Another Northern Records Row
Page 39
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T'HE managing •director of Turnbull I Transport and Packing Co., of North Shields, Mr. Thomas Turnbull, told a Public Inquiry in NeweaStle-uponTyne last week that the representative of the Ministry of Transport. was very discourteous to him in his own office and demanded that he should hand over the company's records for inspection: On the advice of their solicitor, the company refused and the representative then threatened to use force to take away the records. He was asked to leave the concern's offices and did So..
Mr. Turnbull was asking the Northern Licensing Authority to subs\titute a 3-ton 14-cwt. A-licence vehicle for one of 3 tons 9 cwt.
Mr. Turnbull was asked why he had not appeared at a previous Inquiry to present his application. The Authority, Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, said that at that Inquiry an enforcement officer gave evidence of being refused permission to take away certain of the Company's records for inspection.
He replied that the firm did not like being threatened in their own offices.
Mr. Hanlon commented that for more than 30 years the firm had worked in close harmony with the Licensing Authority. "I should have thought that a firm of your standing and good reputation would have set an example to others in the haulage industry. III think an application is trivial I can exercise my discretion and grant it without calling a Public Inquiry," he added.
Mr. T. H. Campbell .Wardlaw, for Mr. Turnbull, attempted to intervene but Mr. Hanlon continued to speak. Mr. Wardlaw made further appeals to be heard, but they were not granted. Mr. Hanlon said Mr. Turnbull obviously thought he had found a loophole in the traffic regula tions. Let me tell you, I am the Licensing. Authority in this case and I am not going to exercise my discretion in your favour in view of what has happened.
"I refuse to deal with this application today and will review it in eight weeks' time as I have the power to do. I am sorry this has come about. To whose advantage it is to stir up strife between you and me I do not know but I am certainly not going to stand for it.
" I will not be treated in this way again and I adjourn this application for two months. I hope that when my representative calls again at your office you will treat him with a good deal more respect."
After the Inquiry Mr. Turnbull said that the firm was perfectly within its rights to withhold records and to refuse to allow them out of the offices. The firm's solicitors had advised that the records should be retained and the police had said the firm had the right to keep them.