Vital Importance Of Road Transport Industry

Chronicle (Levin), 23 March 1949, Page 5

Vital Importance Of Road Transport Industry

Press Association) ■

(Per

WELLINGTON, March 23. The transport industry wak one of the most important and vital in any country, and in that system road trans port was a vital link, stated the Minis ter of Transport (Mr. Hackett) toda1 when he addressed delegates to the annual conference of the New Zealanu Master Carriers' Federation being hela at Paraparaumu. Mr. Hackett said he would like to see one organisation representing the transport industi'y ih stead of several organisations as at present. Dealing with the question of the expenditure of dollars on vehicles, the Minister said that the only expendi ture of that nature was for the purchase of maintenance equipment for highwavs.

On the question of load weight restrictions and load limits, Mr. Hackett said limits must remain in the vicinity of the present limits, but they might be inereased in order that the life -blood of the country could flow through and so that industry , was: able -to functidn freely. Mr Hackett thanked tht carrying industry for stepping into the

breach when other forms of transport Were iinable to cope with the flow oi goods. In reference to transport legislation the Minister said that when any seetions of legislation proved to be cutti'bersome they would be removed, but he did not think that would be necessary. He said that the long-range policy ot tj.e Government was that ail forms oi transport should come under one Minis ter, enabling complete coordination of transport policy to be achieved. Mr. Hackett paid tribute to the help given by the industry in the rehabilitation ot ex-servicemen. He said that whereas ,5in other industries there had been sorae opposi-tion none had been encounfered in the transport industry. ■* . "Reference was also made by Mr. Hackett to the lack of vital machinery for essential road maintenance. He said that up to the pr.esent time ali that had been imported had been of the labour-saving type and had iargely overcome the shortage of manpower. There was still, however, a great shortage of equippient.