PARLIAMENT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19669, 11 December 1933, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

THE LOWER HOUSE TRANSPORT BILL PASSED By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON. December 9. The House of Representatives met at 10.30 a.m. Petrol Prices. Mr F. Jones (Lab., Dunedin South) . sked whether, in view of the recommendation of the Industries and Commerce Committee, the Government proposed to take any action in the direction of fixing petrol prices. The Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes raid the matter was und«-r consideration at the present time. Transport Bill. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, moving the second reading of the Transport Law Amendment Bill, said the abolition of the Appeal Board and the substitution of the Transport Co-ordination Board did not mean that there would be no Appeal Board. The new Board would deal with appeals, and would also have power to make recommendations to the Government as to possible Improvements in the system. Referring to the clause which makes it possible for the Central Licensing Authority to consist of only one person, the Minister said the Government's policy was to decentralise rather than centralise so rar as control of transport was concerned. There would be no need for a central authority were it not for the tact that there was a skeleton road sendee throughout the Dominion Although it consisted of many independent sendees, there were all links, ai d if control were left to local authorities, it was possible, even if not likely, that one of the links might be eliminated, thus destroying the skeleton service from one end of the country to the other. It was essential that this should be maintained, and for that reason the Central Licensing Authority should be retained. However, the amount of work devolving upon the Central Licensing Authority had been greatly reduced, and there was now no need for more than one person to carry out the duties. He wanted to make it Quite clear that there was no intention of interfering wdth the rights of any local licensing authority, and when the Committee stage was reached, he wtis prepared, if necessary, to insert an amendment making that point certain He was quite satisfied that transport could not be controlled by a central authority alone, or even by one authority in each Island. The local authorities had done very valuable work, and compared with other countries, New Zealand had made favourable progress in transport matters. Replying to interjections, the Minister said he presumed members of the present Appeal Board would be available for service on the Co-ordination Board.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr M. J. Savage) said the general principle of the Bill was .. ood but it would have been better had the measure been introduced before the transport systems had grown to their present sizes. To the extent that the Bill would be responsible for eliminating duplication of services and placing things on a proper basis, it would be welcomed by Parliament and the people. Mr A. E. Jull (C., Waipawa) said it was very desirable that the Co-ordinat-ion Board, as proposed by the Bill, should be established to report on all classes of transport systems. Replying to the second reading debate, Mr Coates said that the users of transport facilities were determined that there should be some reasonable form of control. He was glad that the Opposition endorsed the principle of the Bill. It was necessary for the Government to see that the members of the Co-ordination Board did not represent sectional interests as the Government would have to rely to a great extent on their recommendations. An unbiased view of the whole problem was absolutely essential. It was rather early yet to give the Board statutory authority, although that might come eventually. The Bill was read a second time. During the Committee stage Mr Coates moved an amendment specifically exempting metropolitan areas from the operation of the Bill. He said it had been considered that these areas were already immune from the operations of the legislation, but as the Wellington City Solicitor had expressed doubts about the matter he wished to place the question beyond doubt. The amendment was adopted. The House also adopted a further amendment by the Minister naming February 1, 1934. as the commencement date for the operation of the Act. The Bill was then put through its remaining stages and passed. The Victoria University College Bill and Canterbury University College Bill were put through their remaining stages and passed. Summer Time. The Summer Time Amendment Bill sponsored by the Minister of Internal Affairs was also put through its remaining stages and passed. Mr R. McKeen (Lab . Wellington South) expressed a hope that the measure would be the forerunner of a Government Bill providing for the extension of the daily period of daylight saving to one hour. It would also be a good thing if the House approved a measure establishing daylight saving the whole year round. Moving the second reading of the Harbours Amendment Bill, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe said the Bill gave legislative effect to a number of remits carried by the conferences of the Harbours Boards Association. Mr H. T. Armstrong (Lab., Christchurch East) expressed regret that the ' clause restricting the discharge of I rubbish and sewage into harbours had i been struck out by the Lands Comi mittee. Mr Cobbe said the objections to this i clause had been numerous. He had 1 been assured that the matter would be further investigated by the Harbour boards, and it was possible that a further Bill would be brought down i at a later stage. The Bill was read a second time. ! The Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill was put through its remaining stages without amendment and passed TVip rose at 5.30.