§ Brigadier MackesonI beg to ask leave to present a Petition, signed by 55,000 persons engaged in or using road transport, asking that the proposals for nationalisation of this industry may be rejected. The Petitioners say they fear that under a system of road haulage owned and controlled by the Government many road haulage contractors and their employees will lose their means of livelihood, and that they believe the service will be less efficient and more expensive and harmful to the trade of this country. The Petition concludes with the following Prayer:
We, your Petitioners, humbly pray your honourable House to reject any proposals, which may hereafter be submitted to Parliament for approval or for legislation, with the object of replacing private enterprise in the provision of road transport, by a nationalised or Government-controlled system of transport. Your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.To lie upon the Table.