CARTAGE PROBLEMS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 13, 30 January 1937, Page 3

CARTAGE PROBLEMS

Own Correspondent.

Transport Officer Meets Farmers and Carriers WAIPUKURAU VISIT

From Our

WAIPUKURAU, This Day. Mr A. Skoglund, representing the Transport Board, visited Waipukurau and Porangahau, and in company with Mess-rs C. Casidy, H. Guillard and G. R. Watson, he attended the Porangahau sports to discuss transport jirhltms with the farmers of the district. On Wednesday evening he attended a meeting of carriers at which the following firms were represented : — Messrs Powdrill, Wilkie, Gueran and Sherwood (Hatsings), W. Oliver (Waipawa), Malkin; Green, Winlove and Sons, Guillard and Co., Cassidy and Co., Porangahau Trausport Co., G. Watson and Turnbull. Mr Skoglund explained that the purpose of his visit was to gather first-" hand knowledge of the district which he had been asked to supei'vise and to meet carriers and their clients to ascertain their problems at first hand. He lfad found clients in Hawke's Bay fairly well satisfied, and would assure carriei's that in defining the policy, service to the public was of paramounf, importance, • lt was imperative that carriers should co-operate closely to maintain the highest etandards of service. Where carriers held licenses in competition with the Railway Department, their licenses had been extended to March 31, 1937, to enable cadriers to dispose of vehicles and licenses, if they wished to do so. The policy of the Transport Board would be to place as much traffic on the railways as poasible, but it did not necessariiy i'ollow thath the carrier wouid have to get off the road. It was really a matter for the carrier and, the Railway Department to get together about. In reply to a question by Mr Wilkie regarding the limitation of carrier6 to certain areas, /Mr Skoglund said he considered a licence should permit a carried to operate from any point to any point, so long as this did not conflict with the 30-mile clause in regard to the railway. Questions regarding ancillary carriers were also discussed and the question of tariff rates for cartage gave rise to considerable discussion. Mr C. R. Watson considered that as carriers realised the valuc of proper accounting methods the practice of price cut-ting would be largely eliminated. It was only in the last two years that carriers had taken any real interest in keeping their accounts in a proper manner. It was only right that carriers should operate at the lowest possible economical cost. Mr Skoglund will be visiting the district in Alay next when be will meet represent-atives of stock firms, farmers and any others interested for the' purpose of discussmg rates.