Hauliers Affected by Cotton-trade Slump
Page 28
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
"WHAT are fluctuations in trade?"
VV and "What is reasonable' -under Section 10 subsection 3 of the 1933 Road and Rail Traffic Act?" are questions at present exercising the mind of the North-Western Licensing Authority, Mr. W. Chamberlain, because of the slump in the Lancashire cotton trade. 'Suggestions were made by Mr. H. Backhouse at a public inquiry at Manchester, last week, which might give guidance towards a general settlement.
The application, for a regrant, was by Mr. L. Newth, trading as Messrs. Newbir Transport, at Droylsden, Manchester, one of whose vehicles had not been used since June, 1937. Mr. W. Chamberlain intimated that there must he a limit to that kind of thing. He could not allow authorized vehicles, that were not registered, to remain on licences indefinitely.
Mr. Backhouse replied that the position of Mr. Newth, as of many other cotton-trade hauliers, was wholly due to the slump in that trade.
Mr. Chamberlain pointed out that Section 10/3 charged him with a responsibility with regard to which there was some difficulty of interpretation, but he would be the last person to take too strict a view of that discretion.
Mr. Backhouse wondered whether the machinery used at the beginning of "frozen tonnage" could not be introduced temporarily to bridge the gap. The vehicle not in use might be licensed as a hiring allowance, so that the operator could at once hire a vehicle, without driver, as occasion arose and then apply to have the hiring allowance converted.
Mr. Chamberlain said he liked the hiring-allowance suggestion and would give it careful consideration in relation to an opposed application. The application before him he granted, with the intimation that it might be necessary for him to proceed under Section 10/3.