ROAD TRANSPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 302, 21 December 1937, Page 16

ROAD TRANSPORT.

LICENSES GRANTED. CARRYING STOCK TO WORKS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. The case for the railways against the encroachment of road transport in stock carnage was pleaded before the Mr T l'T P ° r c P icensin " Authority, f 1 i. j' ° rd ' to " da y- Mr - langford had before him several applications from road operators for permission to carry stock to freezing works. They were granted, although a list of objections was entered by the Railway Department. For the Department. Mr. W. Rodger submitted that if certain road licenses were granted it would be to the detriment of the public's investment in the railway system. These licenses were not necessary nor desirable. He maintained the Department had provided every possible convenience in sheep loading races and yards at stations, reasonable rates, and adequate train service and special trucks. The volume of rail traffic bore this out, but if these licenses were granted there was no possible doubt that the traffic they secured would be diverted from the railways. Mr. R. A. Young, who appeared for a transport operator, said that the operators had been working on temporary licenses for some time, and with the granting of their applications now the position would be practically unchanged. It appeared that even with the operation of road services there was still full work for the Department.

Mr. Langford said he considered it desirable in the public interest that road operators should have access to freezing works with milk lambs, because of the possible inadequacy of the rail service. Buvcrsi used the railway when possible, but it was not always suitable, and road transport would provide the additional flexibility required.