Other Concessions Given Motor Firm

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30499, 22 July 1964, Page 3

Other Concessions Given Motor Firm

(New Zealand Press Association) NELSON, July 21. The Railways Department is by no means bearing the full burden of transport concessions offered to Standard Triumph (N.Z.) Ltd., to enable the firm to establish. its motor assembly industry in the cotton mill buildings at Annesbrook.

Nelson road and sea operators are combining to bring the markets of New Zealand within reach at lowcost

The firms principally involved are Transport (Nelson), Ltd., and the Anchor Steamship Company, Ltd., which is based on Port Nelson.

The Nelson Harbour Boardhas fixed special wharfage dues. The Assistant General Manager of Railways (Mr I. Thomas), speaking from Wellington yesterday, said Transport (Nelson), Ltd., an operator on the notional railway link between Nelson and

Blenheim, had reduced its charges “quite considerably.” “Its proposals have helped us very much to keep costs down,” he said. “The concessions are by no means entirely on the Railways Department’s shoulders. “We on our part have offered contracts to the firm to assure its position. We could not have done what we have without the co-operation of the road transport side of the notional railway,” he said.

Mr Thomas said he did not know whether the transport factor was a controlling element in Standard Triumph’s decision to move to Nelson. But, he said, it must have played a considerable part in this. Nelson was favourably situated to serve the market north of Taranaki by sea. It already had a direct service to Onehunga. The co-operation of his department and the road transport operators meant the whole of the South Island could be reached by rail from Blenheim and the ' southern half of the North Island could be reached by the Aramoana, Mr Thomas said. The general manager of Transport (Nelson), Ltd., Mr D. McPherson, confirmed this morning that his firm had offered special rates to attract Standard Triumph to Nelson.

“My company is prepared to put on any type of vehicle at all to suit the requirements of this industry,” he said. “The only proviso is that from an economy point of view the vehicle, or vehicles to be used, must be versatile enough to carry back loading from Blenheim.”