RAIL CHALLENGED IN COAL HAULAGE.
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The North-Western Licensing Authority has granted a virtual monopoly to the railway companies for coal-carrying from collieries and has restricted practically all road hauliers dealing with coal to a radius, from railhead, of five, seven or 10 miles, the last-named being unusual, and the nearest railway station always being specified.
Some exceptions creep in, however, and it was revealed, last week, in Manchester, before Sir William Hart, Deputy Licensing Authority, that both Manchester and Salford concerns were under contract for supplies of coal50-100 tons a week—from new pits opened at Ambergate and Chesterfield, some 50 miles away.
These pits, it was stated by a trader witness, were not and could not be connected by railway sidings, and the owners asked that Messrs. Heyworth Bros., of Chapel-en-le-Frith, might have authority to add a sixth vehicle to their fleet to cope with the extra haulage.
Sir William Hart said he would announce his decision later.
Lanark' Hauliers Confer.
Haulage contractors in the Lanark district held a general meeting at Lanark, last week, Mr. Ramage, Douglas Water, presiding. He was accompanied by Mr. Strang, vice president of the Scottish Carriers and Haulage Contractors Association, a representative of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co. also being in attendance.
The rates for the carriage of lime agreed upon at a previous meeting were approved, and it was intimated that an agreement had been made with the railway company regarding carriage rates for manure and feeding stuff, details of which are later to be intimated to members and merchants.
Ferraris' Annual Show.
Every year A. Ferraris, Ltd., 200-220. The Broadway, Cricklewood, London, N.W.2, stages an entertainment covering several days, and this year it took place from April 11-13, the total attendance being over 1,000. The visitors were shown an excellent series of Ford films, and conducted around the building by Mr. Ferraris, whilst refreshments were served during the whole period.
Mr. Ferraris expressed himself as well satisfied with business this year, the turnover being greater than that for the corresponding period of the past year.
Contract Concessions—Knotty Point.
" If a carrier be given extra facilities to enable him to du specified work under a contract for a county council or other body, should those concessions be revoked when the contract ends?"
Such was the knotty point pressed upon the attention of Sir William Hart, North-Western Deputy Licensing Authority, at Manchester, last week, by Mr. Philip Kershaw. counsel for the railway companies. Mr. Kershaw contended that if an extra vehicle were allowed to an applicant, Mr. S. A. Higginbottom, because Derbyshire County Council had accepted his tender, the lorry of the man who had lost the work was thrown into a pool of transport that might already be in excess
of requirements. He asked to be informed how many licences for vehicles had been revoked, after cessation of the work for which they had been licensed.
Sir William Hart granted the application and said he had not gone into the interesting point raised by Mr. Kershaw, but no doubt action would be taken administratively.
New Dealers for Guy Vehicles.
Guy Motors, Ltd., Fallings Park,. Wolverhampton, announces the appointment of Nortons (Cardiff). Ltd., as a distributor for its vehicles for Cardiff, Monmouth, Brecon and part of Glamorganshire, and of Messrs. Wood Brothers and Rnnham, of Northampton, as agents for the counties of Northants, Huntingdon, and the Soke of Peterborough.
Commers in Bulgaria.
Messrs. Horowitz and Vassileff, of Zar Boris No. 158, Sofia. have been appointed distributors for Commer commercial vehicles for Bulgaria. RAILWAY "LET CUSTOMERS DOWN."
"We have lost traffic through unfortunate occurrences ; we have let customers down on two occasions and we have lost their traffic" admitted a railway representative to the East Midland Licensing Authority, last week.
Mr. Stirk, the Authority, had expressed surprise, during an application in which fruit traffic from London to Leicester figured, that the road services could get a look in on the traffic, when the railway companies offered comparable rates, and the usual range of rail facilities.
After the railway representative had made this admission, Mr. Stirk adjourned the application, that of Messrs. Bircher Bros., of Ibstock, to see figures before deciding whether he would grant them an additional vehicle, or the two vehicles they had applied for..
Provincial Garage-equipment Displays.
Brown Bros., Ltd., is holding its annual display of garage equipment at its Water Street premises in Manchester, from April 25-29. Covering the same period, a similar exhibition will be held at the company's Nottingham premises at Huntingdon Street. In both cases a wide range of equipment and workshop tools will be available for inspection.