Tribunal's "Wrong " Decision S O far as proprietors' remuneration was concerned,
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the decision of the Transport Arbitration Tribunal in the case of Messrs. C. and G. Yeoman and the Road Haulage Executive, was wrong, said Mr. I. H. Shearer, for the R.H.E., in a case heard by the Tribunal at Edinburgh, last week. In any event, he added, the Yeoman decision did not affect the present case.
The Tribunal deferred judgment on the application of the R.H.E. for the settlement of a claim for compensation by Mr. William Elrick, principal of Messrs. Elrick and Hutcheon, of Aberdeen, who were acquired in January, 1949. The firm ran a daily service from Aberdeen to Glasgow. largely hauling fish.
Compensation for vehicles and premises had been agreed, but the payment for cessation of business was disputed. The Executive maintained that the multiplier to be used should be 34 years' average net annual profit, whereas Mr. Elrick said that he was entitled to the maximum of five years.
Disputed Point A point in dispute concerned the question whether proprietors' remuneration should be included in profits. It was pointed out that in the Yeoman case, reported in "The Commercial Motor" on June 1, the Tribunal declared: "We can find in the Act no express direction or context to compel us, in ascertaining profits, to deduct as one of the outgoings, the economic value of the services rendered to the undertaking by its proprietors."
Mr. Shearer disagreed with this view.
Mr. H. R. Leslie, K.C., for Mr. Elrick. urged that the decision applied also to cases in Scotland. There had, he said, been no evidence that, as regards turnover, trade and profit, the business of Messrs. Elrick and Hutcheon would not continue to flourish. The multiplier of five was justified.
In evidence, Mr. Charles Alexander, one of the pioneers of long-distance haulage in north-east Scotland, who was in charge of the war-time vehicle pool in Aberdeen, said that Messrs. Brick and Hutcheon were a good firm and their lorries were always well kept.
THE BIRTHDAY HONOURS
THE road transport industry and those associated with it did not fare very well in this year's Birthday Honours. Awards, apart from the M.B.E., were as follows:—
Knights Bachelor: R. Duncalfe. chairman,. British Standards Institution; J. R. Young, director, Vickers, Ltd., and Vickers-Armstrongs, Lid.
C.B.E.: A. Black, director of acquisitions, British Transport Commission: F. S. Eastwood, chairman. Licensing Authority, Yorkshire Area: G. W. Harriman, deputy managing director. Austin Motor Co., Ltd.
ORE.: J. F. Alcock, chief scientist, Ricardo and Co„ Ltd.
Higher Pay for C.W.S. Drivers
INCREASED wages have been I awarded to transport workers employed by the Co-operative Wholesale Society. In London, rates vary between £5 14s. for drivers of vehicles up to 1 ton, and £6 17s. a week for drivers of vehicles over 12 tons. Corresponding rates in other main centres range from £5 9s. to £6 4s. Mates in London are now paid £5 9s., and in other main centres £5 6.s. The rates of wages of bank staff have been increased by 3s. a week. The award has been dated back to December 22, 1950.
New scales of pay are proposed for transport workers in the retail furnishing and allied trades. In .the London area, youths under 18 driving vehicles of 1-ton capacity or less will receive £3 4s., rising to £5 14s., 6d. at the age of 21. Rates for drivers of larger vehicles rise to £6 7s. 6d. In the provinces, rates are lower. An application for higher pay is also to be made by the workers' side of the Road Haulage Wages Council.
HAULAGE POSITION " HOPELESS "
SUPPORTING an application for a licence, a witness stated at a sitting of the Northern 'Licensing Authority at Middlesbrough that the haulage position at West Hartlepool was "hopeless.'
Mr. John Swift, of West Hartlepool, w ts granted permission to operate one 3-'ion vehicle to carry road and building materials for Messrs. Spaldin and Snaith up to a radius of 25 miles and similar materials for others up to 10 Mr. S. Spaldin said that at one time .t had been possible to obtain a vehicle immediately by telephoning, but since nationalization, the position had been hopeless. Men were standing about on building sites while he telephoned for vehicles.
For the Stockton unit of British Road Services it was stated that 200 vehicles were available and it could manage Messrs. Spaldin and Snaith's work.
ACTION AGAINST N.U.V.B.
AN action against the National Union of Vehicle Builders is to be taken by Mr. G. Parkes, Ward End, Birmingham, because he claims that he was wrongly expelled from the N.U.V.B.
While he was in the employment of Frank Grounds, Ltd., Aston, a strike was called in the coachbuilding shops by the Union, which was demanding a wage rise. Mr. Parkes believed the strike was illegal because proper notice had not been given to the Ministry of Labour. Shortly afterwards, he was expelled.
Union rules state that a fine should be imposed before expulsion takes place, says Mr. Parkes, who is to ask for a declaration that he is entitled to N.U.V.B. membership.
A well illustrated 32-page booklet has been issued by the Nuffield Organization to describe its part in world trade.