QUESTIONS ON ROAD TRANSPORT MATTERS ASKED BY MR. O’SHEA

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 June 1950, Page 6

QUESTIONS ON ROAD TRANSPORT MATTERS ASKED BY MR. O’SHEA

CHRISTCHURCH, June 15 (PA).— A reply to a statement on road transport policy by the New Zealand Road Transport Alliance and the New Zealand Carriers’ Federation was made today by Mr A. P. O’Shea, general secretary of Federated Farmers. i “I would like to ask a few ques-. tions,” said Mr O’Shea. “First, I ; would ask, is it not a fact that appli-; cants for transport licences or the ex-; tensions of licences have been forced j to apply to the Transport Alliance for . approval before they made applicaI tion to the Licensing Authority? Secondly, is it not a fact that the terms of licences issued have heavily restricted classes of goods which can be carried by particular operators? I For example, one carrier in the Hutt I Valley is allowed to carry only cows I and cows and calves between Upper' Hutt and Johnsonville. I would ask, then, if carriers would agree not to | oppose the issue of new licences where consumers support the request and if they will agree that, except for public works, the commodity restrictions referred to be lifted That disposes of the monopoly part of the argument. “As to dictation as to the conditions under which the monopoly is to be carried on, I would ask, is it not a fact that the Transport Alliance has been striving desperately to get rid of the present rate-fixing machinery? Is it not a fact that only recently this machinery justifiably prevented carriers from mulcting the users of at least another £500,000 annually? Is is not also a fact that in court, counsel for the Transport Alliance boasted that this machinery would be changed? “The only observation I wish to make is that so far as the organisation I represent is concerned (and it applies to me personally also), Government creation of private monopolies is bad whether it is done by Liberal, Reform, United, Labour or National Governments. Our job is to protect the interests of the farmer and in this case we intend to do so,” concluded Mr O’Shea.