THE TRANSPORT MONOPOLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19508, 11 December 1926, Page 9

THE TRANSPORT MONOPOLY.

Sir,—Mr. Bloodworth is making progress. lie admits that the present transport system, is not satisfactory. He claims, however, that it was not satisfactory before, which is a safe statement, for nothing exists that cannot be improved. I claim, however, that before the p/esent Act came into force transport was better than it is at present, and at the earns time watt cheaper. Mr. Bloodworth disclaims any responsibility for the Act, but before it was passed ®he made no secret of his knowledge of what it was to be, and be was tho representative ct the city at the committee which inquired into tho details. His present proposal is that a metropolitan council shall control all transport, with which J do not agree. The transport area is a very wide one, and all parts of it are entitled to representation. Mr. Bloodworth's metropolitan council which is to deal with metropolitan problems would not meet transport requirements. The Main Highways Board is doing good work, and country sot tiers would strongly object to merging it in a metropolitan council. Mr. Bloodworth assumes that, a monopoly in transport is inevitable, but why ? There is no reason for any fiuch assumption. It is true there are some people who share his opinion, and would rather pay more to ride slowly in a municipal bus or trani, often wills the knowledge that the increased fare will require to be supplemented from ratef in order to cover cost. All this they w ill bear rather than allow anyone to make a profit. Most people, however, wdl pn> fer to travel faster for smaller fares even if those who run the service make some profit. After all, profit is but another form of wages, if the community are to take longer to get to and from work and are to pay more money for the privilege, they will necessarily be poorer. What, class of the community will that profit? I can understand Mr. I5lood : worth's desire to concentrate all transport in the hands of one local body, for . the result would be that one big union would hold the kev of the situation. The metropolitan council would nominally own tho transport, hot those who operated it would really hold the power. Such a position is far too dangerous, and Mr. Bloodworth's calm assumption 'nat it n inevitable does not impress nv\ After all, how many working men are batter off for what ho has already done ? It is more difficult and more expensive to get to and from work. Many men will have I to stav in the citv or come back to it. i Women find it difficult to come to the i c itv for their shopping. Mr. BloddwCfth . holds this to be inevitable —which is noni sense. If the Act had not come into operation, this trouble would not have , arisen. It is useless for bim to disclaim ! responsibility for it. He did his best to bring it about, and must be prepared to find his name associated with it. | E. H. Potter. M