TRANSPORT REGULATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 28 September 1934, Page 3

TRANSPORT REGULATIONS

(To the Editor) Sir, —1 am very pleased with the tone of "/As” letter, and am sure a friendly discussion on the question of Hie Transport regulations will do no harm. Z admits that there sire many objectionable features but asks, "What better way can you suggest?” He says the finances of the country would not permit of its repeal. The Government have just made a couple of handsome presents to the brewing and tobacco magnates so money is evidently no object to them. , My reply to the financial question is, that apart from all other considerations the country cannot afford the enforcement of the Act. According to a Parliamentary return read just a few days ago this Act had saved during the past year £300,000,. or 4s per head of the population. Now look at what the actions of the Transport Boards have cost the country. Here is part of the bill for Nelson. Return fares Motueka to Nelson raised from 5s to 0s 6d, Nelson to Blenheim 25s to 355, Nelson to Christchurch JJ4 10s to £5 ss, Murchison to Nelson 20s to 255. In addition to this there is the fear and uncertainty of the whole thing. Every man in the transport business goes about with the sword of Damocles hanging over his head, never knowing the minute it- may fall and cut his business away. Ail instance of this occurred recently. A carrier was granted liis license at the last sitting of the Transport Board, and on the strength of this bought a new £IOOO lorry. Ten days later his license was amended so drastically that if enforced he may as well go out of business. The Transport legislation was passed with the ostensible object of lowering transport costs. It lias.done nothing oi the sort, but raised them, and considerably so. The examples I have quoted are typical of what has occurred everywhere in New Zealand, and the combined effect of higher passenger and freight rates, witli restrictions of all sorts, and uncertainty make an intolerable burden on industry.

“Z” is very much concerned for tne railways. There is £60,000,000 invested in these, and it belongs to the New Zealand public. There is however a greater amount invested in the motor business, aiid it also belongs to the New Zealand public. The value of the railways to us cannot be measured in terms of money, but in the services they render. During the past year or two the New Zealand railways have made a -wonderful reeovvery,anci this is due not to any protection they may have received from the Transport Boards, hut to the greater service they have rendered the public. We want lowered transport costs and the spur of competition is the only tiling that will give us these. “Z” must know that the Transport Boards are making only very feeble attempts to protect the railway’s. Take Nelson for instance. Over the richest and most closely populated section of the route from Belgrovc to Nelson, the motor business lias been presented with the traffic. As far as I am aware every bus and lorry that asked for a license got it. I do not say that this is wrong, bucause if the railways had been giving service tc the, public they would not have needed protection. At the present time about tjie only people who travel by the railways in Nelson are cr'enu heads for liVe days a week, and excursionists on Friday. On that day the train is full. I only quote this to compare it with treatment meted to motor services.

Take the Motueka run. There one service running for 5s return was compelled to raise his fares to Us 6d—this to protect .'tiler interests. If I gauge opinion correctly this is the sort of thing- the public are sore about. Similar tilings have been done all over New Zealand.

For the upkeep of the roads the-Gov-ernment- have the- remedy in their own hands—taxation, but let it be equitable. At the present time it is not. The benzine. and tyre taxes are the only two equitable taxes. The user pays. I stig-nr-st the abolition of Transport Boards, Highway Boards, and County Councils. Raise the whole of the money required for the upkeep and maintenance of the roads by motor taxation—tyres and benzine —mostly the latter. Give the money to the motorists’ organisations, and make them responsible for the roads. Lot the railways look after themselves; competition will do the rest.

The attempted regulation and control of business by Governments is a form of socialism that lias always failed. I commend “Z” to read two articles in

“The Mail” just recently, the first on tile attempted control of tile cotton business in U.3.A . and the. second on the working of Naziism in the. attempted control of business generally in Germany. There are leaders of industry such as Henrv Ford and others who assert that if the present craze for State regulation and control of business is extended and made general it will eventually wreck civilisation —I am, etc., H.G.K. 26th September.