TRANSPORT PROBLEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19809, 2 December 1927, Page 13

TRANSPORT PROBLEMS.

INQUIRY INTO THE SYSTEMS. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS. MOTOR TRAFFIC DEVELOPMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. The inquiry to bo made into the transport systems of the Dominion was the subject of a statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. Coates, to-day. Mr. Coates said: "As the preliminary consideration by a small departmental committee has proceeded, it has become increasingly clear that the problem is one of very considerable importance and complexity. A larger preliminary committee has accordingly been set. up to coordinate the work, consisting of the permanent heads of the Public Works Department. the Post and Telegraph Department, the Railway Department and the Marino Department, with all of which are associated the Government Statistician and representatives of the Prime Minister's Department. The committee is now engaged in the task of evolving a, definite plan by which it is hoped to collate, in the simplest and most effective way, facts and figures which will serve to form a basis for a reasoned conclusion as to the present position. "As illustrating the magnitude and importance of the work before the committee it may bo pointed out that the scope of their investigations includes a review of road taxation by local bodies and by the State, the cost of construction of roads, including Government subsidies, construction and maintenance of main highways, railway construction and operation, harbour facilities, municipal transport and road transport, both commercial and private. Already a considerable mass of detailed information and statistics has been collected and compiled. " It seems plain that an enormous development may be expected in the use of commercial motor vehicles, and it is felt by the committee that the proper time to initiate investigation of this branch of the subject is while motor traffic is still in its infancy. Statistical inquires .ire accordingly being addressed for this purpose to the owners of commercial motor vehicles. An effort has been made to cause as little inconvenience to those concerned as possible, and I trust, in view of the importance of the subject, information will be supplied readily, and in as much detail as possible in the circumstances. *

" 1 wish again to make it clear that the Government has no intention of taking any drastic steps in connection with motor transport, or any other mode of transport; nor, indeed, do they intend to take any steps whatever in the meantime. The object of the inquiry as to motor vehicles and the object of the whole of the committee's investigations, is merely to collect data and report."