ROAD AND RAIL

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 509, 12 November 1928, Page 8

ROAD AND RAIL

CUT-THROAT RIVALRY MAY BE ENDED CONFERENCE PROPOSED <Special to THE SVX) WELLINGTON, Sunday. Co-ordination of road and rail »» vices to eliminate cut-throat eonuxT tion is to be the next move in dealin with the transport problem. Sdbbl itig at Masterton, the Prime MimSindicated that he intended to call conference of motor-bus owners motn carriers and railway officers, to diV cuss that aspect of the question. “Our position is that on certain lines it is costing us 11s a mile t run trains, when buses on parallel roads can carry all the passengers » certain times at Is 6d a mile,” said Mr. Coates. Each service was’trvu,r to cut the other’s throat. We bought out those motor services at agreed-on prices, and we are working th«n in conjunction with the trains. “My idea of the solution of this problem of rail and road competition is co-ordination. We have dozens of contracts all over the country. The motor-lorry owner says I am out to smash him. That is not so. He will get a square deal. The Minister of Public Works has already said there will be a conference, and It will be called. We want to get down to the problem and find an economic solu tion. “The railways last year cost 2.4j 0 a ton mile. The cost a ton for the motors averaged Is 6d. Can It be said that on these figures the railwav is the most economic form of transport? For many years to come the railways will be the main arteries of our traffic.”