2 JULY 1965, Page 20

Customers Revolt I see splendid possibilities in the dictum of

Mr. Aubrey Jones and his Board that the in-

dustry's customers should not accept the 5 per cent increase suggested by the Road Haulage Association. I see no reason why I should put a fourpenny stamp in future on my letters. I have still a stock of threepenny stamps to use up, and Mr. Wedgwood Benn has not proved to my satisfaction the need for an increase. Nor has this price increase of 33+ per cent been referred to Mr. Jones. Clearly we are expected to act on our own. There have been, I believe, well over 3,000 increases in prices since the general election, and a very high proportion of them are due directly or indirectly to the strange actions of this Government. The time has come to put a stop to it, and Mr. Aubrey Jones has shown the way.

We might begin by deducting 5 per cent from all bills sent to us by the nationalised industries, and instructing them to recoup the difference out of increased efficiency. All we need is a modern Hampden to start us off. I would like to volun- teer, but at this point I find myself with Tweedledum: 'I'm very brave generally, only today I happen to have a headache.'