Farmers Stop Judge From Hearing Appeal

Chronicle (Levin), 14 December 1949, Page 3

Farmers Stop Judge From Hearing Appeal

WELLINGTON, Dec. 13. Judge Archer, ehairman of the Transport Charges Appeal Authority, was prevented today from hearing a transport appeal, by an injunction served on him by Federated Farmers of New Zealand.' The appeal — lodged by Cheeker Delivery Service LtdJ, of Auckland, a'gainst the refusal of the transport charges committee to grant a general increase in goods-service charges throughout New Zealand — was set down|for hearing this morning. Last week Federated . Farmers filed land served a motion for a writ of projhibition against the hearing of the appeal. Mr J. C. Adams, spokesman .fof Federated Farmers, said legdi .action had been taken because interprbtatioha-. of ihe' Transport Amendment Act 194^. were lii doubt. The farmers ' organish tion felt that the Act made - no -provi*. sions to enable the appeal authority to hear an appeal such as the one entered by Cheeker Delivery Service against a ruling given by the transport charges committee on general grounds. Naturally, added Mr Adams, Federated Farmers was satisfied with the cominittee 's decision, that an mCrease in goods-service . charges in New Zealand was i not warranted. "We are quite happy with that decision, ' ' said Mr Adams. "However, the main reason for legal action was that the organisation wished to clear up interpretations of the Act and they could be clarified only by a Supreme Court ruling." The legal representatives of Federated Farmers said it was hoped the matter would come forward for hearing in the Supreme Court this week.