ROAD SERVICES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 69, 20 February 1932, Page 6

ROAD SERVICES.

RAILWAY DEPARTMENT’S ATTITUDE. Per Press Association. , WELLINGTON, Feb. 19. The attitude of the Railway Depart* ment in regard to competitive motor and road services was briefly outlined to the Central Licensing Authority to-day by Mr F. Aicken, who re* presented the department when applications were made to the board today. There could be no doubt that the Transport Licensing Act was designed and placed on the Statute Book for the purpose of securing certain definite results-, Mr Aicken said, four of which were of major importance. They were: (1) The securing of a considerable reduction in road costs; (2) the wiping out of the annual railway deficit due to wasteful competition of road services; (3) the reduction of production costs as affected by transport. A reduction in the cost of production would be obtained automatically by the achievement of the first and second objects. (4) The elimination of the unsatisfactory and uneconomic conditions within the road transport industry itself. “We do submit that where the railway is adequately catering for the transport needs of any district or districts as a whole in the public interest, and the road services are merely catering for a comparatively small number of individuals, a tapering off of road t service passenger mileage should commence now,” 6aid Mr Aicken. “Also, wo think it should be coupled with, where the circumstances warrant, the fixation of road fares on such a basis as will carry into effect a reasonabel interpretation of the 6ub-sectioo in the Act concerned.”