LICENCED CARRIERS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 236, 18 September 1936, Page 7

LICENCED CARRIERS

Six-Mile Limit Abolished In Many Towns MINISTER’S DECISION <B> lelegranh —Frew Association.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 17. In an interview to-day the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, referred to the amendment to the existing regulations relating to the licensing of goods-services which appeared in the Gazette. “The Transport (Goods) Order. 1936,” said Mr Semple, “which was gazetted on July 18, 1936, provided that goods-services in which goods are hauled solely within a radius of six miles from the chief Dost office of any borough or town district or within the four special areas surrounding the four main cities do not come under the licensing system. “In view of representations that have been made to me recently by the four new licensing authorities, who have just completed inspections of their respective districts and by various interested organisations,” said the Minister, “it has been decided to abolish ’ six miles from the post office ’ exemption except in the case of the following towns; Whangnrei, Hamilton, Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier, Hastings, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Masterton, Nelson, Greymouth, Timaru, Oamaru and Invercargill. The four specially exempted areas around the four main cities remain unaltered; so also does the statutory exemption of goods-services carried on entirely within the boundaries of a borough or town district. “The main reason for the alteration is the fact that local authorities in the smaller towns exercise virtually no control over local carriers. Inquiries show that of a total of 134 boroughs, and town districts of under 6000 population only 36 have by-laws controlling local carriers and very few of these use their by-law powers. As a result of this lack of control it is virtually impossible to maintain reasonable standards of driving hours, wages, vehicle fitness, etc., on the services that come under the licensing provisions. “The new provisions,” continued Mr Semple, “come into effect on Friday September 18, and I would urge carriers who will now require licences to lodge applications with the Commissioner of Transport, Wellington, without delay. I would point out, however, that carriers who do not run beyond the boundaries of any borough or town district do not require licences. “The question of the future policy to be followed in respect to larger towns where the six-miles exemption still applies and the specially exempted areas around the four main cities will depend on the results of the investigation I have arranged to be carried out in these cases ”