N.Z. TRANSPORT REGULATION

Grey River Argus, 11 August 1948, Page 5

N.Z. TRANSPORT REGULATION

Debate in House On Government’s Bill P.A. WELLINGTON, Aug. 10 Arter hs second reading, thA Transport Law Amwiuineu; bin win oe referred to a Special Select Committee,, wnicn will oe appointed to take evidence from mi interested parties. This was announced by Hon. F. Hackett in the House oi Representatives to-mght when he began tne debate on the Bill. He said that the mate, througn me nauways ceparcment owned seventy-seven millions ui the three thousand five hundred millions invested in tne transport industry oi the Dominion, and tne Government would uo ns almost to protect mac public investment. It did not, however, wish to estaolisn unnecessary state controls and it had not accepted large transport enterprises which have oeen on offer to the Government tor twelve months he said. A feature ot the bin was its provision for a Transport Co-ordination Council, which would be charged with ensuring that good service would be provided at reasonable charges, along with some form oi economic security ior the workers involved. Some would read into the council a further step to socialism, he said, but the Government's view was the same as it was years ago, when the late Mr M. J. savage said that the more freedom that the people could have in their work and elsewhere the better. It might be argued that representatives oi the Government departments and trade unionists on the Council would go into one corner and vote for some extereme measure, such as a complete nationalisation of transport. Mr C. M. Bowden (Nat., Karori): “That’s the idea!” Mr Hackett: “There is no cause to suppose that.” Mr Bowden: “Can you put that assurance into the bill?” Discussing the licensing of transport operators, Mr Hackett said he thought that the Opposition and the operators themselves would now oppose the abolition of the licensing system. FAULTY TAXI SERVICES Mr Hackett, discussing a clause oi the bill giving the Licensing Autnorny the power to prescribe additional conditions in the granting of taxicab licences said tuat the country has been crymg out for an improvement m me tqxi services, winch was long overdue. It was felt to be necessary that some roster system should be introduced, and he believed that something was necessary in tne taxi industry in order mat the customei should know whether to expect a ixixicao wnen he ordered one. Mr C. ivi. Oram (LNat., Manawatu): “What sort of roster has the Minister in mind?” ivxx iiacxett said that he had in mind u luster winch would give a twentylour hour service. He nad reports ox cases of pirating, and oi cases wneie taxis came out only at me peak hours, during which they used up an uien pecrui. Taxis were a social service, ana tney snoula oe on a roster ior the iwenty-iour hours ot the day. Mr Hackett said that the Transport Co-ordination Council was only an advisory body, and if anyone attempted to read into this clause any suggestion of nationalisation of the transport industry, he would be reading into it something which did not exist at all.

Mr Hackett said that the operators had been concerned about that, but such fears were groundless. The council would be a workable body and it was likely that, on some issues, the trade union representatives on it might votes against each other. The Transport Charges Committee with a membership of thr.ee, for which the Bill provided, would, he said, replace the Goods Services Charges Triounal set up under the war-time regulations, and it was favoured by the industry itself, which, however, hoped that all three members would be accountants and expert in costing procedures. There would also be a Transport Charges Appeal Authority, and a judge, who had been presiamg over a similar body, appointed under the Regulations, would continue to hear appeals. PIRATING Mr Hackett discussed a clause of the Bill giving the cicensing Authority power to prescribe additional conditions in granting taxicab licences. He said the country had been crying out lor improvement in taxi services which was long overdue. The Minister suggested that taxis on shift work should show a certaiii coloured light, which would be one means of eliminating pirating, ‘ine Minister said the Taxi Proprietors Federation itself had seen the provisions ot .the Bill and they realised chat, unless something was done to discipline some of their own drivers, then the demand for licences would be so great that there would be a likelihood of tne industry being flooded The Bill made an attempt to eliminate the drunken driver, and the hit-and-run motorists. Mr G. H. Mackley (Nat Masterion) said there was voluminous evidence that there was opposition within the industry to the Bill. He suggested that the Minister would have been better advised to draft a Bill oi evidence that would come before the select committee. The New Zealand. Federation of Labour had, in the past, advocated nationalisation ol the transport industry. Mr C. Carr (Government Timaru): “Don’t formulate policy!” Opposition chorus: ‘ Oh, yes, they do.” Mr Macklev said the Government had not handled the country’s transport efficiently or satisfactorily since it had been in office. There were many people in the country who would suggest that transport had fallen away in efficiency very considerably and was almost at a breakdown point. There were many people alsci, who were chafing -under an unfortunate transport system. There was a suggestion that the Bill was the thin end of the wedge so far as nationalisation of transport was concerned. The Transport Co-ordina-tion Council had a huge .preponderance of Government representatives. Mr Mackley said the Government had used political patronage freely in the past in connection with the ' vansport industry. It was feared that this practice would be repeated in appointments to the Transport Charges Committee. Interested parties were very disturbed at some of the clauses in the B’ll. It did nothing to cheapen transport. MONOPOLIES

Mr T E. Skinner (Govt. Tamaki) said this iP.ll wen a long way toward ensuring that those enjoying something of a monopoly iri the transport industry would be obi eel 1o give honest service to the pub'ic. He hoped, particularly, that the .licensing of harbour ferries would lead to improvements in the frequency and quality of some service; in '.the Auckland area, such asj t' l *’ 3 ® off the coast. Mr Skinner said that there were also, in his electorate, areas where people had to walk two nr three miles to catch a bus mm those operators claiming tn pr™e a bus service for the pnbhc should bp. obliged to discharge their responS 1 Mr'skinner said the Taxi position

had to be treated with a lot of common sense, and, to have enough taxis to cater for the peak periods would mean many idle cars on the road in slack periods. Still, there was room for improvement, and, if - a system was adopted of the taxis reporting to their headquarters when (they reached their stands, then a lot of trouble would be avoided Taxis, however, should be given all facilities to carry out their jobs and should be provided with some form of identification. Mi’ W. S. Goosman (Nat.) said the Bill was an intricate one, with farreaching effects. He hoped that the Minister, after the Bill had been to committee, and evidence had been heard,, would see his way ciear io fake changes so that the measure would be more acceptable to the public. The transport position was a bottleneck in the progress of the country at present. There had be n n trouble with transport for the last three years, and the position was getting worse. Whoever had been responsible tor fixing charges for transport of manure on rail did not know his job. Farmers were paying more than was necessary. Under the pre-.oat system there was insufficient transport to provide for the needs of a small population. With more control came less efficiency. Trains were being taken off and - replaced by trucks and buses. He had understood that licensing to a large extent was introduced to protect the .railways. Transport was the lifeblood of the country. We could not go ahead unless we had a system which kept of with expansions. Surely there was someone in the country who could bring the railways up to date. Losses on the railway operations were still mounting. The Bill would have been of more value if it had establ’shed a board to devise ways of running tne railways more efficiently, or perhaps to take over the administration of them.

Dr A. M. Findlay (Govt. North Shore) was speaking when the House adjourned at 10.30. Rt. Hon. P. Fraser said that Ministerial replies to question would be circulate’ tomorrow afternoon. Mr Oram rave notice to ask the Minister in charge of Civil Aviation if he would make a statement to the house on the nature of the inquiry to be held into the crashing of the freight, 'transport plane on a flight from Woodburno to Paraparaumu. He asked the Minister for an 1 ance that th° Director of Civil aviation would be allowed to lead tine case for Air Department. He asked for a statement as to what certificates had been issued in respect of the machine in question.