TRANSPORT POLICY

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 October 1946, Page 8

TRANSPORT POLICY

ROAD FREIGHT SERVICES “VAGUE STATEMENT” Wellington, Oct. 3. Although road transport and carriers’ organisations had no comment to make yesterday on the Government transport policy, an article in “Transport News,” the organ of transportinterests in New Zealand, seeks clarification of the statement that the Government would take over services “Where necessary and desirable,” and describes the Government policy as disguised nationalisation.

Eight major points in the Government’s future transport policy have been announced by the Minister of Transport (Mr. OJJBrien). They include public ownership and operation of services where that “is necessary and desirable in the public interest.”

The eight points are:— The construction of modern transport facilities best suited to meet the needs of national production, standards of life, and defence.

The development of public road passenger services so that adequate and cheap travel is available to all for both essential and recreational purposes. The provision of road freight services so that prompt and cheap collection and delivery services for all classes of goods are available throughout the country. The public ownership and operation of road transport services in those cases where such is necessary and desirable in the public interest. The co-ordination of all forms of public transport—road, rail, sea, and air—so that New Zealand shall have the most efficient national transport system possible. . The preservation to the individual of the unrestricted right to own and operate his own means of transport for his private and domestic use. A comprehensive and progressive road safety policy to ensure maximum safety for all road users. The Government would that all inventions and the discoveries of science in the field of transport should be available to New Zealanders to aid them in their efforts to attain an ever higher standard of life.

The Minister gave the information in reply to a request for details of the policy from the New Zealand Carriers’ Federation and the New Zealand Road Transport Alliance. In releasing the statement for general information, the Minister said the report of the Transport Development Committee, recommending steps considered necessary for the effective coordination of all forms of transport, was still being considered by Cabinet and the Government.

CLARIFICATION NECESSARY. “Transport News” states that the vital clause in the Minister’s statement is that which says “the public ownership and operation of road transport services in those cases where such is necessary and desirable in the public interest.” That clause leaves entirely unsaid what is really meant or intended, says the article, which asks who could interpret what the Government holds in prospect when such a vaguely stated qualification is added as “when such is necessary and desirable in the public interest.’’ The Government and those who have a sway in the political sphere seek to disguise nationalisation by offering “necessity or desirability” excuses, continues the article. What cannot be disguised is the steady undermining of the whole service that is taking place as the Government’s slow penetration method moves towards the creation of a nationalised monopoly. The grip already held oyer the railways and air services is being tightened as road transport Is strangled by regulatory controls and the cunningly devised network of interfering Government Departments. When the Minister talks about "the public ownership and operation of road transport” he should go on to explain by whom and by what method he would decide the cases where it is necessary or desirable,” says the article. Would he allow the public to say by vote on a proposed service or would he leave it Io some appointee of his own to decide?