TRANSPORT BILL

Evening Star, Issue 20587, 12 September 1930, Page 12

TRANSPORT BILL

MOTOR INTERESTS URGE EARLY INTRODUCTION THE MINISTER DUBIOUS [From Ods Pareiauextabi Reportjjk.] WELLINGTON, September 12. Every class of motor interest was represented in a deputation to. the Acting Prime Minister urging prompt introduction of the Transport Dili. ' The principal speaker (Mr A. B. Knight, of the service car proprietors) stated that they represented the motor unions, the chambers of commerce, the motor traders, the master carriers, the motor bus owners, and the service car proprietors. All were satisfied that coordination of all transport was necessary to avoid economic waste, reckless competition, and undue use of the highways, but it could . not be done without effective legislation. r lhe Government had promised it, and they wished to know if the Government had changed its mind. Tlie.y were much concerned at the possibility of no Transport Bill this session, and dismayed at the prospect of waiting another year. A Transport Department should not have been set up unless legislation' was anticipated, and New Zealand was lagging in this respect behind other countries. ■ Air Ransom replied that the matter would have to be referred to Cabinet. He reminded the deputation of the political arrangement and the general agreement after the Prime Minister’s departure that there would be no legislation regarded as seriously controversial ; but the Transport Bill would bo controversial, and if he could demonstrate to the contrary, then it would not satisfy the deputation. “The whole industry is behind this Bill,” declared Mr Knight, who questioned its controversial character. .Mr Ransom: “Last year’s Bill was very contentious.” He undertook to refer . the matter straight away to Cabinet. Mr Knight: This is a national, nonparty matter. Mr Ransom agreed, but added that if the Government brought down a Bill it would not like to drop it. Mr Knight; This might be the opportunity to pass the Bill, if there is an undertaking that there would bo no serious opposition. Mr Ransom demurred, declaring that the Transport Bill was very far reaching, and not so simple as the deputation suggested. Mr Knight replied that the matter was regarded as nou-party in England and South Africa, and the deputation was worried because of the prospect of no 'igislation this session, or even nest

,i Ransom: It pushes its way into the railway system and the highways system.

“The Railway Department,” said Mr Knight, “has always favoured transport legislation involving the licensing of the services. Its activities are affected by no proper regulation of motor transport, just as private interests are."

When the Minister referred to the feeling that there should be no transport legislation this session, he was assured by Mr Knight that the motor interests were worrying about it, and the Government bad n wrong impression.

Mr Curtis (Master Carriers' Association) declared that a Government big enough to create a transport department should be big enough to introduce a transport Bill covering- the whole incidence of transport. The political parties might be brought together so that the measure would not be regarded as contentious when it came before Parliament. “ Yon have not been in Parliament —that’s evident,” commented Mr Ransom.

Mr Stott, speaking for the motor unions, reminded the Minister that their representatives and a number of business men gave eight days of their time to assist the Transport Commissioner, and they felt that they had arrived at a point when they should ask that the Bill be at once introduced.

The Minister repeated his promise to bring the matter immediately before Cabinet.