Mr. Nugent Succeeds Mr. Molson
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GOVERNMENT changes brought promotion for Mr. Hugh Molson. He has left the Ministry of Transport, where he was a Joint Parliamentary Secretary, to take charge of the Ministry of Works. He is succeeded by Mr. G. R. Nugent. who has been a Regular Army officer, farmer and county alderman.
Mr. Nugent was chosen by Sir Winston Churchill to be Under Secretary for Agriculture in 1951, after being an M.P. for only a year. Aged 49, he has impressed Parliament by his quick grasp of problems SUBSTANTIAL SWITCH TO RAIL— BUT STILL NOT ENOUGH?
THE volume of traffic transferred from road to rail had not come up to expectations and spare railway capacity was still available in many parts of the country. This was noted at a meeting on Monday of the Winter Transport Central Joint Conference.
But Mr. H. Watkinson, Minister of Transport, spoke in the House of Commons, on Tuesday, of a "substantial shift" of traffic to the railways. Rail passenger receipts in the -first two weeks of 1957 were 20 per cent, higher than in the 'corresponding period last year.
Extra coal traffic had so far been .disappointing, but general goods traffic had increased by about 10 per cent. Receipts had risen rather more, because there was a higher proportion of longdistance traffic.
Satisfactory results were reported by the Conference from the emergency arrangements which had been made to carry British Road Services' trunk traffic by special trains operating between perimeter railheads near large cities. Subject to consultation, these special trains were also available, where possible, for private hauliers' traffic.
HAULIER MUST KEEP TO LOCAL WORK
STATING that Messrs. J. Mulholland and Son, Swifts Mews. Strand Road, Carlisle, had always been local hauliers, and that the vehicle concerned in the application was fully engaged locally. the Northern Licensing Authority last week refused to extend the terms of the firm's B licence, If the firm engaged in long-distance work, he said, it would detract from• the value of their present services.
Messrs. Mulholland sought to carry for the West Cumberland Farmers' Trading Society, Messrs. Anderson, timber merchants, Carlisle, and the British Plaster Board concern, Cocklakes, as required. Applicants' existing licence was for livestock, road and building materials, agricultural produce and requisites within 35 miles, and horses (not for slaughter) as required. It was submitted that return loads could be obtained if the vehicle could work longer distances.