§ 5. Mr. Haireasked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that many road haulage contractors are suffering considerable reduction in traffic as a result of the greatly increased issue of C licences; and what steps he proposes to take to protect their rights to adequate compensation when taken over by the Transport Commission.
§ Mr. BarnesA trader has always been and still is free to take out a C licence to carry his own goods in his own vehicles and the law gives no protection to road or rail carriers against any loss of traffic which they may suffer in consequence. I have no information as to the extent of any such losses by hauliers but if an undertaking to be acquired by the Commission has lost traffic in this way, I can see no reason why such losses should be disregarded in assessing compensation. This must be based on the facts as they are at the material time.