TRANSPORT ON PENINSULA

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22804, 1 September 1939, Page 10

TRANSPORT ON PENINSULA

AMALGAMATION OF TWO OPERATORS AUTHORITY OPPOSED TO HIGHER CHARGES Determination not to increase the cost of transport to Banks Peninsula farmers unless it could be shown to be absolutely necessary was expressed by the No. 3 Transport Licensing Authority during the hear-, ing of applications by two peninsula goods service operators yesterday. Though a 'wider amaiga.Toat.ioTt oi operators was suggested, Mr Langford said it was on the Little RiverAkaroa route that overlapping chiefly occurred. He told the two applicants that they must come to an agreement within a month, or he would have to make some arrangement himself, .

The applicants were W. W. Reid, of 'Akaroa (Mr E. C. Champion), who sought a renewal of his goods service licence without amendment; arid A. J. Read, of Akaroa (Mr P. P. J. Amodeo), who also sought a renewal, but with the following amendments: Removal of the restriction of two tons on pay load capacity on the Akaroa-Christchurch route; and, that the licence be not subject to the price schedule, or alternatively that the additional 15 per cent, allowed on the peninsula for standard charges be increased. “Every farmer in these-times must count additional costs,” said Mr Langford, “I am not going to be responsible for an increase in charges unless it is absolutely necessary. Under the present method of operating it may be possible to show that an increase is justified, but under a more efficient method it might not be possible to show it.” He said that one service between Little River and Akaroa was all that was needed, and under an amalgamation arrange-' ment the two parties would be better off.

Reid gave in evidence ,an account of negotiations which had already been undertaken in an effort to reach an agreement. Asked by Mr Amodeo if he had approached other peninsula operators, Reid said he had proposed amalgamation nearly 12 months ago to a meeting attended by nearly all the operators in the district. The idea had not been favourably received. "The overlapping occurs largely between Little River and Akaroa,” said the authority. “That’s where all this price-cutting is going on.” (Reid added that he did not think the peninsula people knew what transport was. They had never seen it. He was willing to accept an arrangement suggested by the authority. / Mr Langford said it was desirable that the operators should come to

an agreement themselves. He wbuld give them till October 1 to do so. “If you can’t come to an arrangement I shall have to make one,” he said. Mr Amodeo asked if amalgamation were suggested for these two, or for all the operators on the peninsula. Mr Langford replied that his suggestions related to these two operators, and to statements made that they could not make their businesses pay with the Canterbury price I schedule, plus 15 per cent. They were old-established operators, and it should be possible. for • them to co-operate.