PASSENGER TRANSPORT

Evening Star, Issue 22343, 20 May 1936, Page 8

PASSENGER TRANSPORT

17 PER CENT. OF NATIONAL INCOME SPENT SOME ASTONISHING FIGURES [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, May 19. What transport costs the people of New Zealand was an informative portion of the speech of Mr Semple, Minister of Transport, when moving the second reading of the measure which will bring all forms of transport under Ministerial regulation for the purpose of co-ordination. The public, he said, spent 11 millions on passenger transport in 1926, and 13 millions in 1935, the figure per head having increased in the decarfe from £7 17s yearly to £8 7s 9d, An outstanding factor had been the tremendous swing in public preference to tho private motor car, which had increased in the decade from 81,000 to 150,000, while it was estimated that motor cars cost £5,444,000 to operate in 1925-6, and £9,121,000 to-day. Part of the increase in travel by private car represented a new demand, but it had its effect in the annual railway passenger revenue dropping one million and tramways revenue falling by just under £400,000. The community 10 years ago spent 11 per cent, of its national income on transport, but the corresponding figure to-day was 17 per cent. The relative expenditure to-day on transport was split between various forms as follows (per £100) Private cars, £7O; railways, £10; electric .tramways, £9; omnibuses and service cars, £8; interisland shipping, £3; total, £IOO. These figures, suggested Mr Semple, demonstrated the need to take some measures to cope with the increase in development.