The Transport Bill.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19734, 26 September 1929, Page 8

The Transport Bill.

The Transport Bill introduced to the House on Tuesday is, according to the explanatory statement attached, to be considered as the first step towards the preparation of a comprehensive measure dealing with motor transport generally. It contains proposals the full effect of which it will take time to understand, and it is intended by the South Island Motor Union at the annual meeting on Friday to have some of these investigated. Meanwhile, we may note some of the principal changes proposed. According to the Bill the creation of two independent Highways Boards, one for the North Island and the other for the South, as originally promised by the Prime Minister, is to be abandoned, and we are to have instead a j newly constituted Main ; Highways | Board exercising very wide powers throughout the whole Dominion. The proposed new Board is to consist of uint members, four representing counties (two from each Island), two representing motor owners (one from each Island), and three Government nominees (one of whom is to be the chairman of the Board). This in itself will arouse very ■trong opposition

from motoring Organisations, especially in tfaa South Island, and it will not be surprising if the view is bold that the Bill is simply another medium for an e.\ .-tided exercise of Departmental pov.ers to the exclusion of local control and local opinions. There are, however, other changes proposed in the Bill, which ai|p equally debatable. to aay nothing at the moment of the most questionable and dangerous provision of all, thafc which leaves the Minister free to apportion expenditure M he chooses between the North and South Islands. The duty of examining applicants and issuing drivers' licenses is to be undertaken by the Department, although the examining may be performed by a local authority acting with the Commissioner of Transport's concurrence, and the license fees are to be paid over to the local authorities less " such '• amount as may be prescribed" for administrative expenses. But if the whole of the work is undertaken by the Department the claim of the local authorities to any share of the fees will apparently disappear, and this very substantial source of local revenue may be lost altogether. Motorists are to be made liable under the Bill to more drastic penalties for certain offences, but on the other hand provision is made for appeals against disqualifications and for the giving of timely notice of an intention to prosecute for minor misdemeanours. Then important changes are contemplated in the matter of the licensing of bus services the effect of which will be to give State and local body services an advantage over those conducted by private enterprise, although certain safeguards are proposed for the protection of privately-owned services against unjust officialdom. Since the Bill may be expected to be followed by later legislation all designed to place plenary powers in the hands of the new Department of Transport, these proposals cannot be examined too closely.