EFFORTS FRUSTRATED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19240, 4 February 1937, Page 5

EFFORTS FRUSTRATED

RATIONALISED TRANSPORT WARNING BY MINISTER ANCILLARY SERVICES (Per Press Association.) , WELLINGTON, this day. A warning to those merchants and others who are reported asi frustrating the rationalisation of motor transport, over , certain routes was issued to-day by the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple.

The Minister said that although it was desired to use the powers ot the new legislation the lajv would be invoked in cases where it was clear that the administration of the Act was being *.

Air. Semple explained that recently he had met Messrs. E. J. Bhelan (Auckland), J. P. 0. Skoglund (Wellington), X. H. Langford (Christchurch), and V. Haines (Dunedin), who acted as district licensing authorities under the Transport Act.- ... . v ...

■‘We- ■ discussed a number of matters dealing with the administration of the Act in the light of the experience gained by the licensing authorities,” he said. ; 't'Th4 licensing authorities ’ drew my attention to a number of instances where their attempts to rationalise motor transport over certain routes with the object of reducing national transport costs, were being frustrated by merchants and others putting their own trucks on the road.

"The legislation provides power to bring ‘ancillary’ services of this nature under the Transport Act. The general policy, however, is to use the power sparingly, but I want to emphasise that it will be invoked in cases where it is clear that the administration of the Act is being circumvented. "Another point I should like to emphasise,’’ said Mr. Semple, “is the desirability for all persons, firms, local bodies, etc., obtaining tenders for road haulage to make it a condition of the contract that the successful tenderer complies, where necessary, with the provisions of the Transport Act. Cases have arisen where tenders for cartage have been accepted and the road transport operator has subsequently been unable to secure the necessary license. This has led to confusion and irritation.

“I want to make it quite clear that all this trouble can be avoided if business firms and local bodies make compliance with the Transport Act a condition of their contracts for road transport.’’