ROAD GOODS SERVICES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21346, 22 November 1932, Page 11

ROAD GOODS SERVICES

PROPOSED REGULATIONS

OBJECTION BY OPERATORS

CRITICISM OF PROVISIONS

Tho draft transport regulations governing long-distance motor goods services were severely criticised at a meeting yesterday representative of the passenger and goods services, the wholesale and retail motor traders and allied industries. Mr. G. Grey Campbell presided over an attendance of over 100.

Mr. A. S. Bailey, tho Auckland representative on the New Zealand Road Transport Alliance, outlined tho representations which had already been made to the Minister of Transport regarding the new regulations, stating that tho Minister had allowed interested bodies until the end of this month to consider the regulations further. It was hoped, atfer holding meetings in all districts, to place coordinated opinions before him at a confer-

ence. "Wo have no hesitation in saying that tho regulations have been drawn in a onesided manner without duo consideration from either a national or economic point of view, but purely from the point of view of the overburdened railway system," said Mr. Bailey. Capital invested in railways represented £57,600,000, while the estimated capital expenditure on roads was £59,500,000. Misleading and incorrect figures had been quoted in support of the slogan, "Make tho Railways Pay," but it sepmcd to bo a caso of making them pay at the expense of a greater national asset, of an already overburdened business community, of the primary of the taxpayer generally and of a service which every member of tho community had a right to expect.

Arbitrary Powers The first potential danger in the regulations was that too great arbitrary powers were granted licensing authorities, which would not use them in a uniform manner. The next general objection was the sense of insecurity which the regulations gave road operators, who could obtain a licence for only a year. The regulations also allowed tho Transport Department to fix rates for freights, which it was not competent to judge, and to inflict penalties, which the alliance considered should remain the jurisdiction of the Courts. The department was also empowered to determine carrying capacities, of which the licensee was the best judge. Operators should be allowed to fix their own capacities, provided they paid the correct heavy-traffic fees and kept within road-load limits. National Policy Wanted

Mr. Bailey then referred to the statement that railways were left to carry tho lower-grade goods while road services took the more profitable higher freights. He quoted figures from the September Abstract of Statistics to show tho quantities of wool, dairy produce, fertilisers, lime, cement, timber and coal carried by road, all of which were low-freight loads, and stated that general merchandise, the highest freight, represented only 22.6 per cent of the total carried.

A resolution, urging the Government not to issue regulations controlling goods services until a national transport policy was evolved and a transport authority was constituted capable of taking a comprehensive view of all services and co-ordinat-ing them, was passed unanimously. The meeting also decided to ask for the -withdrawal of the proposed regulations.

It was decided to form a local association embracing all motor trades and organisations directly and indirectly interested to combat the proposed regulations. A committee was appointed to draw up a constitution.