Meat Hauliers' Records to be Examined
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AFTER hearing how a meat-haulage service was being operated between Exeter and London, the Western Licensing Authority, Mr. S. W. Nelson, adjourned a hearing last week so that inquiries could be made to discover whether the law was being broken. The application was by Mannings (Devon), Ltd., Shutterton Bridge, Dawlish.
They sought a new A licence 'for a vehicle to carry fresh meat within a radius of 300 miles and back-loads of general goods. This was opposed by the British Transport Commission.
Mannings also wanted to vary the conditions of their B licence to enable them to carry meat within 25 miles of Exeter and to any part of Devon and Cornwall outside the area, and meat any distance for the Fatstock Marketing Corporation and J. H. Dewhurst, Ltd.
Mr. T. J. Manning, managing director, said the F.M.C. had told him that their business would increase by about 15 per cent. this year. He said he was now employing 27 drivers and five relief drivers.
Questioned by Mr. A. W. Balne, for the B.T.C., Mr. Manning agreed that he was one of the relief drivers and that the other four were mechanics, two of them his sons. He said vehicles left Exeter at 6 p.m., arriving at Smithfield at about midnight. After unloading they went to the docks to be reloaded, and returned to Exeter at about 11 a.m.
Mr. Balne then challenged him to explain how the service could be operated without breaking the law. Mr. Manning replied that relief drivers took the vehicles back to Exeter.
After Mr. Nelson had discussed the case with legal representatives in his private room. he said he thought the matter should be carefully investigated, although he accepted Mr. Manning's statements. His staff had been instructed to examine the company's record sheets, so it would not be right for the proceedings to continue.
DARLINGTON FARES UP?
AN application for higher fares has been suggested. by Darlington Transport Committee. If the town council agree, the Northern Traffic Commissioners will he asked to approve an allround increase of -1,(1.