Long Transport Hearing Ends

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31154, 2 September 1966, Page 12

Long Transport Hearing Ends

The longest transport licensing hearing to be presided over by the No. 9 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr J. S. Haywood) in Christchurch ended yesterday when he reserved his decision. The case lasted seven days.

The Christchurch firm of E. H. Boyce and Company, Ltd. (Mr H. W. Hunter), for the third time, seeks the. right to start a South Island vehicle transporter service. Two other applications,, made in December, 1963, and March, 1965, were refused. The application, for an amendment to a continuous goods service licence by the addition of 12 vehicle authorities, was opposed by the

Railways Department (Mr F. D. Daly), Transport (Nelson), Ltd. (Mr G. S. Brockett), McLennan’s Motors, Ltd.. Blenheim (Mr R. Stacey). Car Haulaways (N.Z.), Ltd., Auckland and Wellington, was granted observer status. Summing up the Railways case, Mr Daly said the Railways now offered improved services and there had been a significant recovery of the new car business. This was increasing since the Wahine was commissioned, said Mr Daly. Mr Daly said that the announcement that Dominion Motors, Ltd., would reduce car assembly production at its Newmarket plant was only a start. Other assembly plants would soon be forced to do the same.

Mr Stacey said that like Car Haulaways (N.Z.), Ltd., Auckland and Wellington, the applicant company would experience tremendous marshalling ' and organisation problems if a licence was granted. The only gleam of hope would be when the Japanese Toyoda Company started assembling cars in Christchurch. “And even then two-thirds of the production will go north.” Mr Hunter said he made no apology for his attack on the Railways. To seek rail exemption successfully it had to be proven that railway cartage of motor-vehicles was unsuitable, slow and much damage occurred.