TRANSPORT CO-ORDINATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22260, 12 May 1934, Page 10

TRANSPORT CO-ORDINATION

Apparently the operators of coastal shipping services in the Dominion are somewhat less than delighted at the receipt'of a questionnaire addressed to them by the Transport, Board. The Boat'd asks for a considerable amount of information, hut expresses its confidence that the companies, viewing the matter as a public duty, will not begrudge the time and trouble involved in supplying it. Despite this urbanity on its part the shipping interests may possibly be disposed to regard the Board’s advances with a certain amount of suspicion, and inclined to ask why it should want to concern itself with their business , at all. It is desirable, perhaps, that a little-light should be thrown upon the duties of the Transport Co-ordination Board, to give the authority in question its full title. The purpose of the Transport Licensing Act of 1931 was to make better provision for the licensing and control of all commercial road transport services other than tramways. Legislation for the amendment of that Act, and for , the constitution of a Transport Co-ordination Board, was enacted last year. The functions of the Board, as defined in this Act, are to hold such inquiries and make such investigations from time to time, either on its own initiative or under Ministerial direction, as may be deemed expedient, and to report the results to the Government “ with such recommendations as it thinks fit for the purpose of securing the improvement, co-ordination, and development, and better regulation and control of all means of and facilities for transport and all matters incidental thereto.” There is no specific mention of shipping services, but the expression “ all means of transport” is a comprehensive one, and gives the Board wide powers of investigation. One of the respects in which shipping services and road transport services are on an entirely different footing is that all road services operate under license. But the Transport Co-ordination Board’s concern is to make a survey of the whole transport system of the

country with a view to the solution of what it describes as one of the Dominion’s major economic problems. In its questionnaire to the shipping companies it asks them to set out, inter alia, their views regarding competition between motor transport and the railways and coastal shipping services. Conceivably this may appear an invitation to shipowners to express their opinions in somewhat strong language. Apart from their possible resentment over the inquisitorial nature of the Board’s general request they may perhaps wonder what fresh blow fate may have in store for them in the shape of State interference with private enterprise. The Transport Board’s powers of recommendation are very extensive. In its quest for co-ordination of services it may hardly be disposed to regard with satisfaction the existence of shipping operations which compete with those of the railways. It may not concern itself with the consideration that ships represent the older form of transport. It invites the shipping companies to suggest schemes for the co-ordination of coastal shipping with the railways and motor services. The possibilities of the position tend to recall the immortal tale of the Walrus, the Carpenter, and the Oyster. The general inference must be that the inquiry of the Transport Board points to the possibility of its recommending a curtailment of the freedom of operation which shipping services have hitherto enjoyed. The ground for bringing road and sea transport into the sphere of “co-ordination” is the economic factor. But there is another way of looking at the position. Enterprise in shipping is one of the great British traditions, and a quite good case could be made out for .the encouragement of coastal shipping in this Dominion, which should be the home of a maritime people, rather than for anything tending in a contrary direction.