JUDGE’S EXTRAORDINARY VIEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3864, 3 April 1928, Page 71

JUDGE’S EXTRAORDINARY VIEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, March 16. New Zealand would like to know how to meet the competition of motor traffic with the railways, but it is doubtful whether the Government would be prepared to go to the length advocated by Sir John Quick, judge of the Federal Arbitration Court, who, in Melbourne the other day, pronounced some extraordinary views in this connection. Sir John rose from the ranks of industry to the Arbitration Court Bench, and his utterances have usually been logical and sound, but many critics have placed his latest comments in another category. He said that in the interests of the railways, and for the protection of the public, the cut-throat competition, which has dealt a serious blow to the Victorian railways, should be stopped. He went on : “ Why should the Government, through the Country Road Board, go to the expense of constructing roads alongside the railways, when these roads facilitate the carriage of passengers and goods by motor, in competition with the State railways It seems to me that there is no encouragement for Parliament to vote large sums of monev to provide roads if these roads are going to result in the destruction of the railways.” That may have been all right if the judge had stopped there, but a representative of the Railway Commissioners introduced another aspect—the disastrous effect on the railways of the privatelyowned cars. Such cars, which were becoming more numerous every dav seriously affected the revenue of the railways. Sir John Quick: You cannot interfere with the rights of the private car owner as the matter stands at present.' SJ think, however, that the Crown Law officers should consider the question whether any ; person who owns a motor car for bis business or private convenience should be allowed to carry passengers free. That seems to be done in a wholesale fashion. It deprives the railways of revenue, and should be stopped. The judge was also astounded when he was told that in some of the Melbourne suburbs clubs were formed and the members of those clubs were permitted to travel free on motor buses going to the city. That course had been adopted with a view to defeating legislation that was introduced to prohibit buses from plying for hire on certain routes.