A VIGOROUS PROTEST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 15, 23 August 1946, Page 5

A VIGOROUS PROTEST

PROTECTIVE RACKET ALLEGED

SOME STRAIGHT TALK MONOPOLIES CONDEMNED One of the most heated interludes ever witnessed at local hearings of the No. 1 Transport Licensing Authority sittings tqok place on Tuesday afternoon, when Mr B. S. Barry indulged in some of the straightest talk we have heard at any public session when he attacked most vigorously the applications of Messrs. Hall and Stewart and Messrs. Brabant Bros, for additional vehicle authorities.

“I oppose this in the names of all the returned servicemen I have appeared for in this room over the past two years, when these same applications have declared that there was no more room for any more carriers—and that the work was more than enough to go round,” said Mr Barry. “Time and time again young men wanting to get a start have been frozen out and if these new applications are granted in the face of what has taken place in the past I can only say that the local Carriers Association is a farce—no worse than that, its a pure ‘racket.’

Cross Argument

Mr Barry was proceeding to cross examine Mr Hall who declared that his application was compelled by sheer necessity owing to the natural expansion of his business. The cross talk was warming readily between the two when the chairman intervened reminding both parties that this was not a place for an argument. Mr Barry: What. I’m objecting to is the application by this firm which has over and over again assured us that there was no reason for any other carrier to operate here. The chairman: I must disregard anything that may have happened in the past. Its what they say here and now that I’m interested in. There may be a definite set of circumstances which makes a new vehicle authority necessary. Mr Barry: It would appear that they are the judges in this matter, not you, when it comes to the granting of licenses. The chairman: We should stick to this case. Ex-servicemen Favoured Mr Hall went on to say that he had taken on a partner who was a returned man and had recently included three others in the firm as partners. He had done all he could to help the ex-servicemen to get rehabilitated. The chairman then observed that if an expanding business genuinely required additional vehicle authorities the Authority had no option but to grant them. He remarked further +hat carriers generally had given a tremendous lot of assistance to assist in rehabilitating the soldiers. When the application by Messrs. Brabant Bros, also came forward for variation of an existing P.W.D. license and also an additional vehicle authority, Mr Drake of the Rehabiiltation Department said that from enquiries he had learnt that these two firms had virtually the monopoly of the carrying business in this town. He could show that they had consistently opposed exservicemen applying for licenses over the past 12 months and with all due respect to the chairman he differed from his point of view.

Further Interjections H. Brabant in evidence said that the expansion of business was normal and concerned existing clients only. In reply to a query from the chairman, applicant was proceeding to explain the position of previous returned men who applied for licenses when Mr Barry interjected strongly. The chairman: Who’s that shouting out! Mr Barry: It’s me Sir, Mr Brabant is trying to cloud the whole issue. The chairman: You’ll get your opportunity later. Continuing, Mr Brabant said that he was chairman of the local Carriers Association and Mr Hall an ex-chairman.

Inconsistency Alleged When given his chance to voice an objection, Mr Barry did so again in no uncertain terms, pointing out the inconsistency of the two applicants who said that there was no work for new operators and yet when it suited themselves were just as ready to declare that there was more work than they could cope with. He offered to bring two men to court that day who were willing to start carrying if only they could be given the license to do so.

The chairman (to applicant): Don’t you think it would be a graceful act to let a returned man make a start to cope with the work. Applicant: There is the difficulty of existing contracts Sir, and I would like to point out for that my firm has done all in its power to assist the returned men. I myself am a returned man from both wars. Mr Drake stated that he desired to associate himself most strongly with the remarks of Mr Barry on the question of inconsistent evidence. In reserving his decisions in both cases the chairman said that the applications would be thoroughly investigated before anything was done.