CO-OP.'S "CONTINUAL USE AFTER PROHIBITION."
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'This case is not an isolated one of wrong-doing, but of continual use after prohibition," said Mr. F. G. Bradford in appearing on behalf of the Western Licensing Authority to prosecute the Crewkerne and District Co-operative Society at Crewkerne last week for having allowed a goods vehicle to be used while a prohibition notice was operative. He said the Society allowed a lorry to be on the road which was a danger to the public.
Mr. F. S. Boxall, the Society's solicitor, said that the delivery of a new lorry was delayed, and that the Society was unable to hire another vehicle while the vehicle in question was under repair.
Remarking that the Society had flagrantly violated a law made for the safety of the public, the presiding magistrate announced a fine of on each of four summonses and ordered the payment of 16s. costs and an advocate's fee of three guineas.
When Added Weight Means Safety.
A complaint that manufacturers did not guarantee the weight of vehicles over 2i tons was beard at an inquiry in Manchester on Tuesday in a case where the Licensing Authority refused a licence for a vehicle of 6i tons, the haulier having been authorized to acquire a 6-tonner.
Mr. H. Backhouse stated that the C.IVI.U.A. viewed the situation with alarm. If a few hundredweight were going to make such a difference the safety factor would obviously have to be sacrificed. In this case, a 6-tonner was ordered with an oak floor and certain hooks required for the purpose of fastening the ropes holding heavy machinery. T,hese and the cross-beams underneath were all used to give greater safety.
In adjourning the hearing for proof of the terms of the order given to the manufacturer, Sir William Hart, Deputy Licensing Authority, said he was afraid the majority did not get the heavier vehicle for safety and he was anxious that these things should not become a practice.
Fish-transport Test Case Coming?
Judgment prohibiting northern road hauliers from carrying fish from North Shields to the London market was given at Newcastle-on-Tyne by the Appeal Tribunal on February 18.
The appeal by the L.N.E.R. was against a decision by Sir John Maxwell, granting licences to two local haulage concerns, and the judgment raises a question of importance to the whole transport industry. Licences had been granted for two vehicles of an unladen weight of 8 tons 8 cwt. for B. and C.L. Transporters, Ltd., and three vehicles of an aggregate unladen weight of 21 tons for Blyth Transport Co., Ltd.
The appeal was heard on January 6-8, and the judgment given at Newcastle revokes the licences.
In its findings the Tribunal states:— n2 " The Railway Co, proved beyond all reasonable doubt that the transport facilities already provided by it for the carriage of fish from North Shields to London, with the transport facilities already provided by other persons for collecting fish at the London terminus and delivering it at Billingsgate Market are suitable facilities, and that suitable transport facilities in the 'district, or between the places which the transport companies intend to serve, are in excess of requirements." Costs of 218 3s. were awarded the railway company.
The transport facilities intended to he provided by the two companies from North Shields consisted almost entirely of the carrying of Norwegian fish from North Shields to Billingsgate Market.
Mr. Frank Milton, secretary of the Northern Area A.R.O., has declared that this judgment has given the railway company a potential monopoly in tong-distance services. He has also stated that he is referring the decision to the headquarters of the Association as a test case which would have farreaching effects.
Defining a " Smalls" Carrier.
A meeting of the National Parcels Carriers Conference was held on Wednesday last, at the Charing Cross Hotel, London, with a view to setting up a committee in London and the Home Counties.
One of the main objects is to create a rates structure applicable to the parcels carrier and not based On any scale of rates which might govern the heavy haulier.
It was also important, said Mr. P. L. Dicker, the chairman, that a " smalls" carrier should be clearly defined, as he was not to be confused with the heavy haulier who carried smalls for the purpose of keeping his customers sweet.
New Super Highways for U.S.A.?
Ten trans-continental " super-highways," each consisting of from four to 12 paved traffic lanes, will span America from north to south and east to west if a Bill, introduced in Washington, D.C., by Senator Bulkley, of Ohio, becomes law.
Senator Bulklee, introducing his Bill, said that President Roosevelt looked with favour on the project. It was estimated that the cost of the new highways would be from £1,200,000,000 to :81,600,000,000 but that by the levy of a "reasonable" toll the roads would soon pay for themselves.
The Bill proposes that "appropriate provision shall be made for neutral strips wherever necessary to separate vehicles travelling in one direction from those travelling in the opposite direction, or for the separation of passenger vehicles from lorries."
The Bill would create a United States Highway Corporation to carry out the work, with an issue of bonds up to two billion dollars, which would mature in 60 years and bear interest not to exceed three per cent. A number of Senators has already proanised to support the new Bill. MAUDSLAY CHASSIS-PRICES SCHEDULE.
The Maudslay Motor Co., Ltd., Parkside, Coventry, announces that, as a result of careful production planning, it will be able to accept orders, from March 1, for passenger and goods chassis at the following prices:— A " Dangerous Loading" Prosecution.
'What was described as the first known prosecution of its kind in the country was decided in favour of the defendant at St. Austell (Cornwall) last week, when Mr. T. T. Wescomb, haulier, was summoned for having driven at Trewoon, on January 3, a lorry that was dangerously loaded. A police officer stated that defendant's lorry was loaded with coal. He was unable to slow it sufficiently, and collided with an oncoming lorry.
Mr. Wescomb, however, said the other lorry came round a blindcorner and that he swung out to pass a butcher's van, but the other lorry was too close for him to pull up in time, Mr. Humphrey Cooke submitted that there was no evidence to show that the load endangered other persons on the road. Defendant had been driving for 22 years and had a clean record. The magistrates dismissed the case.
Mr. Gaunt on Distribution Topics.
Mr. W. H. Gaunt, C.B.E., M.Inst.T., of J. Lyons and Co., Ltd., spoke on "Distribution Topics" to a large attendance at Manchester Traffic Association's monthly meeting on Thursday of last week, Mr. A. Mycoe (Metro-Vickers) was in the chair.
His work on the Transport Advisory Council formed a good share of Mr. Gaunt's address. He also recalled his previous association with the Salter Conference, to which he was nominated by the C.M.U.A. He stressed the need for operators to supply facts and figures about tonnage and mileage— not prices—so that operators' associations could controvert some of the statements that were being made.