CARTAGE RATES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23817, 19 November 1940, Page 10

CARTAGE RATES

SCHEDULE DISALLOWED ACTION BY MINISTER CARRIERS EXPRESS ALARM [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON. Monday "It is" high time the public knew the facts, of the matter and that the Minister of Transport knew what the South Auckland carriers think of his decision on the appeal against the South Auckland schedule of cartage rates," says a statement issued to-dny by the South Auckland Council of the Carriers' Association. "Tho Minister, the Hon. R. Semplo, lias apparently repeated his performance by a similar decisiota. on the North Auckland schedule. "For several years the South Auckland carriers have been asking for fixed cartngo rates," tho statement continues. "When the proper authority, after hearing tho views of all parties, fixes those prices, the Minister declares tho rates to be ineffective because the carrying industry did not receive proper notice of the intention to fix prices. The carriers' organisations deny that they received inadequate notice, and maintain that if there was inadequacy of notice they are quito capable of raising the point themselves without this unexpected solicitudo on the part of tho Minister. "It must bo said in fairness to the Transport Department officials in Auckland that tlicy followed tho procedure which had been ndopted without question in every other part of New Zcnland. It appears that certain farming and dairying groups threatened to attack that proccduro in Court or else put the matter right by legislation. The Minister's duty was to decide whether tlio prices fixed were too high or too low —not to evade the issue. "Tho carriers are most alarmed about the whole position," tho statement concludes. "Tho industry has- no political allegiances, but it feels that the Minister of Transport has sacrificed the industry in a political issue between the Government and certain users' interests. Mr. Semplo has onlv himself to thank if hundreds of carriers are now asking themselves who controls transport, the Minister of Transport or the groups of users?"