Marton Carrier Asks For Additional Seasonal Vehicle Authorities

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 May 1948, Page 2

Marton Carrier Asks For Additional Seasonal Vehicle Authorities

(0.C.) Marton, May 25. An' application by Eric William Tolley, carrier, Marton, for two additional seasonal vehicle authorities resulted in lengthy evidence being submitted to the No. 2 Transport Licensing Authority which sat in Marton this afternoon. Objections were lodged by Messrs. W. B. Parkes Ltd. and W. J. S. Thompson, carriers, Marton, for whom Mr. K A. Williams appeared, the Railways Department, represented by Mr. L. A. Whisker and the Manawatu Road, Transport Alliance (Mr. S. McDowell. Applicant was represented by Mr. J. R. L. Stanford.

The Authority, Mr. J. P. O. Skoglund, reserved his decision pending further investigations as to the intentions of other carriers who had previously been turned down with similar applications. Applicant asked for two additional seasonal authorities from November 1 to April 30 permitting for cartage of general goods with the right to run to and from Wanganui and Fordell saleyards with live stock and the right to travel one mile along the Onepuhi Road past the bridge in the Kiwitea county. At present applicant is already in possession of four vehicle authorities which allow him to serve in the above mentioned areas.

Led by Mr. Stanford, the applicanl said he was operating a large business carting stock and farm produce. Dui ing the past season he had had to re fuse work as he was too busy, some times working up to 11 hours a day Between 1946-47 and the present season there had been an increase of 8000 head of fat stock carted whil< his wages bill had gone up from £l,300 to £2OOO for the same number of men. It was to alleviate the shortage of transport that he applied foi two additional seasonal vehicle authorities. He had the trucks. Norman Shelton, company manage) of Messrs. Hodder and Tolley Ltd., seed merchants, Marton, said his firm conducted a larg« business in farm produce, the peak period being January to April. "At times it has been a real nightmare trying to get carriers to transport the produce from farms," said Mr. Shelton. Carrying firms had been too busy to attend to the orders. Mr. Shelton emphasised the need of transporting farm produce, such as grain, hay, straw and potatoes, quickly and spoke of the dangers of deterioration from leaving it outside in all weathers. "It would definitely ease the position if there were additional seasonal vehicle authorities granted," he claimed. Henry Frederick, company manager for Abrahem Seed Co. Ltd., Marton, gave corroborative evidence. A farmer from South Maklriklri, Lionel Wing, who deals extensively jn cropping, spoke of the difficulties he had experienced in engaging carriers to transport his farm produce and the deterioration which had resulted through being left out in the rain. John Nicholas Lawson, fat stockbuyer, Marton, gave evidence concerning the difficulty of getting stock carted away, through there being insufficient transport available.

“It has been a headache many a time trying to get a carrier," said David George McLennan, produce traveller for the N.Z. Farmers' Dist. Co., Ltd., in corroborating the evidence of previous witnesses.

Led by Mr L. A Whisker (Wanganui), Ernest Leo Roache, goods clerk at Marton Railways Station, said there were six goods trains a day operating between Marton and Wanganui. There had been only rare occasions when the railways had been unable to meet orders to carry stock. Generally they were all fulfilled.

Mrs. F. E. Matthews on behalf of Matthews and Son (Wanganui) said her sons were willing to domicile a vehicle in Marton if there was sufficient business as there seemed to be according to the evidence produced. Her firm had a vehicle authority to operate in the district mentioned, but this was suspended when her son went overseas.

“Since listening to the evidence, our objections have been narrowed down to the cartage of live stock to Wanganui and the cartage of general goods in the Rangitikei area with the exception of wheat, hay, straw and farm produce,” said Mr. Williams. Mr. McDowell submitted there was sufficient transport available and if the application was granted it should be limited to the area adjacent to Marton and no further north than Rata and not over the Rangitikei River.

Mr. L. J. Cameron, on behalf of the Rehabilitation Department, referred the Authority to a previous application by a returned serviceman some months ago which had been adjourned sine die because the weight of evidence produced was against the need for an additional licence. He considered this returned serviceman should be given a chance to make a further application if business warranted it.

Mr. Whisker said the railways objection was with the cartage of stock from Marton to Wanganui. It had not been proved, he contended, that the railways had been unable to cater for the traffic.

“Evidence in the past has been that there has been sufficient transport in the district. Now, today, it is to the contrary,” said Mr. Skoglund. That, he added, was general all over New Zealand. Before giving his decision, he said he wanted to know the positions of other applicants who had been turned down previously and ascertained whether they were still interested. Then there was the evidence of Mrs. Matthews, who was willing to domicile a vehicle in Marton. One additional vehicle authority might be enough for Tolley in the circumstances, said Mr. Skoglund. As stated previously, the authority reserved his decision.