DEPARTMENT'S TRUCKS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4958, 20 February 1937, Page 5

DEPARTMENT'S TRUCKS

COMPLAINT BY CARRIERS. OPPOSITION TO INTERFERENCE. Opposition to the Public Works Department’s alleged commencement of a policy of employing its own trucks was expressed by carriers at Wednesday’s sitting of the No. 2 Transport Licensing Authority at Stratford. Representations against the practice will be made to the authority, Mr. Philip Skoglund, at New Plymouth on behalf of the Taranaki Master Carriers’ Association. The matter was raised when a Te Wera applicant for renewal of a license asked for authority to use his vehicle for Public Works and local body carting contracts anywhere in the No. 2 licensing district. Surprise at the request was expressed by Mr. Skoglund. “If I granted this license it would take you over half the North Island,” Mr. Skoglund said. “Do you need Hawke’s Bay?” “Why not?” inquired Mr. Mouat. “I might have to, because we are slowly being squeezed out here.” Mr. Skoglund: “Who is squeezing you; the Railway Department?” —“No, the Public Works Department is putting trucks on.” Mr. Skoglund: “It’s the first I have heard about it.” Regulations To Be Made. “Representations will be made at New Plymouth to-morrow,” said Mr. P. E. Siainton, secretary of the Taranaki Master Carriers’ Association. “Mr. Semple has cut himself in two — as Minister of Public Works he is doing one thing and as Minister of Transport he is not looking after the interest of carriers.” “I am sure the Minister does not know anything about this,” said Mr. Skoglund. He expressed appreciation that the matter had been mentioned and added that representations had also been made that the Education Department was doing the same thing. He had heard of a case where the Department was paying a school teacher 30s a week to run a school bus service. Mr. Mouat mentioned that the Department had already commenced operations with a truck at Whangarnomona. Granted a license for general cartage in Whangamomona and Stratford counties and for coal in the Ohura county only, Mr. Mouat was given permission to operate for the Public Works Department and local bodies anywhere in the No. 2 licensing district—Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay and south to Wellington.