Exemption From Rail Restrictions Granted

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29994, 1 December 1962, Page 15

Exemption From Rail Restrictions Granted

The No. 9 Transport Lie* ensmg Authority (Mr J. S. Hayw<x>d> on Thursday granted exemptions from railhaulage restrictions to Selwyn Casewoods (Me Vicar), Ltd. (Mr J. A. Bretherton). The company sent its own truck to Hamner Springs, to load peeled and log timber bought by it from the Forest Service on to rail waggons for haulage to Christchurch, said Mr Bretherton. Tne company was asking authority to be able to bring a load of timber back to Christchurch on the truck after loading the railway waggons. At present the company had to bring the vehicle back empty, and that was uneconomic. The exemption granted amended a licence which permits the truck to bring a load from Hanmer Springs once a fortnight, but only at the week-end. The truck may now be used once a week, on any day after loading railway waggons. The former conditions mean that the truck and driver at times had to stay idle in Hanmer Springs for some days waiting for a week-end, said Mr D Wildbore, manager of the company.

The application was opposed by the Railways Department (Mr F. D. Daly). An application by Gordon Friwton Davis (Mr R. A. Y>ung) tor authority to operate two tourist buses instead of one waa adjourned to December 18. Mr Younjf said that Davis had two li canoe*, one giving him the rMht to run contract tours and three-day tours with one bus. and the other licence a ow!n< ordinary tours with another coach. He was not able to use more than one bus under either of the licences. This restriction had been imposed by the licensing authority in August, 1960. Before then Davis had operated two buses on ordinary tour work. Since 1960 revenue had dropped drastically. It was not feasible to try’ to operate economically with only one bus fur each of the two types of v. ork licensed, said Davis. Gross revenue in 1960 wa* about £4737 In 1961 it fell to £2539. The restriction meant that he was unable to take some tours offered to him by the Tourist Department, as date* overlapped. To cope with this two biases doing the same work were necessary. The application is opposed by the Railways Department (Mr

Defy), Midland Motorways Services, Ltd. (Mr W. F. Brown), and the Mount Cook and Southern lakes Tourist Company, lad. (Mr M. C. Greason). Companies which ran timetable services needed tour

work to supplement revenue. Tlme-taMe operation was not atwayi economical, but was necessary in the public interest, said R. C. Wssley, operations manager for Midland Motorways Services. Ltd. Davis was operating solely in bis own interests, not the public's. He found his present busineM uneconomic and wished to correct this, Waslsy said. Davis's operations could not seriously affect the large bus cpmpaniM. Mr Young said Growing importance was being attached to the tourist industry and Davis wished to be able to function properly to oatering for this.

Objections to the appUcaUon InitiAy entered by the Christchureb Transport Board (Mr J. G ;Hutchiooni were withdrawn. The company business bad reached a crisis, and if the apP llo^?00 concern w ?s Ux l. I *2?* bl y hav * *> eloee, said >& Bretherton. representing Petrous Industries, Ltd., in a request for exemption from rail restriction between Christenurch and Dunedin. Mr Bretherton said that the company supplied 17 of the mam building concerns in the South Island, and liquidation WOUM affect many aspects of the building trad*. The company, because of competition from iron roots, because there was little restriction on toe importing of roofing materials from overaeas, and because of toe building recession, was in grave financial straits.

The savings possible by toe only way of overcoming the position. Cotts associated with railway travel, apart from handling. arose through the number of breakaB®s- Rail cartage was not suitable for this tvpe of product said Mr Bretherton. Prions delays resulted from these breakages, and this meant more expense The application, which is opposed by the Railways Department (Mr Daly), was adjourned to December 13.

Authority to run a passenger yervice to Lake Coleridge, rethe Rakaia Gorge and Highbank as a sightseeing tour during holiday K. <x^L-." raß granted to Mid(S? Kr gy ’ mExtenaions to vehicle licences formerly restricting toe use of two trucks fo toe cartage of f*** 1 . and »htaele, and one to S* vf, ~ lme ' WS£*granted to toe Ellesmere Transport Company, Ltd. (Mr H. W. Hun£ner* S* carrymg o-Yf‘ft L ~H? C stopping Of the a branch railway at Lincoln, haulage demenda on the companv, partiK. Bayiu" cotnpaay ’ w -