Railways Deny Using Court Evidence A LLEGATIONS concerning railway
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canvassing for business led to sharp passages during the hearingof an application before Mr. E. Russell Gurney, Yorkshire Deputy Licensing Authority, at York, last Friday.
Mr. G. F. Hind, of Selby, sought permission to replace a vehicle by another one of a heavier unladen weight, but with the same carrying capacity. When he was being crossexamined by Mr. Sturge (for the railway companies) with reference to a firm for whom, he stated, he did a considerable amount of work, Mr. Hind said he did not see why he should disclose his business to the railway companies.
Mr. S. E. Pitts (for Mr, Hind) thereupon remarked that he did not see why the name of the firm should be revealed, as invariably the railway companies took advantage of such disclosures by canvassing for work. Mr. Sturge denied that the railways ever used information obtained in the traffic courts for the purpose of canvassing for work, and suggested that Mr. Pitts was merely making these allegations to prejudice the Authority's mind.
Mr. Gurney: "They never do. I do not like these subterranean suggestions. If I find that any advantage is being taken by any person of any evidence, I shall remember."
Mr. Pitts declared that he could Drove his claim up to the hilt. He could call many witnesses to say 'that, after the names of firms had been mentioned in the traffic court, these firms had been canvassed by the railways.
When Mr. Hind handed to Mr. Gurney a piece of paper bearing the name of the firm, Mr. Gurney said that Mr. Sturge could see it, if he wished, for the purposes of putting questions..-.
The application was granted.