"Allison's Expanded by Criminal Activities "—Mr. Robertson IQY committing a
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series of criminal offences over a long period, Allison's Transport (Contracts), Ltd., Dundee, built up a large haulage business to the detriment of regular A-licence operators and the railways. This was stated by Mr. Alex Robertson, Scottish Deputy Licensing Authority, when he gave written reasons for refusing to grant Allison's an A licence for 10 vehicles (The Commekcial • Ilooir, last week).
The vehicles had been sought to take over work formerly done on a C-hiring basis, and to absorb haulage now being fed to sub-contractors. At the hearing there were 14 objectors, including British Railways, British Road Services and Road Services (Forth), Ltd., and the case lasted three days.
-Mr. Robertson recalled that in 1955 he refused to grant Allison's an A licence for 40 vehicles to replacethose on C-hire work, and the Transport Tribunal upheld this decision. The Tribunal also agreed that there were grOunds for suspicion about the transactions carried on by Allison's and the Balfield Labour Agency, Ltd.
Although the Tribunal indicated the type of evidence necessary to obtain A licences to replace the C-hire system, Allison's did not make another application immediately. It seemed they did not want a full inquiry to be made into the activities of the labour agency. Their preSent application was made only when courts began to impose severe penalties for illegal C-hiring.
Mr. Robertson agreed with the objectors that Allison's C-hiring was done illegally, and added that there was also some doubt about the legality of the way
the company's A licences were operated. There Was no convincing evidence of need to dispense with sub-contracting. especially after it had, been admitted that 14 London-based special-A vehicles had recerttly been sold.
" This firm have had recourse te a Subterfuge which undoubtedly tended to disrupt th-e licensing system," said Mr.
Robertson. It is obvious that an applicant who has committed illegalities over a long period should be in some way, and to some extent, penalized for the wrongdoing. I am satisfied that the managing directors of this firm were not innocent of a deliberate intention to break the law."
D.S.I.R. NEEDS MORE MONEY
RAVE doubt about the -adequacy of 1-2 the financial resources "allowed the Department of Scientifie and Industrial Research is expressed in the Department's 1956-57 report, published last week by the Stationery Office at 4s.
The Department spends less than fl Om. a year on all its activities, although the value of production of those industries which do not benefit directly from research undertaken for defence purposes approaches f.10,000m. a year.
MORE PRUNING PROPOSED L'URTHER reductions in winter bus services are to be sought by the East Kent Road Car Co., Ltd. Mr. R. G. James, general manager, said last week that this move was due to the Government's failure to reduce the fuel tax. Economies in the company's summer time-tables, which have already been granted by the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners, come into Operation on June 15.