TRANSPORT CHARGES

Grey River Argus, 13 May 1938, Page 11

TRANSPORT CHARGES

Reduction in Nelson District NEW COMPANY NOW IN OPERATION. CHRISTCHURCH, May 12. A reduction in the freight charge from Nelson to Murchinson of 10s a ton was announced yesterday by the No 3 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr T. H. Langford) as the first fruits of Ihe recently-completed merger of transport companies operating in the Nelson and Marlborough provinces, and partly in the Westland province. The directors of the new company 7, which was registered in March last with a capital of £50,476, met the Authority in Blenheim on Tuesday and discussed a number of points preparatory' to the issue of the new .license and the reduction was agreed to then.

"The reduction is from 47s 6d a ton to 37s 6d a ton,” Mr Langford said yesterday, “and it will effect, on the figures I have been given, a saving of about £l5 a day to the users of the transport, on the route Nelson, Murchinson, to Inangahua. In reckoning that amount no allowance is made for the saving which is effected on the back-loading from Murchinson to Nelson on which the reduction will also operate. Five six-ton vehicles leave Nelson for Murchinson every night, and on every ton they will carry from now on 10s will be saved to the public. “RESULT OF AMALGAMATION.” “The reduction is due entirely to the elimination of empty vehicle mileage as a direct result of the amalgamation of operators recently effected. The saving to traders and so to the public will run into many thousands of pounds annually. The company has only been in operation since March 17, so this early reduction will give some idea of the savings which can be achieved right through the transport system by the application of coordination and efficiency. "No monopoly is created by the mergers for individual operators have l>ot been coerced into joining the company nor put off the road for refusal to join. Some are still operating individually and can continue to do so so long as their rates remain economically sound to themselves and to the public. Traders are also protected because they can, if they wish, put on their own vehicles. And lastly protection is given by the power retained by the Authority to review charges annually or at any other timer’ COMPANIES MERGED. Notification of the pending transfer of 60 goods vehicle authorities and two passenger vehicle service licences to the new company is advertised to-day, and if no objections are received within seven days a comprehensive license to cover the company’s operations will he issued. The names of the concerns in the new company and the number of vehicles being transferred by them are: -Bennett Brothers, (Rai Valley), 3; A. J. Brown (Havelock), 3; P. Baldwin and Co., Ltd., (Nelson), 3; Funnel and Co., Ltd. (Motueka), 13: L. A. Hunter (Nelson), 4; A. J. McCaa (Murchinson), 9; H. J. R. Smith iNelson), 3; Takaka Transport, Ltd., 9; A. Teece (Upper Moutere), 1; Wakefield Transport, Ltd., 4; H. H. White (Havelock), 4; S. R. Wilde (Greymouf h>, 2; Martin and Co., Ltd., (Blenheim), 1 vehicle only front fleet; L. >l. Wakefield (Nelson), 1 vehicle only from fleet; H. H. White (Havelock' l , passenger services, Havelock to Grove and Havelock to Blenheim.

The- new company, which is called Nelson Transport, Ltd., is the largest firm of transport operators in New Zealand. Goods transport will be its main work, but roading and ether contracts will be undertaken. It will also operate the two passenger services which are being taken over.