COSTLY TRANSPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 100, 29 April 1937, Page 8

COSTLY TRANSPORT.

UNECONOMIC SERVICES. CONFERENCE OF OPERATORS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) TE AWAMUTU, Wednesday. During the Transport Licensing Authority sitting at Te Awamutu to day Mr. Walsh, for the Waipa Carriers' Association, referred to what he termed the ridiculous over-lapping of milk and bobbv calf cartage services. ll e said that two of tlie largest carriers of this class of goods had conferred, and tliev were agreed that many of the service routes now served by three or four operators could be served adequately by one. In a few cases two operators would be necessary for milk cartage. In the bobby calf trade there were 18 operators with 51 vehicles. It was suggesetd that a zoning system might >e evolved to make the business economic. A conference could do a lot toward eliminating wastage, and the Licensing Authority, Mr. E. J. Phelan, was asked if he favoured such a course. Mr. Phelan said he was entirely in accord, and would do his best to bring about the desired improvement. Undesirable and uneconomic conditions prevailed in these trades, not only in the Te Aawmutu district, but throughout the Dominion. If unity could be reached here it would be an example to the rest of the Dominion. Some -solution of the problem was verv necessary, for a saving of thousands of pounds could be effected. In the bobby calf trade over-lapping and keen competition imposed serious wear and tear on the roads, said Mr. Phelan. Mr. Phelan concluded: "Get the operators together and I will talk to them with the object of eliminating much of the over-lapping." A conference was held later in committee, at which it is understood the carriers put forward several suggestions for eliminating over-lapping and ensuring the better conduct of the business. The carriers' views will also, it .is believed, be placed before the dairv companies,,in the hope that the fullest' co-operation will be brought about. 1