WORK TO PROCEED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20078, 26 October 1939, Page 14

WORK TO PROCEED

CO-ORDINATION PLAN

TRANSPORT INDUSTRY GOVERNMENT'S AIM NOT NATIONALISATION (I’cr l’n'ss Assoriiilinn.) CHRISTCHURCH, this clay. “No, the co-orriinaMon of transport wiil on,” replied the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, when he was asked yesterday whether the removal of the petrol restrictions would mean a relaxation of the economy measures recently introduced for road transport operators.

The measures, said Mr. Semple, were no' entirely due to the war bat were necessary in peace' time. There would be no undue restrictions, but the whole of the transport system would be investigated by the committees set up and now at work.

"The idea is to get complete coordination to prevent waste, unnecessary running and unfair competition." the Minister said. "That will go on to the maximum. It is a question of a common-sense policy of the rationalisation of transport.

"Some irresponsible persons have been broadcasting in a secret kind of way Unit this set towards co-ordina-tion means State ownership ultimately. It means nothing of the kind. We are quite content to allow private enterprise to do the job, but we do want to assist the industry to bring about that measure of coordination which is necessary in the interests of the transport, people themselves and the interests of the nation in that it will create an efficient transport system. The objective is. coordination. which ultimately means real efficiency, and I want to squash the infamous falsehood that this is a .step towards nationalisation. It is nothin;; of the kind."