Farmers Oppose Fixed Cartage Rates

Northern Advocate, 28 May 1940, Page 8

Farmers Oppose Fixed Cartage Rates

The year just closed marked a very important development in Government regulation of transport, stated the chairman (Mr E. G. Appleton), in his annual report to the Northland Dairy Association today. Until 12 months ago, the right of free competition and of private arrangements between user and carrier had . been preserved. Pronouncement by the Minister of Transport that cartage rates should be fixed, brought about a radical change. Mr Appleton detailed steps taken by the Transport Committee of the conference to oppose fixation and to safeguard interests of producers as far as possible. Before the tribunal sitting at Whangarei, Messrs. A. C. Lamb and R. D. Speer proposed that transport rates should be governed entirely by time and mileage costs based on an efficient full-time operator. The result of the proceedings was production of a rate schedule not differing materially from others already issued prior to the hearing. Through its solicitors, the Dairy Association applied to the Transport Department for copies of notes of evidence taken at the hearing. Notes Never Used. “Our solicitors were informed,” said Mr Appleton, “that the notes of evidence had not been transcribed from the shorthand and therefore it was quite evident that the tribunal could not even have considered the evidence tendered by our representatives, despite the fact that no effective evidence was tendered by the representatives of the carriers.” The Transport Committee therefore decided to appeal against the operation of the schedule and about 1000 signatures were forwarded to the Minister of Transport, Mr Appleton continued. As a consequence, the Minister ordered an investigation of transport conditions and some weeks ago a departmental officer visited the area and acquired a good deal of information concerning general transport conditions. Further Costs. The Dairy Conference had not as yet been informed of the contents of his report or the result of the appeal. Further additions to transport costs had accrued and were accruing. Mr Appleton expressed the committee’s appreciation of the services rendered by Messrs. Lamb and Speer. Fine Effort.—The Commercial Travellers’ Mardi Gras at Forbury Park on Saturday secured £1250 for the Red Cross fund.