C-to-B Application is Refused

25th September 1964, Page 96

25th September 1964

Page 96

Page 96, 25th September 1964 — C-to-B Application is Refused

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AN application by a Kirkcaldy fish wholesaler and processer for a B licence to carry fish from ports throughout Scotland and Northern England was refused by Mr. A. B. Birnie, Scottish deputy Licensing Authority at Kirkcaldy last week.

Mr. Douglas G. Grant applied for the licence for his 71-ton lorry. which.was on C licence.

In evidence, Mr. Grant said the lorry was never fully loaded with his own requirenients and he had made the application because of the frequent requests made to him by small dealers to carry fish for them.

He told his agent, Mr. W. S. Duncan, Kirkcaldy, that it sometimes happened small dealers were not able to get supplies of fish because haulage cornpanics refused to take anything but full loads from the ports to the dealers' premises. Time was also against them at the early morning markets where they could not get back to the merchants in

time to deliver it. He would not, he added, be taking away any trade from hauliers because he would carry only small quantities that otherwise would not have been bought.

Evidence was given by Mr. John Wilson, a salesman for a small firm of fish merchants in Newhaven, who said that his firm had asked Mr. Grant to carry fish for them as they had difficulty in obtaining transport for their small load requirements.

Cross-examined by Mr. J. W. Vass. for British Railways, objecting, Mr. Wilson agreed that the firm had never approached any of the many recognized fish haulage contractors.

In answer to a question by the deputy L.A.. Mr. Wilson said that it would be a new venture for his small firm, which employed five people, if they did buy fish from other ports.

Mr. Wilson added that the firm were only able to sell as much fish as they could have conveyed to them from the various ports. Before they could buy they had to ensure that transport was available to carry their load to Newhaven, and he claimed that often they could not buy fish because no haulier would carry small loads.

In rejecting the application, Mr. Birnie said there was insufficient evidence of the difficulties in obtaining transport and the other evidence was too hypothetical and unspecific.