§ 83 and 84. Mr. THORNEasked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he can give the House any information in connection with the case of overworking lorry drivers that came before the Bow Street stipendiary magistrate on 15th September against a fruit company of Hanover Court, W.C.; whether he can state the number of summonses that were taken out against the firm under the Road Traffic Act, 1930; and what action he intends taking in the matter;
(2) whether he can give the House any information in connection with the case before the magistrate at the South Western police court when a lorry-driver was charged with driving a lorry weighing more than five tons across Wandsworth Bridge; whether he is aware that the defendant stated that the firm had dismissed him because he refused to falsify the log-book; and what action he intends taking in the matter?
Captain HUDSONIndividual cases which come before the courts are not reported to my right hon. Friend, but if the hon. Gentleman at any time sends particulars of any instances of alleged penalisation following upon such cases, he will be only too happy to forward them to the responsible licensing authorities, who, I am sure, appreciate the need to prevent, so far as they can, unfair practices.
§ Mr. THORNEDoes the hon. and gallant Gentleman not consider that it is the duty of his inspectors to send along all this information, which appears 511 in the Press, and not to have to dig it up when wanted?
Captain HUDSONThe Traffic Commissioners are independent of the Ministry of Transport. They take some of these cases up, and in other cases it is the police who do so.
§ Mr. BENJAMIN SMITHHas the Minister of Transport not the duty under the Act to appoint examiners, and did he not state in this House, before the end of last Session, that he was seriously considering augmenting their numbers?