No Mad Inflation in Hauliers' Costs
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THE mad inflationary trend of many costs has not featured in the road haulage business, said Mr. R. N. Ingram, Road Haulage Association national chairman, at the Northern area dinner at Newcastle upon Tyne last week. This was due to the healthy competition within the industry resulting from its free enterprise section.
At present the industry was fighting to achieve freedom from the political threat of renationalization levied against it by the Labour Party, and Mr. Ingram urged all those interested to stimulate opposition between now and the general election. They would be sure, he said, that the R.H.A. would intensify its activities against the threat.
Expressing the hope that road transport men would join with the Conservatives in fighting Socialism, Mr. R. W. Elliott, M.P. for Newcastle North, urged that they should give the Government credit for their efforts to establish a sound transport industry and to solve the problem of traffic congestion.
Area chairman Mr. R. Clifford said as Mr. Elliott's father had been a haulier in Morpeth, and his brother was now carrying on the family business, he had direct knowledge of independent road transport.
Since 1945 the industry had constantly been in the political cockpit, although during the past five years the Conservatives had provided some measure of denationalization. The new threat from the Socialists had meant a great deal of work for the R.H.A.
YORK HAULIER ON FRAUD CHARGES
AYORK haulier and sand and gravel merchant, Albert Edward Whitwell, has been committed for trial at York Assizes on 48 fraud charges.
Whitwell faced 30 summonses alleging that he obtained sums of money totalling £225 19s. 5d. from a York building concern, and 18 alleging that he attempted to obtain £134 I ls. 11d, from them by false pretences.
The prosecution at the magistrates' court hearing, claimed that he obtained, or tried to obtain, more than was due to him from the building concern by telling his drivers to " add a bit on" when making out conveyance notes for loads of sand and gravel.
CUTTING DOWN TENDERS
TO cut down the administrative work involved in sorting tenders for vehicle supplies, Lancashire County Council are considering a plan whereby the same distributors would be invited to tender each time new vehicles were required.
The scheme, suggested by one of the council's committees, would apply only where non-specialized vehicles are concerned. Instead of always advertising for tenders, the council would approach distributors who had intimated that they would be willing to cater for all their requirements.