CONSULTING PUBLIC INTEREST.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 10, 5 October 1937, Page 6

CONSULTING PUBLIC INTEREST.

There is something entirely refreshing in the stand which, as reported from Christchurch to-day, the No. 3 Xransport Licensing Authority, Mr T. H. Langford, has taken in connection with a road-transport passenger service in Canterbury. It will be gathered from the -telegraphic message that, coincidentally with the transfer of a seemingly well established service to a new progrietary, leave was asked to make some fairly substantial reduction in the fares to be charged on it. To this the Railway Department took strenuous objection, on the ground that for some part of its distance the service runs . in competition with a State-owned railway. To this contention, however, Mr Langford would not give ear. He said he Was fully satisfied that the road-service could be efficiently and profitably conducted on the footing of the reduced fares. He therefore could not see why the public concerned should not be given the benefit of them simply because it might result in the railways having either to make some corresponding reduction in its fares or else lose some of its custom. He even went so far as to characterise the Department' s contention as amounting to an attempt to "exploit" the public, a favourite phrase from the mouths of Labour Ministers which they will scarcely like having thrown back at them, especially by an officer of their own appointment. Having this latter fact in mind, there cannot but be some admiration for the courage and independence which Mr Langford has shown in the interests of a public which gets but scant recognition either from Ministers or their appointees. It will be interesting to note how the Government will "play it back" on him, for independence of thought or judgment is the last thing it is Iikely to encourage.