FIXED CITY ROUTES

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 94, 18 October 1934, Page 15

FIXED CITY ROUTES

LONG-DISTANCE HAULAGE

FAIR TO LOCAL CARRIERS

The Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) today referred to the now more satisfactory position as regards the haulage of goods over long and short distances aud the greater measure of control and protection afforded to local carriers, following the representations mado to tho Transport Licensing Authorities and the Transport Co-ordination Board by the City Council.

"The City Council hus been very much exercised ill regard to the operations iv the city of the holders of longdistance goods licences operating under the Transport Licensing Act," said Mr. Hislop. "These operators were in the habit of acting as 'general carriers in the city as well as carrying out long-distance haulage without licences from the "Wellington City Council, which desired that they should be put on the same basis as local carriers. Applications wero made to the No. 6 (Wellington) Transport Licensing Authority and to the No. 4 (Gisborne, Hawke 's Bay, and Botorua) and No. 5 (Taranaki and Wanganui) authorities in regard to licences for the carrying of goods to and from Wellington, the City Council in each case asking that carriers, when operating under their transport licences, should be limited to defined routes and that they should be allowed to pick up and deliver goods in the city'only on those routes. In respect of applications to the No. G Licensing Authority the council was represented at the hearings at Wellington, PalmerstOE North, and Masterton. The Licensing Authority fixed routes in the city. The matter was the- subject of an appeal before the Transport Coordination BoaTd by the Highways Transport Company, Ltd., and the action of tho No. 6 Licensing Authority was upheld*- -

"The council had. two objects in view, first, to ensure proper control of these licensees in- their operations in the city, and, secondly, to have them put on the same basis as the local carrier," continued Mr. Hislop. "It is a matter of satisfaction that the No. 6 Transport Licensing Authority and the Transport Co-ordination Board have so fully supported the action of. the City Council in attempting to make a fair division of the operations of carriers acting under transport licences and those acting under licences granted by the city. The significance of these proceedings has not been patent to ordinary observers, but the City Council has- done its best to protect the interests o£ the local carriers against unfair competition by long-distance haulers, and it is pleasing to note that matters are now oil as satisfactory a basis as can be obtained under the present legislation."