Three Contract-A Vehicles are Suspended for Two Months
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STAT1NG that Maurice James and Co., Ltd., Miles Lane, Coventry, had been engaged to a considerable extent in breaking the law over a period of four months, Mr. W. P. James, West Midland Licensing Authority, last week suspended three of their contract-A licence vehicles for two months. The company had been called upon to show why their licence should not be suspended or revoked following a conviction at Coventry for breaches of licence conditions. On that occasion, the company admitted 66 offences of using vehicles allotted to Stephenson Clarke, Ltd., on haulage for the National Coal Board. They had carried coal from Bagworth Colliery, Leics, to stocking grounds at Water Orton, Warwicks, and from Water Orton to Highcroft Hall Hospital, Birmingham. When the inquiry began (The Commercial Motor, October 10), the company said they had allowed lorries to work for the.N.C.B. because colliery officials had said that production at Bagworth would stop unless some stocks were cleared. Coal had been carried to the hospital because fuel stocks were running low. At last week's hearing, Mr. C. R. Burton, manager of No. '7 area of the N.C.B. East Midlands Division, said he had never been told that production was threatened at the colliery. He had heard of no transport difficulties there. Mr. W. G. Culver, area transport officer at Bagworth, said colliery officials never gave instructions to lorry drivers about what they should do.
No Risk of Shortage
Announcing the suspensions. Mr. James said the hospital authorities had stated in a -letter that there had never been any danger of fuel running out. So far as the N.C.B. were concerned, the evidence of their officials was different from that given by Mr. Maurice James and his manager. "There is no doubt that, whatever the motive in the mind of the company was, it was sufficiently strong to drive them to commit these offences over a period of four months. This is not a case, as I see it, in which justice will be done by administering a warning. For a period of four months the company were engaged to a very considerable extent in breaking the law," said Mr. James. He had thought of inflicting a much more severe penalty hut, having regard to an assurance he had been given that the offences would not recur, he had decided to impose one which was extremely mild, The suspensions would run from December 1 to enable the company to clear any outstanding commitments.
U.T.A. MEN'S PAY RISE
BUS crews and garage hands employed by the Ulster Transport Authority are to get a pay increase of 7s. a week, it was announced last week. About 4,500 men are affected and the increase will cost the U.T.A. £81,000 a year. An agreement relating to night work by garage hands is to be amended.