TRANSPORT LEGISLATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 October 1930, Page 6

TRANSPORT LEGISLATION.

The statement made by the Government early this week that the Trans-, port Bill would not’ be proceeded with this session was hardly Opinions in regard to legislation relating to transport matters differ very widely, and. there is no political party with any dear-cut policy regarding such important questions as the relationship of rbad and railway transport, or of municipal undertakings such as trams and buses to services maintained by, private enterprise. It may be that the Transport Bill could not be included in the non-contentions matters the party leaders agreed could be handled during the absence of the Prime Minister without imperiMing the existence of the Ministry. Nevertheless the subject is so urgent and so important that its postponement for another year is to be regretted. Admittting that it would have beeii far too unimportant a Bill to be rushed through in the last few. days of a Parliamentary session, the introduction of a measure would have shown the proposals of the Government reduced to practicable terms and would have given local authorities and others interested in transport problems an opportunity, of suggesting in the Bill when it' came before tlie House next session. Possibly the Ministry hopes that one vexed question, the relation of road and rail-borne traffic may be more or less settled by private negotiation between the authorities concerned. There have been indications of this being possible in certain districts, and if Ithe arrangements made there prove a success similar agreements may be made in other portions of the Dominion, thus giving the Government a lead for a policy that may be applied throughout the country with some hope of success. There are other matters closely related to the subject of transport. Representation on the Main Highways Board is one that is likely to demand attention in the near future. At present owners of motor vehicles —who find most -fif the funds with which the board operates —have only one representative out of six, the board being overwhelmingly official in character. Wjien substantial subsidies from State funds were part of the board’s revenue its departmental control could be justified, but with these withdrawn, there is great force in the contention of motorists that those who find the money should direct the policy. The transport problem is difficult from any angle, and while the Ministry’s action iiTqtpstponing an attempt to deal with it can be understood, seeing that it is in office but not in power, it is questionable whether delay will make the solution anv easier to determine.