COST OF TRANSPORT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 144, 20 June 1931, Page 11

COST OF TRANSPORT

TREMENDOUS SUM INVOLVED Tin; SOUHCJ'IS Ol’ IiEVLXL'L I “Between 30 and 40 per cent £33000,000 to £45,000,000) of the total annua' production (£120.000,000) in the whole of New Zealand that i.i eupab'e of expression in a money value is re ipiircd to meet the costs ot land trans, port (railways, motor, horse and tramway transport) of both passengers and goods,’’ said Mr J. S. Hunter, speaking m Wanganui yesterday. “These figures require no labouring, as indicators of the importance of transport in the economic structure of the Dominion. “Were the whole costs of each transport service payable directly, the result would be surprising to the unfortunate sender of tho goods or traveller. In practice, however, the costs of road transport, with which we are directly concerned, are scattered among the j following persons: “(a) The farmer, in the form of I rates for reading purposes. “(b) The farmer, as a user of the' roads for the transportation of himself I and family, etc., and goods which he 1 produces, as well as those which he ‘ consumes. “(e) The general taxpayer, as a contributor to the revenue of the Consolidated Fund. “(d) The motorists, in the form of special motor taxation. “ (e} Other individuals using the road for transportation purposes. ‘ 'This spreading of the costs of road transport has resulted in a number of things that would bo hardly relevant here. The main point I desire to make is that it has concealed the real costSj and obscured the whole problem that has arisen as a result of the increase in these costs during recent years. This diversification in the avenues of payment.for road transport has resulted in certain more or less obvious methods of meeting the situation being overlooked or passed by.”