TRANSPORT POLICY

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 124, 19 February 1938, Page 14

TRANSPORT POLICY

Nationalisation Not Intended FIXATION OF CHARGES Future Procedure Ltefined By Minister A denial that it was the policy of rhe Government to nationalise all road transport was given by the Minister of Transport, Hon. R. Semple, when discussing the Government’s transport policy in an interview last evening. He said that statements that the Government proposed to take steps to restrict the farmer in the use of his trucks for the carriage of his own produce wer“ also incorrect. The procedure to be followed in future in fixing transport charges was defined by the Minister. “Although the transport legislation gives the licensing authorities the power to fix the charges made by road transport, operators who come under their .control, the general policy up to the present has been to allow charges to be determined by competition,” said Mr. Semple. “In a few instances the operators and their customers have amicably agreed among themselves on schedules of charges, but in no cases have the schedules been made condi tions of the licences.” Mr. Semple said the question of future policy had' been under consideration for some time, and toward the end of last year he received comprehensive reports from the four Transport'Licensing Authorities —Mr. E. .1. Phelan (Auckland), Mr. J. P. Skoglum l (Wellington), Mr. T. 11. Langford (Christchurch) and Mr. V. Raines (Dunedin). After considering all aspects of the matter, he was of the opinion that the position'could best be met by leaving it as far as possible in the hands of those most concerned, the road transport operators and the trading and farming communities. Efficiency of Industry.

Dealing with the case of road operators, Mr. Semple said that where representations received by the licensing authorities from licensed operators showed that uneconomic rates were threatening the efficiency of the industry and the standard of life of those engaged in it, arrangements would be made to bring the carriers and the users of their services together with a view to arriving at mutually satisfactory schedules of rates. Every endeavour would be made to reach amicable settlements.

“Any agreed schedules.” Mr. Semple continued, ‘‘will be considered by the appropriate licensing authorities at public hearings specially held for the purpose. If the authorities are then satisfied that it is in the public interest to do so, they will make it a condition of each licence that in the areas affected the schedules of charges must be observed. If it is found impossible to reach agreement the licensing authorities will hold public sittings to hear representations from all interested parties, and will then proceed to draw up schedules of charges based on these representatives and any other information that may' be available to them. • Representations of Public. “The public using these services will have the same access to the licensing authorities, in thatjthey may make representations if they feel that competition is not fully effective and the charges which they pay are too high. The same procedure set out for the carriers will then be followed. I wish to emphasise the fact that the Government does not desire to foist schedules

of charges on either the transport industry or the public, except where it can be clearly shown that such schedules are necessary in the public interest. “There is a further matter on which I think some clear statement should be made,’’ said Mr. Semple. “Front time to time the Prime Minister and 1, as Minister of Transport, have stated that this Government does not propose to nationalise transport. Largely for political purposes, statements have been made both from the public platform and in the Press that the policy of the Government is to nationalise all road transport. I say emphatically that the Government has no such intention. “Fears have also been expressed that the Government proposes to take steps to restrict the farmer in the use of his trucks for the carriage of his own produce. This is also definitely and flagrantly untrue, and is made in the fact? of the following statement by the Hon. D. G. Sullivan in August last: ‘A definite assurance that the Government had no intention of imposing any restrictions on farmers using their own trucks for the carriage of their produce was given by the Minister of Railways when asked what would be the position of farmers as a result of the Government buying out transport services operating parallel with the railways. The Minister said that the Government had never contemplated imposing any such restrictions on farmers, but plans were in hand with a View to giving the public, a flexible, first-class goods service, which he hoped and expected, would be so attractive that it would be to the advantage of farmers to use it.’ This statement appeared in various newspapers throughout the Dominion.”