GOODS SERVICES

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 70, 24 March 1933, Page 8

GOODS SERVICES

NEW REGULATIONS

LICENSING PROVISIONS

EIGHT-OF APPEAL

The power of granting or refusing licences for services engaged in the transport of goods is contained' in the Order in Council issued last night under the Transport Licensing Act. Licensing authorities havo been given the same jurisdiction over goods services as they now have over passenger services, and there is tho same right of appeal against the decisions of licensing authorities to the Transport Appeal Board. The licensing authorities are required to apply the same broad considerations such as the necessity or desirability of any service having regard to tho existing transport facilities, and others, in determining whether goods-service licences should bo granted. Aii important difference from tho passenger-service control is that there will bo no annual inspection of vehicles, as there is not the necessity for the same high standard of safety in the carriage of goods as in the case of passengers. The following two main points must bo fulfilled before a goods-service licence is required:—(a) Goods must be carried fou hire or reward, and (b) the goods must bo carried for five miles or more along a main or secondary highway outside boroughs^ town districts, and certain "exempted" areas. The first requirement means that goods carried in motor-vehicles by "ancillary users," i.e., persons and firms carrying only their own goods in their own vehicles, 'will not bo subject to the licensing system. If, however, vehicles operated by "ancillary nsers" a»o used for tho carriage of goods belonging to others, for which a charge is made either directly or indirectly, a licence is required, provided the goods are carried for at least five niiles along a main or secondary highway outside an "exempted" area. It is estimated that out of tho total of 33,000 motor-trucks in the Dominion today, somewhere in the vicinity of 26,000 vehicles are operated by "ancillary users," while 7000 are operated by carriers, contractors, etc., whose main business is transportation. ' ' "EXEMPTED" AREAS. The second, requirement is a very important one in actual practice. The carriage of goods entirely within or up to five miles beyond tho boundaries of all boroughs, town districts, and the special "exempted" areas around the four main centres, will not'come under the new law. This means that the calculation of distance on a main or secondary highway will not commence to count for licensing purposes m/til goods havo actually crossed the boundary of any borough, town districts or "exempted" area. Where goods are carried for five miles or moro beyond the boundaries of any borough, town district, or "exempted" area, it is important to not© that tho whole journey, including any parts that may fall within any such area, comes under control. At March 31, 1932, there were 10,846- miles of main and secondary highways, and after • deducting 778 miles, 378 of which lie within the boundaries of boroughs and town districts, and 400 miles within the special "exempted" areas in and .around-the four main centres, there remains 10,068 miles of highways over which the control will extend. The carriage of goods entirely oh the 38,732 miles of formed roads other than main or secondary highways will not. require to be licensed, but if any journey includes five, miles or more of main or secondary highway outside the exempted areas, a licence is required, and the goods -will be subject to control for the whole journey, including all distances travelled on roads other than main highways. Steps havo been taken to ensure that the licensing system does not'throw traffic from tho main highway: system on to the; other roads, which in their present condition are not capable of carrying it. ■ The special "exempted" areas in and around the four main centres have been specially drawn to exclude from the licensing system the heavy volume of local traffic within,- their boundaries, not because there .is no need for coordination within tkeso areas, but because the problems of competition nre more urgent outside tho areas owing to tho lower standard of tho roads, and the question of road and rail services over the relatively longer hauls. ■ WELLINGTON BOUNDARY. The services within these areas are so numerous that it is doubtful whether the existing machinery could properly deal with them, and at the same time devote sufficient attention to the moro urgent problems which he behind the areas. In the Auckla7id area the milage of trucks will not commence to count for licensing purposes until PapakurU in the south, Waitakere (on the West Coast Boad), and Kumeu, Pukeatu, Silverdale, and the Orewa Biver on the northern roads, while in Wellington the boundary points occur at Pahautanui on the Manawatu' Eoad. and Upper Hutt on the'Wairarapa Eoad. The Christchurch area is bounded by the Waimakariri Eiver on tho north by a point four miles beyond Yaldhurst on the West Coast Eoad, two miles beyond Templeton on the South Eoad, Lincoln on the Southbridge Eoad, and Motnkarara on the Akaroa Eoad. In. the Dunedin. area, the boundary marks occur at a point just beyond Evansdale on tho Northern Eoad and' at Allanton and Outram on the Southern Eoads. Particular attention is drawn to two very important dates in connection with the new licensing proposals. The first of these is June 1 nsxff, which niarks_ the day from, which the new provisions will come into force; operators who carry goods for five miles along main or secondary highways beyond the exempted areas, without a licence on or after this date will be subject to heavy penalties. The second is May 1, which is the latest date by which applicants entitled to "automatic" licences must have their applications in the hands of the' Commissioner of Transport, Wellington. Applications lodged after this date lose the right to "automatic" licences, irrespective of the fact that the service may qualify, in every other way, for a licence as of right. This is a vital point for operators, and cannot bo emphasised too strongly. Supplies of forms and leaflets of instructions may be obtained in the near future on application to the Commissioner of Transport, Wellington, or the local office of the Public Works Department. Eegulations prescribing forms and fees, -etc., will be issued shortly, and a further announcement will be made immediately they are availabler PROPOSALS CAREFULLY DRATTED, Tho Minister of Transport (tho lit. Hon. J. G. Coates) stated that in formulating these proposals great care had been exercised in order to ensure that the regulations could be inaugurated to cause the minimum interference with existing services, at tho same time providing adequate scopo for tho licensing authorities to effect valuable coordination of services, and what is extremely important, bring about stability in the transport industry as a whole by removing, after careful study and contact with tho actual conditions, many ofi the evils which are responsible for tho unsatisfactory state of affairs existing today;. The. Govern-

rnent has been in consultation with all branches of industry, trado, and transport in drafting tho proposals. Tho Government ■ fully realised that whilst the huge public investment in public transport services must bo economically utilised and protected from uneconomic competition, the capital sunk in motor-vehicles and equipment—which is almost equivalent to the capital sunk in our working railways—must bo regarded as an integral part, of our general transport machinery. The problem ahead is to secure economical utilisation of all tho existing facilities. Although these are undoubtedly in excess of present actual requirements, the Government is particularly desirous of avoiding action that may result in undue hardship, and of deferring far-reaching steps until closer practical study can point the way more clearly to remedial measures such as will permit of modern progress being fully availed of, but at the same time will enable the Dominion to make satisfactory financial provision for the wiping oil of the capital indebtedness of those facilities which are found to be obsolete or unnecessary in the public interest. ' . TRANSITION STAGE. In short, tho Scheme of regulation has been drawn up to provide a "transitional period" whereby the Transport Licensing machinery can exercise reasonable jurisdiction, and at the same time fully explore the whole question. This statement should clearly indicate that it is not the Government's intention to sacrifice privafte capital invested in transport for the purpose of bolstering up the railways or other publicly-owned transport facilities. The chief concern today is the high cost of transport, - and steps must bo taken to examine tho various methods in use as one complete system, irrespective of ownership. This will involve a comprehensive examination of all phases of the transport industry, in order to ensure that real cost of operating tho various forms is ascertained, based upon standards accepted by some competent authority as being reasonable in -the public interest.