ROAD GOODS SERVICES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21911, 21 September 1934, Page 13

ROAD GOODS SERVICES

QUESTION OF CHARGES ATTITUDE OF AUTHORITY [bv telegraph—own correspondent] TF, KUITI, Thursday An objection to through road transport was expressed at the meeting of the No. 5 Transport Licensing Authority at Te Kuiti to-day by Mr. S. Baddelev, representing the Te Kuiti Chamber of Commerce. He contended that the railway should receive the traffic and that it was the opinion of the chamber that competition should be maintained. The chamber did not want one man to have a monopoly of a road. The chairman, Mr. P. Thompson, said the authority had power to fix prices. If any evidence came before the authority that unduly high charges were being made the authority would step in. So far it had refrained from fixing charges, looking to competition to make the charges reasonable. Mr. Baddelev raised the point of service when only one man was operating and an urgent order had to be executed.

The chairman said that a temporary licence could be obtained when no licensed carrier was available. There was no road in this district over which two or more carriers were not licensed to operate. The authority also stated that though many local bodies had passed resolutions protesting against the restrictions imposed and the raising of prices none had been able to bring forward specific instances. If they did not come forward the authority had to rely on the evidence of the applicant or objector.