TRANSPORT CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 59, 13 March 1929, Page 8

TRANSPORT CONTROL

THE NEW DEPARTMENT CARRIERS' APPROVAL (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The^Evening Pott") MASTERTON, This Day. The decision of the Government to set up a new department to control transport throughout the Dominion ia commended in the annual report of the New Zealand Master Carriers' Federation, adopted at the annual meeting 1 * held here to-day, and rcferenco was also made to the matter in the president'a address. The report outlines the steps taken during the session of Parliament last year, without result, to seek relief ia the matter of motor taxation. On assuming office, states the report, the United Party immediately recognised the existing, anomalous position under which officers of the. Public Works Department having control of roading expenditure are also in control of road taxation on commercial vehicles, and .performed the statesmanlike action of, establishing a new Transport Department. The executive has every confidence in the Hon. W. A. Veitch, the recently appointed Minister of Transport, administering transport matters in a businesslike manner. At the moment the detailed organisation oi£ the new Transport Department has not been, made known, but the creation of a Transport Advisory Council representative of the various transport interests is described as a move in the ■ right direction. TAXATION BELIEF. "It is a matter of great pride to me," stated the president (Mr."Ernest Smith) in his address, "that during the past year the federation should have achieved so much in its endeavours to secure relief in the matter of taxation. The credit in that connection is almost wholly duo to the secretarial staff, which with bulldog tenacity has hung on and never let up. There were times when the apathy of tho Government almost disheartened mo, but perseverance appears to Be bringing its reward. It is true that as yet no relief has been granted, but Ministerial statements give tho impression that relief of some kind is/assured. "The Government has acknowledged the importance of transport by placing it under independent control, and that action is approved by all of us. The creation of an advisory transport council is-another welcome innovation, and it behoves every section of transport to do it's utmost to make the functioning of the council a success. I have observed that certain sections of transport are clamouring for greater representation on the council, and that is to be regretted. If any section Df transport is entitled to greater representation than another, it is the commercial section, but I realise that to make the council larger would make it so' unwieldy as to defeat its purpose. It must not be forgotten that the council is advisory only, and that it has no arbitrary powers of any kind. That being so, there is no need for the representation of one section being greater than that of any other.