish, but may not haul fish or other goods to Liverpool, Birmingham and London.
In addition, the licence for Mr. Alexander's daily service to Banff has been refused, for the reason that the applicant's advocate would give no pledge that the vehicles would not be used for the carriage of fish into England.
Mr. Alexander is, therefore, entitled to operate seven vehicles (27 tons) and a trailer (2 tons) to Manchester. Permissipn is refused to operate 16 other vehicles (50 tons), which Mr. Alexander has bought since his original licence was granted.
The grounds of the decision were that the applicant had changed the character of the businesses which he acquired since he received his own first licence ; that he had not proved need
foruse of the vehicles to Liver
poo,. Birmingham and London, and that the railways provided adequate and suitable facilities for the carriage of the goods—mainly fish—which the applicant handled.
Mr. Riches stated that, in opposition to the grants, the railways led evidence to show that they had lost traffic, and that they carried fish to the four named places in England in specially constructed vans. They also showed that they ran trains daily, from Monday to Friday inclusive, to arrive in time for the opening of the wholesale fish markets.
It was admitted by the applicant that he could not provide the same facilities by road as could the railways from Monday to Friday inclusive.
The rates were lower by 'road, Mr. Riches continued, .but, in fairness to the applicant, throughout the proceedings it had never once been suggested that Mr. Alexander was carrying fish or granite at rates uneconomic to himself. On the contrary, it seemed from the information produced by the applicant that his rates were highly remunerative.