CONTROL BY STATUTE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 54, 1 September 1926, Page 8

CONTROL BY STATUTE

The Select Committee which reported upon the motor-bus regulations has. made only one substantial change. It has recommended that these regulations be made under a "special statute instead of under the Board of Trade Act. The scope of the legislation, and of the regulations to be made under its authority, is practically the same as under the existing Order-in-Couucil. There are to be similar provisions for licensing, authorities, 'insurance, inspection, appeal boards, and a penal fare. We assume that this penal fare will not be mandatory but optional, and subject to tho right of appeal. One new provision is for compensation to motorbus proprietors in business at tho time when the regulations come into operation. This is only just and fair. If special conditions of service are laid down for the protection of municipal tramway services, tho proprietors of the buses should bo given an opportunity of transferring their plant to the municipality. The Committee has endeavoured to place an obligation upon tho protected municipalities and thus to correct the one-sidod character of the legislation and regulations, Tho licensing authority, it is recommended, should bo under an obligation to soo that adequate transport service is provided. It is suggested that if 10 per cent, of the inhabitants of a district petition for a service tho licensing authority shall either supply the service or hold an inquiry as to tho reasonableness of the application. But if tho City Counei) or Borough Council is tho licensing authority, how is its hand to bo forced? It may hold inquiry after inquiry.and report that tho application is not reasonablo or that there is adequate existing transport. Tramway sorvicos to i many; of the Wellington suburbs were

wholly inadequate till competition came. They are inadequate in some districts still. The Committee's recommendation is evidence of its desire to liolp the suffering residents, but its proposals are not likely to be of much assistance.