7s. More for Drivers of Works Trucks •
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ABOUT 200 internal transport drivers employed by Fisher and Ludlow, Ltd. (Birmingham), have been awarded a pay increase of 75. a week by the Industrial Disputes Tribunal. The increase has been back-dated to the first full pay period after May 28.
The Transport and General Workers' Union stated that the men, who were engaged in the movement of materials throughout the company's factory, were regarded as semi-skilled. Their minimum consolidated time rate was £8 Is. 6d. for a 44-hour week. This was much below the wage rates of semi-skilled production workers, and in another factory in the district the internal transport drivers were eaming.112 8s. 5d.
For the company, it was staled that total earnings amounted to £12 Os. 4d. for fork-truck drivers and £11 13s. 9d. for tractor drivers. It was also submitted that there was no similarity between the , work of internal transport drivers and semi-skilled production workers.
LICENCES INFRINGED: £12 FINES L'INES totalling £12, with £3 costs, were I imposed last week on Parkin and Jones (Motors), Ltd., Nottingham Road, Alfreton, by Coalville magistrates after the company had pleaded guilty to 12 charges of operating vehicles outside their licence terms.
Mr. J. P. Bray, prosecuting, said that the company were licensed to carry for a specific concern, but had worked for another, who were not aware that the licence was restricted.
He added that when a member of the defendant company had been questioned, he had said that business was slack at the time.
DUNLOP OUTPUT UP
'T YRE output of the Dunlop Rubber I Co., Ltd„ rose last* year compared with 1956, and replacement, as well as new, tyres sold in greater numbers. This was stated on Monday by Mr. G. E. Beharrell, chairman, in his annual report.
The Regent retreading subsidiary company operated at full capacity, and the Tyresoles concern had a more profitable year.
356.4m. MILES BY G.P.O.
THE Post Office had 35,960 vehicles on the road at the end of 1957,• during which year they covered 356,4m. miles. This total includes 189.3m. miles by 14,290 postal vehicles, 19.7m. miles by 1,670 telegraph vehicles, I 38.3m. miles by 19,330 engineering vehicles, and
miles by 670 miscellaneous units.
BREAKDOWN IMMINENT
r-t A COMPLETE breakdown of Nis
services appears imminent in many parts of rural Northumberland, states Mr. A. Trotter, secretary of Northumberland Rural Community Council. He is pressing the Minister of Transport to reply to the council's representations for the improvement of services.
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Widow Fined ,E15 for Records Offences
A DMITTING 30 cases of failing to rm. ensure that her drivers kept proper records, Mrs. Edith Goodison, haulier, Ash Street, Sheffield, last week asked Sheffield magistrates to take into consideration a further 88 cases. She was fined a total of £15, with £5 5s. costs.
For the Yorkshire Licensing Authority, Mr. E. Wurzal, said Mrs. Goodison was a widow operating eight vehicles. When her drivers' records were examined it was found that they had certain omissions.
Mr. M. H. Waite, defending, explained that Mrs. Goodison had been in the industry for 30 years, but she obtained her first long-distance licence only last year. She did not realize that she would have to keep different records on this type of work.
Three drivers were fined a total of £7 10s.
150 FINES ON HAULIERS
AFTER admitting that they had not complied with the conditions of their A licence, J. Dowker, Ltd., Ridgway Road, Sheffield, were fined £25 by Sheffield magistrates last week. The company were fined a further Q5. foe not ensuring that one of their drivers kept proper records, and the driver was fined £1.
The magistrates accepted a plea of "not guilty" to a third summons, which alleged that the company had used an identity certificate with intent to deceive. This case was dismissed.
£500,000 RAIL SAVING
A SAVING of £500,000 a year may r-1 result from the proposed closure of 180 miles of railways in East Anglia. The track is a duplication of another line and has been losing money for many years.
"Whip Round" Made Coach Trips -Illegal
ACOACH which ran a free service for dog owners between Sheffield and Rotherham greyhound track became an express service when passengers were asked to pay 2s. for the ride, Sheffield magistrates heard last week. They imposed a fine of £5 on the Rotherham Greyhounds Co., Ltd., for operating the coach without an express-service licence.
Mr. E. Wurzal, prosecuting, said the greyhound company hired the vehicle twice a week to take dog owners and their greyhounds to and from the track, and a youth was employed to collect 2s. from each passenger. When the coach was stopped on February 13 there were two dogs on board.
Mr. H. E. Dunks, defending, pointed out that Sheffield Corporation limited the number of dogs which could be carried on their buses. This created difficulties for greyhound owners. The company arranged the coach as a free service, but later someone hit on the idea of having a "whip round."
WHO PROMPTED LETTERS? QUPPORTING letters written the day before the bearing of an application must have been prompted by someone,' Mr. J. R. Lindsay, North Western Deputy Licensing Authority, said at Manchester last week. He adjourned an application by Mr. Thomas Corneill, Hamilton Road, Longsight, who wanted two additional vehicles on B licence.
Mr. Cornell' said he owned three mechanical shrove's, and his two existing lorries worked with them on sites. If the additions were granted the shovels would be able to work faster.
Mr. Lindsay told him that he would require more evidence, even though the two road objectors had not appeared.
WARRINGTON FARES UP THE North-Western Traffic Commis'. sioners last week approved an application by Warrington Corporation to increase fares. It was stated that the undertaking had incurred a loss of £11,716 in the past year.
Mr. D. Binns, deputy town clerk, said it was intended to increase 94 fares by d. and 67 by hi., and the minimum workmen's return fare would go up by 3d. to 9d.
Even after these increases, a deficit was expected for the next three yearS, after. providing £30,000 for loan charges and renewals. it was hoped to make further economies.
BOWATER DRIVERS' 4m. MILES nRIVERS of the Bowater Paper Corporation covered 4m. miles last year, and 196 qualified for safe-driving awards in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents competition. This total represented 87 per cent, of the number entered and is claimed to be higher than the national average.
The Corporation operate 201 heavy vehicles on normal deliveries from eight depots in London, the Midlands and the north and south.