LICENSED TRANSPORT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 258, 28 September 1933, Page 10

LICENSED TRANSPORT

CENTRAL AUTHORITY’S SITTING. The first sitting of the Central Transport Licensing Authority was commenced at Palmerston North oil Tuesday afternoon and continued yesterday. Sir Stephen S. Allen, of Morrinsville, is chairman, there being associated with him Mr H. B. S. Johnston, of South Canterbury. Mr W. Schierning attended the sitting on behalf of the Railway Department. The Authority clerk in Mr A. N. Haggitt. Some thirty applications are being dealt with. J. H. Willson (Palmerston North) requested an area license. The applicant said that most of his carting was within a radius of 20 to 25 miles, from farmers to the railway, Irom the railway to farmers and between farmers with an occasional longer run. The chairman said that the application should go before the No. 6 Authority, but it was quite clear that he was entitled to a license of some kind. The application was adjourned. C. T. Langridge (Palmertson North) applied for an area license. He said that his business was chiefly within a radius of 25 miles, being among dairy companies and farmers. The application was granted. D. G. Howard (Bulls) made application for an area license. He said his business was general carrying. Meads Bros. (Mr Ongiey) opposed the application, as also did Hill Bros. (Mr Grant). The suggestion was made by Mr Ongiey that the applicant had “cut” the rates in order to secure business. It was pointed out by the chairman that as yet there was no schedule of prices, which should be arranged by the carriers themselves and submitted for ratification. A limited area license was granted subject to the usual conditions. formal permission was sought by T. R. Elcox and Coy. (Rongotea) to carry on their business of transporting live stock and general merchandise in the district. A license for two vehicles covering several counties, with Huuterville as the northern limit, was granted. An application by V. T. Whilcy (Levin) tor a license for his operations in the transport of live stock and merchandise between Wellington and Feiiding was referred to the No. 6 Licensing Authority for consideration. Approval was given an application by Deal Bros. (Rangiwaliia), for a defined goods service route between Balmerston North and Rangiwaliia, no objections being raised. An area license covering the Manawatu County and a route license covering the Rangitikei and Wanganui Counties Was granted to H, A. Dixon (Rongotea). C. Petersen (Foxton) applied for a license covering the lower Manawa-tu and Southern Hawke’s Bay. He said his business was chiefly in connection with contract carting of flax, gravel and general merchandise. The application was referred back to the Transport Department as it was considered the application should be made under the local authority. F. W. Pearse (Feiiding) asked for three licenses. Mr T. F. Fitzgerald, who appeared in support of the application, explained that two area licenses and one seasonal license were required. The licenses were granted. O. Pearson (Feiiding) said that the most of his business, in the area for which he was applying, consisted of general merchandise, “bobby” calves and sheep carrying. The application was granted. E. P. Edwards and J. W. Edwards (Otaki) were granted a route license to Taihape under certain conditions. Meads Bros. (Bulls) were granted continuous and seasonal licenses under certain conditions. Mr Ongiey appeared in support of the application. D. H. Thompson (Rongotea) was granted his application. W. A. Davison (Rongotea) was granted an area license with the right to run over certain other routes.

Messrs Pask and Dyke (Feiiding). were granted an area license with the right to carry live stock over defined routes.

Application was made by the Bunnytliorpe Stores, Ltd., for a license to cover activities within a 30-mile radius of their base, for general carrying purposes, and' this was granted. Currie Bros., of Ashhurst, dealing with the transport of dairy supplies and stock, and operating lorries over two extensive country circuits, were granted licenses for four vehicles, allowing them to work as far afield as Maharaliara, Pahiatua and Rewa. At the request of the railways representative, business to the latter point was confined to live stock.

Authority was sought by the New Zealand Express Co., Ltd., to operate over any part of the North Island, and the chairman commented that this was an unusually large area. It was explained by the company’s representative that the class of work that called for this was furniture removals. The company was in fact prepared to go anywhere in the island, if it had not already don© so. He cohid definitely state that the truck had been to Wellington and New Plymouth from Palmerston North. Replying to »Mr Schierning, Mr H. W. Allen, acting manager of the company, said he could not say how recently these trips had been made. Mr Schierning asked for further information as he considered that unless the business was fairly sustained, a temporary license would meet the case. An adjournment was made to enable Mr Allen to supply the requisite information. Subsequently he said the trips were made quite frequently, and Mr Schierning accordingly withdrew his request. The application was granted for operations south of Waitara and Napier, subject to a restriction that furniture only be carried by the pantechnicon involved in the application. EXTENSIVE SERVICE.

The Highways Transport Companymade application for an extensive authority, and gave a resume of the extent and continuity of the service. For the company, Mr H. J. Knight asked for authority for 24 vehicles. No area had been applied for, he said, but all routes had be'en defined, with a request for permission to deviate five miles from the route road. The daily services offered included Palmerston North-Wel-lington, Palmerston North-Napier, Palmerston North-Wanganui, LevinWanganui, Wellington-New Plymouth, and Wellington-Masterton, as well as Masterton-Woodville intermittently. Application was made for the use of any of the fleet on any route, as the cars were naturally mobile, and could not be defined as belonging to any particular area. The business was a regular point-to-point service, built up over a long period of years. The business was very flexible, and a restriction on any one branch would entail a serious loss to the company. Giving evidence, Mr S. Goldingham, managing director of the company, said the general merchandise carrying of the firm was fairly flexible. By reason of their large fleet they were called on to handle far larger consignments than would be possible to smaller firms. The present service could not be sustained if the vehicles were 'confined to any definite area. Witness informed Mr Schierning that they could not confine the trucks to a separate route. This had been tried out, but had proved impracticable. The 24 vehicles applied for included

five benzine tank waggons, three operating under a definite contract, and two engaged in “free-lance” work. Mr Schierning asked that as these vehicles were new additions to the fleet, the authority should be numerically restricted to 18. He also repeated a request that the number of trucks operating between specific points should be stated. This was an important question from the viewpoint of the Railways Board. It was done with the trains. The Authority considered that if such a stipulation were made, it would have to apply to small concerns. Mr Schierning considered that if a.ny one section of the business declined in value, the whole fleet might bo concentrated on one route. Further objections were lodged by Mr G. L. Thomas on behalf of the Master Carriers’ Association. The association, he said, was, greatly concerned at the application of the Highways Transport Company for the Wellirigton-Masterton route. Ho claimed that th«T company was entitled under the Vehicle Authorities Act to licenses for two vehicles over that route since the Act was enforced. He inquired how many trucks were on the route daily. Mr Goldingham replied that one Was stationed at Masterton, and was supplemented by others from Palmerston North and Wellington. The maximum was three daily. Mr Thomas also opposed the granting of authority to the whole 2.3 vehicles. The mobility of the trucks might be applied otherwise than the Act intended. To allow every truck a free range would establish a precedent against the Masterton Carriers’ Association. This body, which was a unit directing 40 vehicles, had already put in its applications for a restricted area.

The Authority pointed out that provision was made for the vehicles being kept within five miles of the main route.

This, said Mr Thomas, put a different complexion on the matter from his point of view. Further replying to the objections, Mr Knight asked the Authority to give the matter earnest consideration before restricting the range of the trucks. To do so, he said, would not only be detrimental to the firm, but would actually establish a precedent against it in favour of small operators. The Authority asked Uiat the location of the service vehicles should he given, and the decision was suspended until this morning pending the furnishing of this information. TO-DAY’S SITTING. The decision in the adjourned application by the Highways Transport Co., .Ltd., was delivered by the chairman to-day. Replying to a question by the chairman, Mr Goldingham stated that the minimum number of daily services on the Palmerston North route was five. Following further deliberation, the application was granted. Route licenses were granted over roads defined in a submitted schedule, the northern limit being set down at Hunterville for haulage trucks and Taihape for tank waggons A minimum service of at least one trij> a day is to he provided on routes described as daily routes and a maximum of 12 trips a year from Masterton to Woodville. The authority was granted in respect of 18 goods trucks, 5 tank lorries and one trailer. The charges are to be subject to further consideration. T. Ruthven (Feiiding) was granted an area license* M. S. Mitchell (Feiiding), who was represented by Mr Fitzgerald, requested an area license covering several counties to enable him to carry produce and show stock. It was stated on his behalf that his service acted as a direct feeder to the railways. The application was granted. J. Coekhead (Feiiding), represented by Mr Fitzgerald, asked for an area license covering portions of the Rangitikei, Oroua and Poliangina counties for the collection of wool and calves. The application was granted. S. N. Lind (Feiiding) was granted an area license. Child Bros. (Palmerston North) asked for an area license, which was granted, the restriction as to area being a 20-mile radius from the city. The firm was also granted the right to undertake longer trips under special license.