PLANS TO CONTROL TRANSPORT

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 199, 20 May 1936, Page 12

PLANS TO CONTROL TRANSPORT

Minister’s Proposals “NEED OF RADICAL CHANGES” Wasteful Duplication To Be Eliminated Plans of the Government for the control of goods transport services and the elimination of wasteful duplication were outlined by the Minister of Transport, Hon. R. Semple, in the House of Representatives last night when moving the second reading of the Transport IJtfmsing Amendment Bill. The Minister emphasised the need of radical changes in the transport system of the Dominion, and said that such changes were not only necessary, but long overdue.

“I have discussed the principles of this Bill with most of the transport people,” Mr. Semple said, “and they are in complete agreement with it. On two occasions last week I met the Transport Federation, the largest gathering of its kind ever held in the Dominion, and with the exception of several amendments, the gathering approved of the Bill. The Automobile Associations have no serious objections to the proposals.. I considered it my duty to discuss the principles of the Bill with all those carrying on transport in the country, whether publie or private. “What public authority lias a better right to control the transport of the country than the Government?” asked the Minister. “In my opinion the Government of the day is the authority which should exercise that control, because it is elected by the people and ‘.s answerable to the people, and is the defender of the public rights. We must get to grips with this problem as soon as possible in the interests of the safety of our people, and we are not going to hand it over to an outside body. Without an up-to-date transport system, any country to-day is behind scratch in the world of competition.” Competitive Chaos. After a historical review of New Zealand’s transport systems (reported in a separate column) the Minister said that when the present Government took office the position in regard to transport was one of competitive chaos. The railways were operated by an independent. statutory board, shipping was operated by private enterprise, and road transport was controlled under the Transport. Licensing Act. Control had been handed over to the Transport Co-ordination Board, and the Minister of Transport, had no say whatever in the administration of the service or of the* board. “During the past decade,” the Minister continued, “the outstanding fact in tlie whole field of passenger transport has been the tremendous swing in public preference to private motorcars which have increased from 81,000 in 1920 to 150,000 to-day. It is estimated that motor-cars cost £5,444.000 to operate in the year 1925-20. To-day the figure is £9,121.000. The annual railway passenger revenue has droiffied by over £1.000.000 and tramway revenue has fallen by just; under £400.000. Altogether the public now spends some £13.000.000 on passenger transport, compared with about £ll,000.000 for the year ended March, 1926.”

The Minister said that during Hie year ended March 31, 1926, the csti-

mated revenue received by the different, forms of transport for the carriage ot freight amounted to about £12,000,000. In 1935-36 that, figure had increased to just over £16.000,000. in 1925-26 motor trucks cost £2.570,000 to operate, compared with £8,210,000 ten years later. During tlie decade motor-trucks had incre;l,sed in number from 17,000 to ■loooii the railways revenue had dropped from £1,550,000 to £4,233.000, and coastal shipping figures, including harbour citarges, had fallen from £4,831,000 to £3,890,000. The estimated amount spent on freight llan.-poit ill 11125-26 represented It per cent, ot the value of Hie national production, lint in 1935-36 tlie figure had increased to 17 per cent. „ "Those figures give some indication, added the Minister, "of Hie development of the transport system in this country, and show tlie peed for tlie Government to take some measures to cope witli the new conditions that have arisen.” Failure of the Board.

"Tlie Transport Co-ordination Board has miserably and hopelessly failed,” declared Mr. Semple. "The most important policy question in the Bill is the propi :d abolition of the board and the transfer of its powers to tlie Min,lS"l’know there will be a good deal of objection to the abolition of the board and that 1 wilt be called a ’Mussolini.' We have tried the board, but it has miserably and hopelessly failed, <111(1 1 Will submit some evidence later on that will satisfy even the Leader of the Opposition. Even if lam called a ’Hitler’ or a ’Mussolini,’ l't me say we are copying the English Act. At Home Hie Minister of Transport is the final court of appeal so far as road transport is concerned, and the people who control other forms of transport have asked the British Government to abolish the present method of dealing with appeals and to give them also the right of appeal to the Minister. _ The Rt. Hon. ,1. G. Coates (Opposition, Kaipara) : Only a small section of them. Mr. Semple: "1 have evidence of what I am talking about.” So far as air services were concerned, powers previously held by the board were transferred ‘to the Minister, who became the sole licensing authority, and agains his decisions there was no right of appeal Ministerial control had already been restored to the railways, and when the Bill was passed there would be centralised control by the Government of rail, road and air services. Referring to the proposed reduction in the number ot licensing districts, Mr Semple said the result would be that four persons would carry out the work now being done by 28. The work would be done with a greater degree of efficiency ami would involve a saving in administration costs of over £6OOO a year. Eliminating Waste. “With the idea. of eliminating wasteful duplication of road and rail services, it is proposed to provide that no road service shall transpoit goods over more than a reasonable distance where there is a railway service available.” Mr. Semple said. It is considered that competition between road and rail over long distances > s not desirable in the. public interest. It. is therefore proposed to review all the existing route licenses which compete with the railway service for distances which are considered unreasonable.” Tiro Bill gave power to control goods services by regulations under Ordci-in-Council, the .Minister said, and although up to the present, it had not been possible to complete plans as they affected goods services, tlie broad lines along which the question would be approached had been established. It was intended to take into consideration (he labour conditions in the industry for a start. Definite hunt's of work aud minimum rates of pay would be fixed for all those engaged in the industry. There was evidence available that in some sections of motor transport, men were being “sweated,” and being forced to work extraordinarily long hours. Some of those men the Minister knew worked between 16 and 17 hours a day, often driving motor-lorries which were actually working in competition with railways. Yet the authorities were able io secure no record of what those men were being paid. All that would end. The Owner-Driver. “These conditions which will be set down will be applied to all operators, including the owner-driver,” the Minister added. “We must put an end to Hie owner-driver as he operates at present in many cases, and to the cubthroat competition which that sort of thing allows. The alleged owner-driver is going to be brought within the Jaw. The conditions which we propose and the machinery which is necessary for their enforcement will be discussed fully wit'h those interested, of course. We'intend that every step we take should be discussed with those engaged in the industry.” Mr. Semple stated that close attention would be paid to assuring proper mechanical fitness for all vehicles eugaged in transport. Standard conditions of fitness for goods-service vehicles would bo set up, and all vehicles used under a goods-service license would be required to conform to those conditions. In framing those regulations, the views of those interested would also be taken into consideration. Some additional fee would be required to cover the cost of the necessary inspections, but it was anticipated that the simplification of the existing licensing machinery would enable some reduction in the present license fee.

“It is proposed to abolish the fiveinile main highway exemption, and to require cream carriers to be licensed.” .Mr. Semple said. "We will exempt services engaged in the carriage of newspapers only. Those services carried on within any borough and for a distance of five miles therefrom will not come under the Act. This means that all goods-services for hire or reward, with the exception of town carriers will require to be licensed. "It is also proposed to remove all weight and commodity restrictions from goods-services area licenses. The licensing authorities will, however, have the power to make exceptions in Hie ease of certain commodities such as furniture, road metal, ete. It is also considered that the present areas as specified on Hie licenses are too restrictive, and it is proposed to grant much wider areas, so that the modern motor-truck may be operated to its maximum efficiency. It will also lie a condition of goods-service area licenses that Hie operator shall carry, as far ns possible, all goods offered without discrimination.”