Minister Criticizes Operator's Evidence
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IN an appeal decision announced last week, the Minister of Transport strongly criticized the quality of the evidence submitted by the respondents at the inquiry, and, although he has dismissed the appeal, he has ordered them to pay three-quarters of the costs o the case.
The appeal, made by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., and the British Transport Commission. was against the West Midland Licensing Authority's grant of a licence to G. H. Austin and Sons, Ltd., Stafford, authorizing them to run an express service from Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford to Margate and Ramsgate on certain wtek-ends in August,
At the three-day hearing last May, it was alleged by certain of the objectors that the respondents had submitted inaccurate evidence when they applied for the licence (The Commercial Nfotor, June .10).
In the decision, it was stated that "in view of the time takenat the appeal inquiry examining the accuracy of part of the documentary evidence, the Minister wishes to emphasize that the licensing procedure has been designed to be informal and flexible.
"It is, therefore, necessary to the success of the procedure that parties should show a:high sense of responsibility for the quality of the evidence they submit."
In deciding that three-quarters .of the costs should• be recovered from.Austins, the decision goes on, the Minister intended to indicate the seriousness with which he regarded the "reprehensible failure" of the respondents to meet that standard.
Austins appeal for additional vehicles and picking-up points at Cannock, Walsall, Kingstanding and Erdington was also rejected.
OIL ENGINES FOR CLEANSING
APAPER on the application of the oil engine to public cleansing work is to be presented to the conference of the Institute of Public Cleansing at Eastbourne by Mr. J. Scott, Edinburgh C!eansing Department.
On the opening day, June 12, Mr. I. Ames, Chislehurst and Sidcup transport officer, will speak about the mechanization of small tips. The vehicle demonstration will be held in Gildredge Park on the following day.
On June 14, a paper on snow removal and gritting will be read by Mr. D. W. Jackson, Sunderland cleansing superintendent, and Mr. R. P. Daffern, IC.!. Salt Division. Mr. Scott's lecture will be on that day.
A paper on refuse storage in multistorey buildings, by Mr. 0. G. Hughes, Westminster refuse-collection supervisor, and another on modern developments in workshop practice, by Mr. W. R. Booker, Rochdale cleansing superintendent, will be delivered on June 15.
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