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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19505, 13 June 1925, Page 11

RURAL TRANSPORT FACILITIES. Encouragement for the producers of the dominion was promised in a practical speech hy the Prune Minister this week. It is a reasonable conclusion that the country settler is entitled to as much consideration as can fairly be given to him in the provision of improved transport facilities. This is a matter in which the Government is concerned in respect of its aim to provide an efficient railway administration as well as from a sense of the need of meeting the reasonable requirements of the settlers. The scheme of linking up transport that was indicated by Mr Coates is part of the new railway policy, and it must be regarded as marking a step in a desirable direction. As things are, the railway may deliver goods at a point miles away from the settler's home, and that means, of course, that a system of transport between the settler and the railway has to be otherwise and independently devised. In arriving at the decision that this is a matter in which it should interest itself the Railways Department is on safe ground. At present there is a gap to be bridged, the existence of which throws the Department open to considerable competition from motor services. The Department has to consider how to protect its own traffic on the railways, and to ensure, as far as it possibly can, that the railways obtain the traffic that is available. By providing transport over the distance between the settler and the nearest railway station it should be able to curtail sensibly the' danger of traffic being diverted from the railways by the ever-increasing motor competition. What with the produce which the settler wishes to send away, and the goods which he desires to have brought to his door, there is a good deal of freight involved. This the Department cannot well afford to lose, and it may be supposed that it can secure a large proportion of it by the adoption of an arrangement whereby the goods can be carried through either way on one consignment note. The idea of linking up thS" motor service with the railway by arrangement with motor-vehicle owners so that the whole function of transport shall he discharged by the Department is a practical one which should be attended with advantages to both the Department and the settlers affected.