CONTROL OPPOSED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 250, 3 August 1937, Page 3

CONTROL OPPOSED

THE TRANSPORT SERVICES. THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS. PROTEST BY BOROUGH COUNCIL. A statement that it was the intention of the Government to create a railway transport monopoly under a complete legislative protection was made by the Ashburton Transport Company, Ltd., in a letter to the Ashburton Borough Council last evening, asking for the Council’s support of a protest which transport operators throughout the Dominion were making to the Government. “You are no doubt aware,” the letter stated, “that ' the Government proposes to acquire that part of our service which it considers is competitive with the railways, under threat of refusal of our licence to operate. Privately-owned transport on routes competing with the railways is to be controlled. It is therefore apparent that you may neither hire nor put on your own transport in future. Provision already exists in transport legislation for this restriction and with this purpose. “The present list of services for acquisition, involving all services operating from the four main services, is only a start toward complete control of transport, and elimination of private enterprise, which has, as you will agree, vastly improved transport services. The continued operation of our service when taken over by the Railways Department is very doubtful.” . The letter went on to point out that under control transport would lose in efficiency and service, there would be fewer facilities and slower deliveries, the door-to-door service hitherto provided by private enterprise would disappear and even if no all-round increase was made in rail freights to meet the railways’ deficit, the extra handling and extra packing for i ail must increase transport costs. The Council’s support in an endeavour to have the Government reconsider its policy w r as requested. The Mayor. (Mr AV. H. AA 7 oods) said there had been a. good deal of protest against the suggested commandeer of transport, and it seemed to him that the council should support the protest. It was not in the best interests of the country that these services should he monopolised. Mr E. H. Orr eulogised the transport services, and said that if they were done away with there would be a big, difference. A protest should be sent to the local Member. Mr R. Kerr endorsed these views, and said that private enterprise had proved itself superior to State services. It was decided to support the protest and send a letter to Mr H. E. Herring, M.P. . . Messrs E. Buchanan and S. Mitchell supported these speakers, the former saying that it would be a retrograde step to have the services under Government control.