THE TRANSPORT QUESTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21349, 25 November 1932, Page 10

THE TRANSPORT QUESTION

References in the report of the Transport Department to the high cost of transport in relation to national production and to the urgency of bringing about co-ordina-tion to ease the burden emphasise the importance of decisive steps in the matter of the transport regulations. Upon the whole question the public mind is more or less in midstream. The proposed regulations affecting goods transport have been submitted to the various transport interests and a lively hostile campaign has been launched against them, with the common assertion that the result would be to increase cost and decrease efficiency. This is a challenge of the vital point which must be answered. So far there has been no reply of a public nature. The best method for the Government to adopt would be to reject the Order-in-Council procedure and introduce the matter in Parliament, so that the subject could be publicly explored and the claims of interested parties put to the test. A reduction in transport costs is imperative. Over-lapping and waste must be eliminated as far as possible. Under present circumstances it is idle to argue the claims of one form of transport against another without due regard to the financial obligations of the national railways, in which £68,000,000 has been invested. The financial resources of the country do not permit of unrestricted competition. The motor has its place in the system, but its supporters must acknowledge that the railways are entitled to the long-distance traffic in both passengers and goods. A question that must be examined very closely is whether all motor transport can be considered as running on an economic basis. Is it not possible that continuous opposition to the railways on one route or another has involved a succession of failures through owner-drivers not making provision for replacement? These and many other factors must be investigated and the Government will be well advised to have the whole question considered in Parliament.