MOTOR TRANSPORT

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19644, 13 June 1929, Page 14

MOTOR TRANSPORT

ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETS. THE MINISTER'S ADDRESS. I THE FKESS Special Service] WELLINGTON, Jane 1~ Important aspects of the transport problem in -Xew Zealand were dealt, with bv the Minister for Transport (the Hon. Mr Veiteh) at the inaugural meeting or! tiie Transport Advisory Coun.il to-day. Mr Vcitch announced that the Government had decided to postpone consideration of the question ot motor taxation until such time as further statistical information was available and the country's financial position was improved. Mr R. Masters presided and other members present were: Messrs If. C. Jones (Auckland), representing the North Island Motor Union, G. A. Troup representing the New Zealand Municipal Association, E. Smith (Christehurch), representing the Xcw Zealand Master Carriers' Association, ][. L. .Rogers (Wellington), representing tho -wholesale and retail motor trades ot" New Zealand, A. Parlane

!( Wellington), representing labour eni gaged in transport work, W. Morrison (Maxwell), representing the New Zealand Counties' Association, J. H. Knight 1 (Wellington), representing the service car proprietors, L. A. Lonergan (Wellington), representing the motor omnibus proprietors, and Mr J. S. Hunter (Commissioner of Transport). The only member of the Council not present was Mr H. Halliday (Dunedin), tho representative of the South Island Motor Union, who was delayed by the late arrival of the ferry steamer. Mr Veiteh said "the Council had boon selected in a somewhat peculiar way to do a very special -work. The prinicple laid down by him in determining tho constitution of tho Council bad been as follows: It was not intended that it should be a well-balanced conflict of interests or a well-balanced struggle between conflicting interests. It was intended to be, and he sincerely believed it was, a Council consisting of men who had knowledge and experience of tho motor transport business in all its phases. The gentlemen sitting at the Council table could speak as experts on every feature of the transport problem that could come before the Council. 110 knew that every member would rise far above sectional interests and would consider every problem from a national point of view. "Perhaps you will be a little disappointed that the question of motor taxation is not being brought before you at this inaugural meeting," said tho Minister. "Tho reason for that is that there are several other more urgent problems calling for attention. Those problems are laid down on the agenda paper, which will be referred to you by the chairman presently. The position we are in in regard to motor taxation is that all motor taxation except heavy traffic fees is provided for in the law itself. Therefore, we cannot deal with any feature of motor taxation except heavy traffic fees.' Until Parliament meets I think it will appeal to your.commonsense that it would not be a wise thing to make a decision on any feature of motor taxation, such as heavy traffic fees payable quarterly in advance instead of annually, that leaA-es it open for us to make any concession or increase in regard to any feature of motor taxation and to do it all at I once. Furthermore, we are not yet in possession -of sufficient statistical information to enable us to arrive at a decision that -would finally prove to be equitable. There is the additional consideration that during the last financial year the Consolidated Fund was not in a very wholesome condition. At March 31st last there was disclosed a a deficit of considerably o\er £500,000, so the extent to which the Government will be able to make alterations or concessions in motor taxation generally will depend very largely on the state of the finances of,the country, say, six months from now. Those are the reasons which led the Government to postpone its decision for the present, and no harm can be done by the postponement.' ' Mr Veiteh went on to say he had been rather sorry to read some of the Press controversy which had taken place on the question of motor transport. So far as the Government was concerned discussion and criticism of its proposals were welcomed and he himself had no grievance, but anything in the form of sectional controversy was very.apt to cloud the real issues. Mr Veiteh asked if hei might presume to suggest to all parties concerned in the transport industry that as far as possible sectional controversy be avoided, altogether. Strife was injurious to aoiy cause and the real way to lift motor transport into its legitimate position in the scheme of things in New Zealand was for all concerned to pull together just as closely as ever they could in a spirit of goodwill. The Minister said he found it necessary to make an explanation of the workers' representative on the Council (Mr A. Parlane). It appeared to have got into the public mind that Mr Parlane had been appointed as a representative of a political section of tho people or of a particular industrial section. The principle laid down in the appointment of a workers' representative was that every section of the people engaged in the transport industry was entitled to be represented on the Council. Surely the wage-earners engaged in the industry were entitled to a spokesman at the Council table? Mr Parlane was there as a representative of the wage-earners employed in the transport industry. "The general position of transport in New Zealand is one of tremendous importance," said the Minister. "The first impression that, settled in the public mind in regard to the motor transport problem was that it was going to resolve itself into a struggle between the Railway Department and the transport services. I sincerely believe that that is not the case. I am quite certain that motor transport will never supplant the Railway Depart- | ment. nor will the Railway Department j ever oust the motor services from the transport business. Nor is there any I reason why either should attempt to do anything of the kind. So far as long distance transport is concerned there is a great future for the New Zealand Railway Department.'' Mr Veiteh added that New Zealand was rapidly returning to a period of prosperity. They were going into a big forward movement in New Zealand m which primary production would rise to a higher altitude than it had ever risen before, and seconaary industries would also play their part. There was going to be ample room for the railway services and the transport services to tn.ke a hand in the great forward movement. So far as the Government, was concerned the motor was entitled to its place in the general advancement and no attempt would be made to suppress it in any way in the interests of the Railway Department or any other Department. There was work for tho Council to do for years ahead, and he believed that by the exercise of a little rommonsense the Council could do a very great deal to help to dev*e!op the » Dominion.