THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22466, 29 July 1938, Page 12

THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM

MINISTER DEFENDS POLICY NEED FOR GOOD ROADS EMPHASISED PROBLEMS OF MODERN DEVELOPMENTS [From Our • Parliamentary Repc ter.l WELLINGTON, July 28. Figures'illustrating the development of road transport and the value to the country of the transport system generally were quoted by the Hon. R. Semple (Minister for Transport) during the financial debate in the House of Representatives to-night. In reply to Opposition criticism of the Government's policy in acquiring certain road services, Mr Semple said that out of 10,000 road services in New Zealand the Government had negotiated with only 54, and of those had actually] taken over 22. The Minister said that between •December, 1935, and December, 1937 the number of motor vehicles licensed m New Zealand rose by 47,000 to 261,000, while in the same years petrol consumption had increased from 63,000,000 gallons to 82,000,000 gallons. Capital invested in transport, including roads, had risen from £89.000,000 in 1927-28 to £148,000,000 in 1937-38, an increase of £59,000.000 in 10 years, and in tne same 10 years the amount spent on operating motor vehicles had risen from £22,000,000 to £38.000.000, and the number of miles travelled by persons had gone up from 800 miles a head to 1600 miles a head. Between 1933-34 and 1936-37 expenditure on roads had increased by £2.000.000 to more than £9,000.000. Road Services "In 1926 the Motor Omnibus Act was passed by the late Government to protect the £5.000,000 invested in trams, Mr Semple said. "In the following two years the Government of the day purchased 14 road services at a cost of more than £70.000 to protect that £5,000,000. and the present Government, since it assumed office, has negotiated with 54 road services and taken over 22 to protect the £60,000,000 of public money invested in the railways. The Ceader of the Opposition says we are gobbling up these services; but out of 10.000 we have taken over only 22. The late Government paid road operators for their assets, and'no more; but no Government in the world has treated them more fairly than we have done." New transport had brought new, problems, the Minister added, and he wished to affirm that modern developments had rendered a great part of the roading system of the Dominion obsolete and dangerous. That had.beten recognised in every country in the world, even where roads had been built for centuries. New Zealand, which was the second highest motorised country in the world, had the same problems as other countries, although its death-rate on the roads was the lowest, a fact for which he took some credit, and it was obvious that the Dominion must follow the lead of other countries which were tackling the problem in an up-to-date manner. It was no use tightening up the traffic laws and inflicting greater punishment on offenders if the roading system was at fault.