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Beware of Monopoly !

30th October 1936
Page 25
Page 25, 30th October 1936 — Beware of Monopoly !
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LAIST December we published an urgent warning regarding the position of road transport in Northern Ireland and the possibility of this being reflected in England.

This danger is again brought into prominence by reason of an address delivered in Belfast before a Unionists' Association by Captain Herbert Dixon, M.P., the Ulster Government whip.

He stated that Mr. Hore-Belisha, the British Minister of Transport, had taken a deep interest in the Ulster Government's efforts to relieve the chaotic conditions of road transport in Northern Ireland, and had requested arkangernents to be made for him to visit Belfast with a view to studying the results of the scheme from every angle. Captain Dixon added that Northern Ireland is the only large area where there has been a co-ordination of road transport, and it would not surprise him if similar measures were to be adopted in the near future throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

There are many. critics of the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board, and numerous resolutions have been passed by chambers of commerce and county and other councils, complaining of higher fares and freight rates, reduced services and the "take it or leave it" attitude, which it is so easy for a monopoly of this description to adopt.

It is highly probable that the Minister will be kept from contact with such critics, and doubtless he will not be told that, whilst the larger undertakings whic h have been absorbed may have been adequately compensated, the small men, being ill-equipptcl to fight or unable to appeal after the ‘` first round," are being offered, and forced to accept, sums bearing no relation to the value of their businesses. These, although, perhaps, small, did at least provide their owners with their livelihoods, which, in most cases, it will be impossible to obtain from the compensation paid.

Mr. Hore-Belisha has shown himself to be a keen experimentalist and, apparently, willing. to try anything once, but it may be regarded as certain that if once the passenger and goods services of this .country were to be brought under the control of a Board, that control would never be relinquished.

There is, therefore, all the more reason why road transport should do all in its power to link together the conflicting interests which now exist and utilize its tremendous potential power to fight for the continuance of that freedom which is so essential to the well-being of the many thousands that depend upon it. The' need for suppressing internal friction might easily be seized upon by the Government as an excuse, for such a drastic step as that which has been taken in Northern Ireland.


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