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168 
Protest Against Hours Prosecution
Page 77
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APROSECUTION which aroused more than usual interest because of the prominence of the defendant firm, and which, it appears, may have certain repercussions, engaged the attention of the city magistrates, at Ply. mouth, last week, when Messrs. Solomon Stephens and Risdon, bakers, confectioners and cafe proprietors, '55, Ebrington Street, Plymouth, and a number of drivers, answered over a score of charges in connection with hours and records.
A traffic examiner for the Western Area presented evidence to the effect that certain men had driven for periods exceeding 51 hours.
Mr. W. E. Paul, transport manager, told the magistrates that he explained to the drivers that they must not drive more than 5i hours without a break. In cross-examining the witness upon his statement that he had taken care to see that the regulations were observed, Mr. Windeatt pointed out that between November 26 and January 11, one man exceeded the 51 hours on 26 occasions,
Mr. Solomon Stephens said that, as
managing director, he had been most anxious to carry out the regulations.
For the defence, Mr. Carlile Davis said that the drivers had all the regulations explained to them, and the firm certainly did not permit the offences. Each man covered an average of only 33 miles a day and had q hour off, whereas the regulations insisted on only half an hour's rest at the end of 51 hours. • For the period covered by the summonses, one man worked for 4601 hours, which was only 61 hours in excess, a percentage of 1,47. Another, who worked for a total of 112 hours, was one hour in excess. A third driver was one hour in excess on an aggregate of 7961 hours.
A fine of £3 15s. (5s. on each of 15 summonses), with 5s. costs in each case, was imposed upon the firm, and the van drivers were fined 5s. each.
A few days after the police-court hearing an advertisement appeared in the Plymouth Press, inviting holders of C licences who were willing to attend a meeting to protest against the Road and Rail Traffic Act to write to Mr. Solomon Stephens.