CO-ORDINATION OF TRANSPORT

Southland Times, Issue 23932, 26 September 1939, Page 8

CO-ORDINATION OF TRANSPORT

Minister’s Scheme Discussed

BIG MEETING HELD IN INVERCARGILL

NEED FOR MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY

The need for co-ordinating all road transport services throughout New Zealand to eliminate unnecessary running, to save petrol and to put transport on an efficient basis was emphasized at a meeting of transport workers in Invercargill last night, when the proposals of the Minister of Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) were outlined by Mr H. C. Campbell, of the New Zealand Transport Alliance, Wellington. The meeting, which was held in the Y.M.C.A. building, was attended by about 200, and was presided over by Mr D. T. King (president of the Southland Licensed Lorry Owners’ Association). Mr K. W. Davies, of the Transport Department, was also present. At the conclusion of the meeting the following resolution was carried unanimously:—“That this largely attended meeting of operators will support the Minister of Transport and his department in obtaining co-ordination of licensed motor-vehicle transport and in obtaining maximum efficiency.” The taxi proprietors of the Southland and Wallace Counties and of the city, the licensed lorry owners, the bus services and the mail carriers were represented at the meeting. Mr King said he was pleased to see such a big attendance of all sections of transport workers. The meeting had been called as a war emergency measure, and as a means of laying before the operators the effect of the Transport Act. STATEMENT BY MINISTER Mr Davies read a statement made by the Minister of Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) on September 15 outlining the co-ordination of all transport services on the basis of maximum efficiency. District co-ordinating committees, the Minister said, were being set up and these would consist of a representative each of the transport services, the Transport Department and the Railway Department in various centres throughout both islands. Schemes would be considered for the co-operation of the various services in each district, and these would be reported to the transport authorities which, if they approved of them, would make them effective through the licensing system. It was also proposed to set up a national advisory committee consisting of representatives of the road transport services, the Railway Department and the Transport Department; The fact that the Empire was at war, Mr Semple said, made these proposals of the utmost importance in the national interests. He would like to assure the industry that the Government had no desire to dictate to it.

Proposals for co-ordinating the services were outlined by Mr Campbell. The Minister’s statement, he said, was the most important that had ever been made to the industry. The Government, to be perfectly frank, had alternatives, and it was only the offer of the organized members of the industry that had induced the Government to take the step it had. He was sure they were pleased and proud they had been given this opportunity to do their best to assist the country at this time. The Government was satisfied that transport licensing control was in the interests of the industry and the public generally, but it was desired that they should reach another advanced stage immediately. Transport was the life blood of the country, and the Government decided it must have efficiency in the industry. Maximum efficiency was a high ideal, but they had to reach it in the interests of the nation.

Organization to meet changes was another necessity. They might desire to get to the point of running only essential services—that depended on the petrol supplies. They had to be so organized, then, that they could run transport for essential services only. They would also have to meet the position of mobilization of many of their men. They would have to do everything to eliminate overlapping and wasteful running. GENERAL PRINCIPLES That would have to be done by the industry itself, and the Government had decided that the method to achieve this end was to ask the industry to do it through its organizations and associations. He could not do more than outline principles. Details were their job. He had come to tell them that the Government felt their services could be run more efficiently and if they did not do it the Government would. He was not presenting alternatives, but if they did not do the job themselves they had failed the Minister in the confidence he had placed in them. The associations would be asked to put their joint brains and experience to the job. With unified action and direction and a spirit of complete co-operation, they could attain the desired maximum efficiency. The secret of transport operation was the maximum effective use of their vehicles. The department suggested complete amalgamation of town carriers, so that as far as the public was concerned there would be a common identity for the whole service. It was expected of the industry that it would do its own rationing of petrol. The Government considered a 50 per cent, economy could be effected.

The Government wanted similar complete co-operation and co-ordina-tion of all taxis. How it was to be done was for them to decide. In Auckland there were 200 taxis operating from one office, so they could not say it could not be done. It was going to be a big problem and a big job. He felt the carriers and taxi proprietors were going to be asked to face two hurdles at once—licensing control and the emergency situation. The other sections had been rationalized, and to some extent the unnecessary and undesirable element had been weeded out.

The Government’s' preference was complete amalgamation—a uniform and unified control. They could expect very quickly big changes in public works and he was giving away no secrets when he said public works would not be carried on as at present. FUNCTIONS NOT DEFINED It was not intended to define or limit the functions of the national co-ordina-ting committees. They were to investigate services and aspects of the transport economy of the country and advise and repprt to the authorities. The Government agreed that the right way to run transport was through the public services as far as possible The licensing authorities would arrange meet-

ings and consider the plans and individual applications on their merits and in relation to such plans. Their part would also be to implement the Government policy. Too many people had been working in the industry with too little remuneration. They were going to require 100 per cent, efficiency from employees for the remuneration they would receive.

“If we don’t do what is required,” the speaker concluded, “we will let the Minister down, and, what is worse than that, perhaps, we will let ourselves down.” “Is not this unified control a monopoly?” asked a man in the audience. Mr Campbell said it was, and the previous speaker claimed that the Government had always set its face against monopolies, and yet it was countenancing an enormous monopoly of this type. Mr Campbell declared that the circumstances were altered by the state of national emergency. It was an emergency measure and could be reviewed when the emergency was over.

“Everything that is good in this,” he said, “has come to stay.” Mr C. A. Kerse expressed the view that the National Advisory Committee 'should consist Of two members of the industry and an independent chairman as well as the two representatives of the Government Departments.

Mr Campbell said they had to recognize the impartiality of the Transport Department. There would be no attempt to dictate to the industry, as the matter would be largely in the hands of the industry. It was suggested by one member that when the emergency arose they would be ready to place the whole of their fleets at the disposal of the Government, but that that time had not yet arrived.

Mr Campbell said he thought it would be much better to be organized in preparation for that emergency. A member submitted that the best interests of the operators would be served by a meeting in Wellington. The members of the industry had not yet, he claimed, had a proper opportunity of digesting the scheme. Mr Campbell pointed out that they had offered their co-operation in a time of national emergency. Surely he added, war was a national emergency and they should not go to the Government and ask why it had asked them to co-operate. If it was a question of asking how, that was a different matter. It was decided to forward the names of Messrs G. E. T. Dorman, C. A. Kerse, T. Keating and G. Ballantyne to the Minister for the selection of one to represent the transport services on the district advisory committee for the counties of Southland and Wallace.