TRANSPORT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19173, 2 December 1927, Page 11

TRANSPORT.

SYSTEM IN NEW ZEALAND

PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT

(rXISS A3BOCIiTIOS TILIORA.M.)

WELLINGTON, December 1

Mr Coates issued a statement to-day with recard to the enquiry into the transport systems of New Zealand. He Eaid:-

"As preliminary consideration by a small departmental committee has proceeded, it has become increasingly clear that the problem is one of very considerable importance and complexity. A larger preliminary committee has accordingly been set up to co-ordi-nate the.work, consisting of the permanent heads of the Public Works Department, the Post and Telegraph Department, and the Railway and Marine Departments, with all of which are associated the Government Statistician and representatives of the Prime Minister's Department "The committee is now engaged in the task of evolving a definite plan by which it is hoped to collate in the simplest and most effective way facts and figures which will serve to form the basis of a reasoned conclusion as to the present position Scope of Investigations.

"As illustrating the magnitude and importance of the work before the committee, it may be pointed out that the scope of its investigations includes a review of road taxation by- local bodies and by the State, the cost of construction of roads, including Government subsidies, the construction and maintenance of main highways railway construction and operation, harbour facilities and municipal transport and road transport, both commercial and private. "Already a considerable mass of detailed information and statistics has been collected and compiled. It seems plain that enormous development may be expected in the use of commercial motor vehicles, and it is felt by the committee that the proper time to initiate an investigation of this branch of the subject is while motor traffic is still in its infancy. Statistical enquiries are accordingly being addressed to owners of commercial motor vehicles. An effort has been made to cause as little inconvenience as possible to those concerned, and I trust that in view of the importance of the subject, the information will be supplied readily an* in as much detail as possible in the circumstances.

"I wish again to make it clear 'that the Government have no intention of taking any drastic steps in connexion with motor transport, or any other mode of transport; nor, indeed, do they intend to take any steps whatever in the meantime.

"The object of the committee's investigations is merely to collect data and report. Roads and Railways. "There.has as yet been no attempt to co-ordinate our methods of transport in New Zealand, and it is plain that in the present condition of affairs there may be needless duplication and overlapping, for example, of roads and railways, all being constructed at huge cost, while insufficient figures are available to decide whether or not the road would economically serve all requirements and save the taxpayer the cost of the railway and its operation .

"If any unnecessary duplication does exist, with a corresponding needless and perhaps undisclosed waste of public and private funds, the public should be made aware of the fact. Any unnecessary expenditure, of course, ultimately comes from the pockets of the people. It leads to deficits, unnecessary borrowing, increase in rates and in taxation, and finally may.lead to a weakening of the credit of the country.

"What I want to ascertain is the ultimate effect upon the pocket of the New Zealand citizen, if all our present forms of transport are allowed to develop along present lines."