TRANSPORT BILL

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22804, 1 September 1939, Page 12

TRANSPORT BILL

MINISTER EXPLAINS i PROVISIONS GREATER SAFETY ON THE ROADS “WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER MUST BE STOPPED” [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON, August 31. "The fundamental object of this bill Is to secure a greater degree of efficiency and safety on the roads, because we have got to stop the wholesale slaughter that has been going on,” said the Minister for Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) when moving the second reading of the Transport Law Amendment BiU in the House of Representatives to-night. The Minister said he thought there would be some opposition to the proposal in the bill not to give the counties or smaller boroughs any revenue from the licence fees. They did not spend any of that money on, traffic control, however, and motorists’ licence fees were never intended to help to balance a county budget. The liability for control in those areas would be taken over by the Transport Department, and those local bodies in that class which at present contributed something to the funds of the department would be relieved of that liability. “I know I will be accused of robbing the counties,” Mr Semple said; “but I think they will agree that since I have been Minister for Public Works they have had a fair deal from me. One of my first acts was to take over 4000 miles of main roads as State highways—the counties should never have been held responsible for those roads, anyway—and we have built many bridges and performed many emergency services without attempting to cripple counties by imposing additional costs. This Government has been quite as liberal to them, or possibly more liberal, than any previous Government. Motorists’ licence fees should be used to help to protect life on the roads, and for no other purpose.” Some of the carriers who were to be brought under the transport licensing system were not playing the game, the Minister said, when commenting on that provision in the bill. They were pushing on to the railways the things that did not pay, and taking the rest. Those who were not playing a foul game would have nothing to. fear in coming before the licensing authority every year; but it would be a way of detecting those who were operating unfairly. Emphasising the increase in motor transport, the Minister said that the number of vehicles on the roads had grown by 99,000 in the last four years, and there were' sufficient cars to take everyone in the Dominion for a ride on Sundays. . . Mr W. J. Broadfbot (Opposition, Waitomo): None of that gangster talk, now.

The revenue from drivers’ licences totalled £91,000 a year, Mr Seirrale said, and it cost the Transport Department £38,000 a year to control transport in rural areas. He was anxious to reduce the accident and death-rate on the highways, in which direction creditable progress had already been made, but there, was no chance of getting the desired degree of safety without 'strong enforcement and organisation. He could not help thinking that those who opposed the bill were placing pounds, shillings, and pence before the saving of human life. REGISTRATION OF BICYCLES PROVISION AIMED AT SECURING CONTROL WELLINGTON, August 31, The proposal in the Transport Law Amendment Bill to institute a registration fee and transfer fee for bicycles was the cause of a few entertaining moments when the Minister for Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) was moving the second reading of the bill in the House of Representatives to-night Mr Semple scorned a suggestion from Opposition benches that perambulators might also be brought under control. The object of instituting the Is registration fee, and the 6d transfer iee, the Minister said, was to secure control over bicycles, for it wa§ impossible to have control without registration. During the last 11 years no fewer than 13,140 bicycles had been stolen in Christchurch. . The Minister for Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan): By visitors, of. course. Mr A. E. Jull (Opposition, Waipawa): They are only distributing the wealth of people. “The department brought 36 cases against cyclists in Christchurch,” the Minister added, “but we got only two convictions, because 34 of the offenders gave wrong names and addresses. If they had been registered we would have been able to trace them,” Mr S. G. Holland (Opposition, Christchurch North): There is a number on every bicycle to-day. Mr Semple: Well, the police say they can’t trace them. “The State won’t make anything out of registration,” Mr Semple added, Mr Holland: What about registering scooters? Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition, Stratford): What about perambulators? Mr Semple: Well. We want to encourage perambulators. I don’t know 1 that it concerns the honourable gen- , tleman very much; but if he has hopes J that way, I admire his courage.