NEW REGULATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 July 1932, Page 2

NEW REGULATIONS

FOR,'MOTOR. GOODS TRAFFIC. SOME, SERVICES TO END. (Per Press Association — Copyright.) , ' ' WELLINGTON, July 7. An assurance' that the - Government had no desire to inflict hardship upon the-'goods tranfcport i&erviceSj and that it would give the Operator's a chance to stflte their View before introducing regulations for the control of their services, was given by the ActingMinister of Transport, Hon, Mr Ransom, in replying to a deputation representing the N'3-w Zealand motor truck vendors to-day. The passenger services have been brought under control as the. r;sult of ,tbe- passing of the Transport Licensing Act, and regulations are at present being framed to bring about-the supervision of the goods sevvrss. Hon. Mr Masters said that the Government was of the opinion that regulations. would be as much in the interests of the operators as anyone else and lie. assured the deputation that if it had not been thought that regulations would be of real advantage the Government would not have bothered about them at all.

Mr H, Holland, M.P., for Christchurch North, who introduced the deputation, said that some information was desired concerning the intent'ons of the Transport Board. It w?b understood, he said, that the intent : on was to put a number of people out of employment, with the. result that vehicles that had been purchased on a deferred payment plan would be thrown back on the hands of the vendors, who were not in a position

to stand any further financial strain. Mr R. W. Morgan said that it was understood that regulations were being framed that' would give the Transport Department the' right to put certain services off the road, w'th the object of restriction of competition and the. motor truck vendors were considerably perturbed. Be sought an assurance from the Minister that the regulations would ho circulated among the motor truck vendors before they were actually gazetted, so as that he was sure that any regulations issued would be as much in the interest of the motor trade a, 3 anyone else. People who wer? carrying on transport services, whether for. passengers Or goods at a cost above an economic level would lm- P , to have their cases investigated. The moti.r tr°do paid ;as much p* nnvone in meeting this undue expenditure. Tt wa~ quite po~sihle, he said, that when the regulations cams i"to force, .some' servk'es would have to he discontinued, hut [fc had been definitely stated. in a memo he had, that as soon as Cabinet ano roved of the regulations, the‘various interests should he given the chance of stating their opinions. A sneria] statement would he prepared for publication in order that those concerned would understand the importance of the proposals.