Railway Intimidation Alleged
Page 36
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AT the applicant was one of 120 1 operators who, last year, objected to an increase of_ railway vehicles on the ground that these would be in excess of the district requirements, was a point submitted by Mr. G. H. P. Bea,mes (for the L.M.S. Railway Co.) when Ridings, Ltd., Hulrne, Manchester, applied, last week, for three extra vehicles.
Mr. H. Deckhouse., for the applicant, said that he was amazed by this attack from ..railways,, as.. they used the same form of objection ,in all cases.: If the fact that an applicant had: objected in another case made it impossible for him to recelite alicence, then, said Mr. Backhouse, the function of the Licensing Authority ceased..
He pointed out that the application under consideration was for an entirely different type of vehicle and for a different class of work. If a signature to an objection were likely to influence the Licensing Authority in any future application, no operator would sign objections. The whole question had, he said, been raised with the object of intimidating possible objectors to railway applications.
Mr. William Morpeth, managing director, said that one of the reasons for the opposition to the railway application was that the railway company abstracted his traffic by undercutting his rates by nearly 50 per cent." If the application were not granted, it would be necessary to add eight horses and carts to his present team. Sir William Hirt., North-Western Deputy Licensing Authority, deferred his .decision.