UNCHECKED COMPETITION

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 54, Issue 3895, 28 April 1937, Page 6

UNCHECKED COMPETITION

GOODS CARRYING AT PUKEATUA. Objection was lodged at Tuesday’s sitting of the Transport Licensing Authority, at Te Awamutu Courthouse, when an application for renewal of his goods service license came from Fred. Holmes, of Pukeatua. The Wai pa Carriers’ Association representative, Mr Walsh, asked applicant a series of questions, Holmes replying that he was a farmer by no means dependent upon the carrying enterprise-. He had a dairy hero and also sh-.ep. A man employed as the truck driver is paid the award rate cf £4 16s per week, and when not busy with the truck driving he works on the farm. The goods carried are mostly livestock, fertilisers and timber, and he averaged about three days a week. The service had been established about seven years, and he had found that, to make it pay he must have a license to carry general goods. He observed that other operators have as much work as they can handle. Mr Walsh remarked that two other operators traverse the route daily, and altogether there are fifty trucks available- if required. The Authority remarked that there was not much local apposition, adding that Holmes, by the terms of his license, was not entitled to carry timber. He should comply with the conditions. Applicant said he had always been a free-lance operator. He advocated freedom in competition. There were only two operators in the Pukeatua district, and they arranged charges to make their enterprise payable. He was prepared to join the Carriers’ Association, and abide by its conditions. The renewal was granted.