ROAD TRANSPORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22476, 21 July 1936, Page 10

ROAD TRANSPORT

THE NEW REGULATIONS PASSENGERS AND GOODS ORDERS-IN-COUNCIL ISSUED DRIVING HOURS AND WAGES [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER^ WELLINGTON, Monday Two recent Orders-in-Council give effect to the reorganisation of the transport licensing system consequent on the amendments which were made in the legislation by the Transport Licensing Amendment Act passed in the early part of the session. Ihe regulations contained in these orders provide for strict control of driving hours for operators of passenger service vehicles and the payment of award wages to all drivers. The order dealing with goods services will bring into the licensing system all goods services carried on outside town areas. Details of the Order-in-Council were announced to-day by the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple. The Transport Licensing (Passenger) Regulations, ]936, contained in the first order, not only make provision for new details, but where necessary consolidate the existing regulations. Under the new regulations the existing nine transport districts are abolished and the Dominion is now divided into four districts, two in each island, with offices at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. The appointments of Messrs. E. J. Phelan, P. Skoglund, T. H. Langford and V. Raines as the licensing authorities to act from July 21 are confirmed by the Minister. Control of Driving Hours

Provision is also made m the Order-in-Council for the simplification of the system of temporary passenger service licences and the issue of permits in lieu of certificates of fitness. Reductions are made in certain of the fees payable. The provisions for the control of driving hours make it a condition of each passenger service licence that the licensee or any employee shall not drive for more than five and a-half hours continuously, or for more than 11 hours in any period of 24 hours. There must be at least 10 hours for rest in any period of 24 hours. A compulsory period of 24 consecutive hours for rest in every week is also stipulated. The payment of award wages to all drivers is made a condition of every passenger service licence. The second Order-in-Council, the Transport Goods Order, 1936, provides, in addition to the amendments, for the abolition of the v 'existing provision whereby services which do not run five miles or more on a main highway do not need to be licensed. It also provides that milk and cream lorries, which were formerly exempt, now come under the licensing requirements. Exemptions Provided Exemption from licensing is provided for all services ' operating within six miles of the chief post offices in all boroughs and town districts, and for services solely engaged in the distribution of newspapers. The present special exempted areas around the four maiji centres will be retained in the meantime, pending further investigation. Commenting on the new regulations in an interview this evening, the Minister said the new districts and the new licensing authorities should result in more efficient and simpler licensing machinery. The provisions dealing with driving hours on public passenger vehicles were new as far as the Dominion was concerned. They corrected a long-standing anomaly in transport legislation. Necessity for Regulations

"The proposals hare been fully considered by the representatives of the industry," said the Minister. "They are necessary for two main reasons: First, in the interests of safety on the roads, and secondly, in the interests of drivers. "When one considers the provisions relating to working hours in other forms of passenger transport, it is curious that road transport has been allowed to lag so far behind as far as labour conditions are concerned.

"The provisions for the payment of award wages have been adopted, because it is considered that an industry such as road passenger transport, which enjoys a large measure of protection from the State for the capital invested in it, must provide an adequate reward for the labour employed." Referring to the Transport Goods Order, the Minister said the broad result would be that all goods services for hire or reward carried on outside towns would come under the licensing systom, while the town carriers would continue to be licensed by the local bodies. Effect ol Licensing This would result in a more clear-cut and simpler definition of the scope of the licensing system and should bring a general improvement. It would also do away with the grounds for a complaint that had been made widely by existing licencees, that in many instances licensed and unlicensed operators were competing with one other. Dealing with the proposal to license milk and cream lorries, Mr. Semple said that at present the majority of those vehicles were carrying general goods besides milk and cream, and therefore required to be licensed. Tho formal abolition of the exemption would affect only a few services. The Minister stated that further regulations dealing with the control of goods services which would consolidate the existing goods service regulations and which would make provision Tor certain new matters were under consideration. These would be completed within the next few days.