TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

Evening Star, Issue 22687, 29 June 1937, Page 11

TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONS A number of applications for goods service licenses and a transfer of the same type of license were heard at a meeting of No. 4 Transport Licensing Authority this morning. Mr V, Raines (chairman) presided. APPLICATION GRANTED, -The application of the Otago Farmers’ Co-operative Association to carry mails between Heriot and Moa Flat on three days of the week was granted. There were no objections. TRANSPORT OF BUILDERS’ MATERIAL. Messrs E. and L. Duff Ltd. applied for a license to cart builders’ plant and material. Mr H. L. Gibson, representing the Railway Department, lodged an objection on the grounds that there were sufficient railway facilities in Otago and Southland, and the position could be covered by a temporary license as before. Mr O. G. Stevens, who appeared on behalf of the applicants, said that Mr Gibson would probably withdraw most of his objections when it was explained that the reference to builders’ material did not refer to all the material, but mostly to plant with a very small amount of material. He submitted it •was a particular type of work and was not very serious competition with the r ' & The y Chairman said that the applicants would have to be content with a reasonable radius from Dunedin, and beyond that they would have to obtain temporary licenses. DECISION RESERVED. G. \V. Mason (Fairfield), who was represented by Mr J. P. Ward, applied for a license to carry timber between Kaka Point and Dunedin. Mr Ward understood that the only objection was by the Railway Department- but it would be unsatisfactory to handle the timber by rail, as the mill was situated about nine miles from the nearest railhead. They had tried railing the timber from Romahapa, but it proved unsatisfactory If the license was not granted the company would have to consider the purchase of a truck of its Mr Gibson submitted that the nearest point of the .railway (Romahapa) was nine miles distant, while the distance from Romahapa to Dunedin was 61 miles, so that the applicant desired to cart the timber by road a distance of 70 miles, of which 61 miles was practically parallel with the. railway. There was also a regular daily goods train running on. the branch hue, which connected with trains for Dunedin and Balclutha. Ho contended that the district was welj supplied with transport facilities, as in addition to the rail service there were regular carriers plying to and from the various stations on the line. The cartage of timber for any individual firm was not of any benefit to the local residents, while the loss of revenue occasioned by .the running might seriously affect the

rail service which it would be possible to give. It was submitted there was no necessity for the service, nor was it desirable in the public interest under the present circumstances. The Chairman said it would be inadvisable for any timber company to put on its own transport until an announcement had been made by the Minister of Transport. Ho expected that some finality would be reached by July. The decision was reserved until the whole position had been reviewed by the Government. LICENSE FOR CONTRACT WORK, A. H. MTherson sought a license for the purpose of fulfilling a contract with the Public Works Department. Mr E. G. Laing, who appeared for the ap-\ plicant, said that the application was made at the request of the department. The applicant was a member of the Master Carriers and Owner-drivers’ Association, and he submitted that the work was a Public Works contract, and no objection would be made by the association. As long as he was on tie contract he was not competing with other carriers in the district. The association would not be able to say that it would be prejudiced by the granting of the license. After evidence had been heard the Chairman said he would reserve his decision.