GOODS LICENCES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 239, 20 July 1945, Page 4

GOODS LICENCES

MORE AUTHORITIES SOUGHT.

TWO ASHBURTON FIRMS.

HEARING OF OBJECTIONS. Objections and counter-objections, formal and informal, were the order of the day when Mid-Canterbury Transport and Burnett’s Motors applied for additional vehicle authorities before the No. 3 Transport LicensingAuthority (Mr T. H. Langford), at Ashburton, yesterday. Mid-Canterbury Transport, for whom Mr C. G. deC. Drury appeared, sought renewal of two seasonal authorities for general goods in the county; deletion of a licence for a trailer conditional on the granting of a new continuous authoi’ity on the same renewal of 68 authorities; an amendment to one licence to give carte blanche in the carting of shingle from the firm’s own crushing plant instead of restricting it to certain recipients; amendments to a licence extending radius from one mile to five miles from Methven Railway Station; and six additional authorities for trailers to carry general goods in the county. Mr C. G. Rands, on behalf of the Rehabilitation Department, objected to the application for six additional authorities for trailers. Mr C. S. Thomas (with him Mr V. W. Russell) who appeared for Burnett’s Motors, lodged a formal objection.

Mid-Canterbury Transport in turn objected to an application by Bur.liett’s Motors for five additional vehicle authorities for the cartagj at goods in the county. Application by Burnett’s Motors for the renewal of nine authorities and by Mid-Canterbury Transport in cornice tion with the cartage of shingle and the ex’ * nsion of radius was approved. Mr Longford reserved his decisions in the other applications by the two firms. In evidence, John Baptist Cullen managing director of Mid-Canterbury Transport, said the six extra trailers needed by his firm were to carry farm stock which could not be handled now.

Not Too Much Business,

Questioned by Mr Rands, witness said he could not estimate off-hand how many trucks were operating all the year. The firm had about 76 trucks and there were always eight or nine off the road for repairs. Trailers carried from 15 to 20 sheep.' The application for additional trailer authorities did ttht .- hieah, ; that the firm had more business than it qpuld handle. A returned serviceman —or two operating as a company —could not make anything out Of the business that would be done by; the trailers.

To Mr Thomas-witness said the vehicle authorities the firm already had could bo used on trailers. They could be changed about when trailers were necessary, hut there was a liabillity toward forgetfulness. Mr Thomas: “Then the sooner that liability is dropped the better.” Continuing, witness said the firm could do." without the trailers but they were required for convenience. Mr Thomas: “Convenience! That is an extraordinary word to use in this connection. Do you need the traileis for the proper carrying on of your business.”-—I wonder what you are getting at. Mr Thomas: “I know you do—hut please do not use the word ‘conveni-

ence’ again.”

Increased Work Denied.’’

The business of the firm had not grown appreciably since 1941, said witness. It was very doubtful if there were ever times when there were no authorities to spare for trailers. Witness denied that the business of the firm had grown and that the extra authorities were needed to handle it. He could not agree that the wastage of vehicles during the slack season was “tremendous,” the word used by the auditor who checked the affairs of the firm in 1941. Wastage, however, was still a problem.

Explaining to Mr Rands the application to convert' a licence for a trailer to an ordinary vehicle authority Mr Cullen said it was not his intention to apply later to have the six trade: authorities in dispute converted to more vehicle authorities. Trailers were needed for the efficient l unions of the business. Case for Burnett’s.

Submitting the case for Burnett s Motors, Mr Thomas said the business of the firm had grown tremendously in the last few years. The increases in Burnett’s business were largely attributable to the increase in the demand for lime. The appellant was a pioneer of the system of spreading lime by trucks. The value of lime spread quadrupled between 1941 and 1944. More than twice the acreage in Canterbury which had lime scattered on it by this method in 1941 was similarly treated in 1944. In 1941 Burnett s Motors carted 667 tons of hay—in 1943 2706 tons were carted and in .1944, 3580 tons were carted. In spite of restrictions, the number of tractors in the district had more than doubled itself since 1938. The results of irrigation in the county must not be overlooked —the Government had prophesied that production between the Raugitata and Rakaia Rivers would increase tremendously. The firm was always in a difficult position at the height of the grain season because there were not enough vehicle authorities. Temporary licences were available only for a fortnight and if there was a lapse in renewing them the holders weie prosecuted. Mr Thomas submitted that the same position applied to Mid-Canter-bury Transport, but the firm would not come out in the open and say so, preferring instead, 1o apply merely for trailer authorities as a form of camou-

flage. Burnett’s Motors had 16 men away with the armed forces and had taken on 19 returned men. H moie authorities were granted all mine employees of the firm could be rehabilitated without affecting the position of existing employees. If limned men were given licences Burnett was prepared to assist them. 1 Cross-examined by Mr Drury, Robert Alexander Burnett said that in addition to the five, authorities applied for his firm had 16 ancillary licences. Some of the coal and lime carted by his trucks belonged to Burnett himself Witness said he had applied to Mid-Canterbury Transport for assistance to cart wheat and had not been able- to get it, . To Mr Rands, witness said he was 37 years old and Grade 1 militarily. Conflicting Evidence.

Mr Drury said lie was sorry to submit evidence so definitely conflicting with that of Burnett, but Mid-Canter-bury Transport had never received an application for assistance to cart wheat. Of 36 employees of the firm called up for service, 12 had returned to their positions. Too little was said about those who did not go into the forces. They had been appealed for by the company, largely against thenown wishes. Cullen said there had been plenty of lorries available, to cart grain last season. Any hold-ups that occurred were the result of stores being unable to cope with grain. It, was possible that Burnett had applied to Mid-Can-terbury Transport for assistance without witness knowing. If the assistance was wanted at short notice it was probably refused. Mr Thomas: “Burnett wants five new authorities for vehicles ; Mid-Can-terbury Transport wants six new. authorities for trailers. Why do not bolh parties live and let live? Mr Cullen, do you swear that you had no idea, when asked a while ago on oath whether your business had increased? If you have been wrong on that, how do we know that you have not done so about other things. You are supposed to be the Napoleon of finance in Ashburton.” —1 do not understand you. _ Mr’ Rands said wartime conditions were responsible for the increases in the business of both companies. Rather than start off as an employee of a big transport operator, it was better for a, returned serviceman to start off in a small way on his own.