TRANSPORT CONTROL QUESTIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19504, 3 February 1926, Page 6

TRANSPORT CONTROL QUESTIONS

In joining with the owners of private services and the Employers’ Associations in their protest against the draft regulations for the control of motor omnibuses recently issued by the Government the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce has placed itself in good company. But the Chamber’s resolution on the subject is very bald. The mere statement of an opinion that the proposed regulations are a direct blow at private enterprise and will be detrimental to the commercial welfare of the community may not carry a great deal of weight. The chief objection to the regulations is that they propose to entrust the control of privately-owned bus services to local bodies that are in competition with them. An interesting contribution to the Chamber’s debate on the subject was that of Mr. AV. J. Gilberd. He holds that it would not be fair for a private concern .<> run only at the “rush” hours of the day a bus service that would compete with municipal services already in existence. Publicly-owned services are just as much entitled to protection as those of private owners are, and the rights of an established service should be safeguarded by any regulations that are put into operation. The purpose of control should be to ensure that adequate and safe provision is made for public transport and to eliminate wasteful competition. It has been suggested by Mr. Gilberd and others that the most objectionable feature of the draft regulations is the proposal to compel owners of private transport services to carry heavy insurance. There may be some room for the discussion of details, but compulsory insurance undoubtedly is sound in principle. Whether a transport service is provided by public or by private enterprise, the people who use it should be assured of the ability of the owners to meet claims arising out of accidents. The question of what is a sufficient cover for a given service may be left to experts, but substantial insurance is necessary.