REGULATION OF TRANSPORT

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23088, 2 August 1940, Page 10

REGULATION OF TRANSPORT

Government Policy

STATEMENT BY MR SEMPLE

[THE PRESS Special Service.]

WELLINGTON, August 1

“The Government’s policy is, broadly, to have goods carried by the railways in preference to motor-trucks wherever this can be' done without seriously interfering with national production. and to see that each gallon of petrol used in motor-trucks yields the greatest possible transport service, said the Minister for Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) in a statement today on the transport policy of the Dominion. He said that to-day there was no certainty regarding future supplies of petrol and trucks. It was necessary to conserve every possible gallon of petrol and "nurse’ the existing trucks. “We cannot afford to wait. We must act now, he said "It is proposed to transfer as much as possible o the general traffic carried in ‘ancillary’ trucks to public licensed carriers,- that is, to the carriers licensed to ply for hire or reward. This will be done wherever the transfer will show a saving in vehicle usage and where the , public carriers have a satisfactory standard of organisation and efficiency.

Organisation of Public Carriers “As to public carriers, the Government desires the industry to reorganise itself so as to overcome the obvious disadvantages of many small independent units. At the present time the average number of trucks an operator is well under two. Experience has shown quite clearly that a road transport system consisting of a large number of small independent and disconnected units results in wasteful use of petrol, vehicles, and manpower. As a general policy, therefore, the Government desires the industry to be organised so that the benefits of large-scale operation may be obtained.”

Referring to the formation of merger companies the Minister said: "Any merger that is soundly based, taking into account the relevant factors such as community requirements, area of operations, and general service to be rendered, is capable, under efficient management, of producing lower costs for every ton mile of freight carried than any other method. "I. do not want to assume the role of dictator nor to force any, particular method of co-ordination on the industry, as I desire the carriers to work out own plans.” Mr Semple said. “Where the industry finds any suitable combination or variation of suggested methods, it will be implemented, but I wish to make it clear that where no action is taken by the carriers and it is desirable in the national interest, the licensing authorities will utilise their powers under the Transport Act. Town Carriers "The town carrying industry is in- a somewhat different category from the operators in the rural areas,” he said. ‘‘Town carriers have only recently come under the provisipns of the Transport Act, and there has not been time for the licensing authorities to deal with the. general over-supply of trucks which the industry considers is detrimental to general efficiency. However, in response to a general request from the industry I have asked the licensing authorities to deal especially with this aspect in the review of licences they are carrying out at present. The operations of all individual town carriers will be carefully examined, and where they do not measure up to the required standard of efficiency the licences will be revoked. This section of the industry will then be in a position to co-ordinate into units of the most efficient practicable size.”