SWEEPING REQUEST

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1934, Page 3

SWEEPING REQUEST

TRANSPORT APPLICATION ADDITIONAL ROUTES SOUGHT. FREEDOM FROM AREA RESTRAINT. OPPOSITION OF THE RAILWAYS. When Hooker Bros., New Plymouth, applied to the No. 5 District Transport Licensing Authority at Stratford yesterday for license to run additional services between Hawera and New Plymouth with the right of deviation and permission to operate in the Taranaki province without restriction the firm made the most sweeping request that has yet come before the No. 5 Authority. Decision was reserved. The Railway Department, represented by Messrs. H. C. Couch and A. G. Grant, Wanganui, strongly opposed the application on the ground that there were already sufficient motor and rail services, especially over the New PlymouthHawera route. Hooker Bros, now holds licenses giving authority to run two services a day between Hawera and New Plymouth and within areas, but it was contended that these licenses were not sufficient as the business was expanding. The chairman, Mr. P. Thomson, Stratford, pointed out that notice had been given -by Mr. L. R. Curtis, Opunake Motors, and Mr. R. R. Curtis, Stratford Carrying Company, to oppose the application. Mr. R. J. Brokenshire, New Plymouth, who appeared for Hooker. Bros., stated that Mr. L. R. Curtis had told Mr. Hooker the previous evening that he did not intend to continue with his opposition. Mr. R. R. Curtis was not present and the secretary, having telephoned to his office, found that he was expected to return at midday. “It is now 11.45 a.m.,” said the chairman, “and while I do not want to take the evidence without giving him a chance to hear.it I must say that his.is a.very cavalier way of treating the authority.” Mr. Brokenshire: I hope you will take him to task over it, sir. “We will take another application in the meantime,” the chairman said. Mr. Curtis arrived while the other application was being heard and when the application of Hooker Bros, was resumed Mr. Curtis said he had made an arrangement with Hooker Bros, which, if they would adhere to, would make it unnecessary for him to continue with his notice.

OPERATIONS OF COMPANY.

Mr. Brokenshire traced the operations of Hooker Bros, since June 1, 1933. During the year 1933-34 the company acquired the businesses of Messrs. G. F. Kidd, Stratford, and R. B. Kidd, Stratford. One of those licenses was in respect of a contract with the Lowgarth Dairy Company which had expired, but a large amount of business built up in line with the contract was still being done. Mr. R. B. Kidd also held a contract with the Stratford company which was still running. Hooker Bros, further took over the business of L. J. Loveridge (New Plymouth), vjho was carting goods and newspapers between New Plymouth and Hawera. The result 7 of Hooker Bros.’ taking over these three businesses was to reduce the number of operators between Hawera and New Plymouth by three, with a consequent increase in Hooker Bros.’ business. The present license was totally inadequate to cope with the amount of business . the company had to transact and it was therefore desired that additional authorities be granted. The company was asking for an extensive authority, but it had not tried and did not intend to try to force other operators off the road. Mr. Hooker was questioned by the chairman regarding the possibility of his being able to make an arrangement with the railway on another motor service to take his company’s surplus on days when there was more goods to carry than the licenses enabled at present. Mr. Hooker, claimed that it would be poor policy to give his work to some* one else. It was a case of extending business; it was no use standing still, he Sa^ie. chairman: But you might be able to make a mutual agreement?—Well there is only the Express Company running between New Plymouth and Hawera and its trucks are full, so that it could not handle our surplus. . What about the railway?—l made inquiries at Wellington recently regarding a truck service but I have heard nothing more. Mr. Couch: There is a truck service between Palmerston North and Wellington and an offer has been made to extend it to Wanganui, but it has not been taken-up. ' , s „ The chairman (to Mr. Hooker): Do you contend that the motor and rail services between New Plymouth and Hawera are at present inadequate?—l do not know, but we have more business than we can handle with our present licenses. ALLEGATION OF PIRACY. Mr. Hooker alleged that one firm outside Taranaki secured at Masterton a license to operate between Hawera and New Plymouth. “The Government , will not let us extend our business, but it lets these pirates come in from outside, he added. Mr. Couch: The company in question is not a pirate as it had a license previously which it probably has not used till recently. “Well, we are here to administer the law as we find it and the Act apparently aims at checking direct competition with the railway such as this is,” the chairman replied. Mr. Couch explained that the Government Railways Board opposed the applications. Speaking on the request for additional services between New Plymouth and Hawera he said that in view of the existing number of rail and road services additional services were not warranted. There were four services running already between New Plymouth and Hawera. Between Eltham and New Plymouth there was another one, and two more between Stratford and New Plymouth. In addition to the road services there were three , regular goods trains between New Plymouth and Hawera and an extra train at some times of the year between Stratford and New Plymouth to cope with traffic arriving at Stratford by the Stratford-Main Trunk line. The regular trains, though running daily, were not carrying full loads. "Here we have a number of road services operating parallel to and in unfair competition with the railway,” Mr. Couch said.

As far as the area application was concerned, there were 60 operators in Taranaki along the railway lines with authority for 90 vehicles to operate in areas; that was in addition to local carriers, who did not go outside the fivemile radius. Mr. Grant produced figures in support of the arguments advanced by Mr. Couch. Cross-examined by Mr. Brokenshire, Mr. Grant said that at some stations the department contracted for the delivery of goods, the freight covering _ the road cartage. There was not a similar system for collecting goods but there were feeder services, the charge being an extra.