BIRD'S EYE VIEW
Page 48
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By The Hawk
There breezed into my office one recent afternoon a lively visitor from New Zealand. He was Lynn McKenzie, a carrier from Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, and a member and former councillor of the New Zealand Road Transport Alliance.
Lynn is over here with his wife and the unmarried section of his family of five daughters for a few months. The McKenzies have just completed an extended trip around the Continent in a motor caravan. It is their second visit to the U.K.; they were here before in 1957. When they leave this country, they plan to visit the United States. In all, their " holiday " is planned to last for two years.
Seems like haulage in New Zealand is a profitable business.
A Lively Visitor
Receiving devices for picking up radar signals are being used by some road-users to warn them that they are approaching police radar speed detecting apparatus. I've just seen a notice issued by the G.P.O. which points out that such devices are wireless receivers, and as such can only be used legally under licence from the Postmaster General. It also declares that according to international radio regulations the U.K. is "bound to take the necessary measures to ensure that there is no unauthorized interception of radio communications not intended for general use of the public ". For those who may be in particular need of this information the penalty for infringing these regulations is prosecution under the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1949. For a first
Necessary Measures
offence the fine is £10, and for each subsequent offence £50. Might as well get done for speeding!
I note that in a recent issue of the Metropolitan "As and Ds" a grant has been made to the British Mineral Corporation Ltd., whose base is at Marylebone Coal Yard. They have been granted the continuation of a B licence conditioned "Mineral waters, within 60 miles ". The applicants are coke and coal factors. Are the mineral waters " Coka Coala "?
Coka Coala
Transport on T.V. Whilst I am rather afraid the
impact will be limited. I applaud Associated Television (A.T.V.) for their decision to launch a 13-programme series on transport problems. They are to be screened, starting on January 12, at 9.55 a.m. on Sundays.
Six of the programmes will, I am told, deal with road matters. Five will feature Dr. M. Beesley, of the Road Research Laboratory, and the sixth Christopher Foster, lecturer on economics at Jesus College, Oxford. G. T. Ponsonby, Sir Ernest Cassell reader in commerce (transport) at the London School of Economics, has supervised the scripts.
Now these gentlemen are all extremely knowledgeable; but I do rather wonder whether A.T.V. would not have been better served by getting a few operators in on the programmes. Certainly, any attempt to get the problem across to the public is to be applauded. But there is, I think, a danger of getting bogged down in too much learned theorizing.
This tale is true; Len East, managing director of Cyprien-Fox (Transport) Ltd., so swears. He sent a lorry, part-loaded with cases of tinned salmon, to a certain prison to deliver coils of wire. The wire was off-loaded by prisoners. The driver and four warders all stood guard over the salmon. At the end, one case was missing. Driver raises Cain. Eventually Governor of prison himself arrives and, when heating driver's complaint, says, with great dignity (and, I suspect, latent humour): " Are you suggesting I control a bunch of thieves?"
Thieves' Kitchen
One haulier I know of is going to retain very happy memories of 1963. This lucky man is Don Dodd, a Billericay contractor who recently won a major prize of .£1,341 16s. 3d. at the Southend-onSea Regal Bingo Club. Doubtless Don will have a happy New Year—let's hope you do too.
Lucky for Some