TRANSPORT ACT

Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1932, Page 6

TRANSPORT ACT

GOODS SERVICES. PROVISIONS TO BE ENFORCED. CHRISTCHURCH, October 19. In a communication addressed to the chairman of the Rangiora County : Council upon the subject of the con- , tinuance of the Eyreton and Oxford branch nailway lines,’ the General j Manager of New Zealand Railways i (Mr P. G. Roussell) mentions that, ac- ! cording to present indications, the | goodf servise licensing provisions of the Transport Licensing Act will be brought into force in the not very distant future. When this happens, competitors of the Railwayh Department will be required to make application to the licensing authorities !>f their respective transport districts for licenses to operate their services. The principal questions for decision in the case of each applicant, according to the Act, are:—(l) “The extent to which the proposed service is desirable or necessary in the public interest,” and (2) “the needs of the district or districts as a whole in relation to goods transport.” If, after considering those matters, the licensing authority j:: of opinion that the iroposed service is unnecessary or undesirable, it must refuse to grant a license. On the other hand, if, after having regard to these matters, the licensing 'authority proposes to give further consideration to the application, it is required to take into account, inter alia, the applicant’s financial position, the frequency of the service, the charges proposed to he made, '' the other transport -services fe.g., railways), the vehicles proposed to he used and the condition of the roads to h e traversed.

The licensing authority is also renuired to take into account ’any evidence and representations received at the hearing, and any representations made hv local 'authorities or other miblic bodies likely to he effected. It must also give due weight to any petition presentd to it signed by not fewer than twenty-five residents of any locality affected.