Application To Cart Sand Declined

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31727, 10 July 1968, Page 19

Application To Cart Sand Declined

An application by Webbs Transport, Ltd, of Mount Somers, to cart silica sand from Cavendish to Christchurch by road free of railway restriction has been declined by the No. 9 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr J. M. Dwyer) in a reserved decision. The Authority has modified the company's licence to permit loading to rail at either Ashburton or Methven. At the hearing on June 27 the company applied for exemption from the rail restriction for six vehicle authorities. The application was supported by Fletcher Industries, Ltd, on the ground that cartage by road would be cheaper, and unless the cost of the sand was reduced it would be unable to compete on the whole New Zealand market with the product it made with the sand. In his decision the Authority said it appeared that if Fletcher Industries could not

accept the applicant’s offer of cartage, it would negotiate to get sand from within the rail exemption limit. If the sand was obtainable from about half the present distance then the business might be lost to the railways and the applicant in any case. He did not think a special case existed to justify exemption, the Authority said. Partly Granted

In another reserved decision the Authority partly granted an application by Alan McCormick, Ltd, Tinwald. The company (Mr R. G. Sinclair), in a hearing at Ashburton on June 18, asked for its licence to be amended by extending the class of goods from superphosphate in bulk to lime and fertilisers. The Authority said he was satisfied that the applicant should be allowed to carry any fertiliser he would spread, but he did not feel permission to carry bagged fertilisers which the farmer would spread would be justified.