USERS APPEAL

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21184, 6 August 1940, Page 8

USERS APPEAL

NEW CARTAGE RATE SOUTH AUCKLAND AREA OPERATION SUSPENDED An appeal against the schedule of rates recently fixed by the No. 1 Licensing Authority, Mr E. J. Phelan, for cartage in the South Auckland district, is being lodged by the committee representing the users. This fact was announced by Mr J. H. Furniss, a member of the committee, when speaking at a meeting of the Farmers’ Union in Hamilton yesterday. He stated that as a result of the appeal, operation of the new schedule, which was to commence on August 12, would be suspended. Mr Furniss stated that the new rates fixed by Mr Phelan were considerably higher than prices upon which it had been shown that operators could work profitably. He was of the opinion that the rates fixed had no relation whatever to any decision that could have been arrived at after an impartial consideration of the facts. There were many contradictory features in the new schedule and it was Mr Furniss’ opinion that mileage calculations were out of all relation to the mileage run by an average motor truck operated under efficient control. Points of Appeal The appeal requested that the Waitomo, Raglan and Kawhia Counties should be excluded from the area over which the schedule was intended to operate. There was a desire also that the time and mileage rate fived in the schedule be reduced. The appeal also sought the reduction of the rates in the schedule to a basis of those given in evidence by the users of transport before the Licensing Authority at a meeting in Hamilton, because no evidence was given that those rates proposed by the users were uneconomic. Another point appealed against w.as that the backloading rebate should be increased by 50 per cent. Other small adjustments were alsa being sought under the appeal. Investigation Sought It was the intention of the committee representing the users, stated Mr Furniss, to take additional steps later in an effort to have the Government establish a Dominion authority comprising a Supreme Court judge, a member representing the users, and another representing the carriers, with the object of investigating fully the entire question of transport. The inquiry could be for the purpose of fixing a fair rate for carrying for the duration of the war. ____