"Vehicles Were Not Weighed"

13th November 1959, Page 76

13th November 1959

Page 76

Page 76, 13th November 1959 — "Vehicles Were Not Weighed"

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QPECIA.L-A vehicles said to have kJ been taken by a representative of K. and R. Motors (Newcastle), Ltd., to a weighbridge in Newcastle upon Tyne on June 19 and October 4, 1957, to be weighed for taxation purposes, were at work in Cumberland on those dates and did not go near Newcastle. This was alleged at Carlisle last week when Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, Northern Licensing Authority, held an inquiry to obtain answers to questions posed by the Transport Tribunal. The case followed special-A revocation appeals by Mr.

John Scott, Arlecdon, and Mr. Charles Hewitt, Annan, heard by the Tribunal in July.

Mr. Scott told the Authority that he took delivery of vehicle LJR792 from K. and B. Motors on June 18, 1957. He was driving the vehicle all day on June 19, and made three trips delivering bagged cement from Solway Chemicals, Ltd., Whitehaven, to customers in Cumberland. The vehicle could not possibly have been weighed in Newcastle on June 19.

Confirmatory evidence was given by Mr. 3. Trevaskas, transport officer, Solway Chemicals, that LJR792 was at the Whitehaven factory loading cement at certain times on that date.

Mr. Hewitt said he took delivery of MNL839 on September 18, 1957, and on October 4 he was driving it himself. It travelled empty from Annan, via. Carlisle to Whitehaven and loaded 8 tons of sodium for delivery to Thomas HedIey, Ltd., Newcastle, on October 5. After loading, he returned to Annan for the night before proceeding to Newcastle. The vehicle was not in Newcastle, and neither was it weighed on October 4.

Fuel for MNL839 was supplied to Mr. Hewitt on September 18, said Mr. W. Thompson, director, Border 'Oil Co. (1956), Ltd., Carlisle. There were two entries in their books for this vehicle on October 4, one early in the day and the other later.

Mr, E. Waters, managing director of K. and B. Motors, told Mr. Hanlon that he had no questions to ask the witnesses, and would reserve his company's case until the second part of the inquiry on Wednesday.

He added that Mr. I. H. McLaughlin, who was responsible for the weighing of • the vehicles, was no longer in the company's employ.

Mr. Hanlon said that a letter would be sent asking Mr. McLaughlin to attend. He also intended to call Mr. Stephenson, the weighbridge attendant, .