NO. 3 TRANSPORT LICENSING AREA

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22198, 15 September 1937, Page 6

NO. 3 TRANSPORT LICENSING AREA

•ii. i >ir. r.ijiToii ov 'niE i'iifc>S. Su-—it is very refreshing to read Hie remarks made by Mr Langford. the No. 3 Transport Licensing Authority. At Westoorr recently, when referring to the possibility of political pressure beinu brought to bear on the authority with issuing of Vcences for road transport, h- said, addressing a branch of the Labour Partv.—"l want to toll vou and the world that the Prime Minister will not exercise any pressure. I will deal with case.-, as I have the opportunity, on a fair and square basis, and no letters or utterances by members of Parliament, or anyone else, shall warp my judgment. The day that happens I am walking o< Tnese remarks have been noted from one end of New Zealand to the other, and no deubt Mr Lang ford will shortly be called upon to hear applications from transDort men who have relus°ci to sell their business to the Government. , . , In wni" instances letters winch contained veiled threats that the operator will not get a licence have been sent bv the Transport Department to men who do not want to sell out to the Government. If licences are refused for the sole reason that a man will not sell his business, then I consider it is nothing short of a grave injustice, for these transport men were on the roaa long before there was any talk or regulating their service. But my contention is that regulations may be all right but prohibiting the running of the service, which is a lawful business, just because the Railway Department wants to get this man's business into its own hands, is so unjust that no government should be a party to such tactics. I believe Mr Langfcrd to be strong enough to give a decision besed on justice irrespective of the Government's opinion. Railway Department views or the transport men's position, and that is why his remarks are so refreshing. —Yours, etc.. September 13, 1937.