The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1932. TRANSPORT CONTROL.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 October 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1932. TRANSPORT CONTROL.

The report on transport control submitted to' Cabinet by the Commissioner of Transport is of vital importance to the community. The report which recommends the establishment of a supreme transport authority to co-or-dinate the work of the Transport Board, the Hallways Board, the Public. Works Department, the Marine Department, the Highways Board, and local bodies in connection with traffic control. The proposed Transport Board would consist only of experts with specialised knowledge of transport problems, and would be responsible to Parliament through the appropriate Minister. It is clear from figures issued recently by the Commissioner that New Zealand is spending too much of her national income on transport and that at present the transport industry i« seriously over-capitalised It is equally clear that the system of transport control in New Zealand is unnooessiarily complex and costly and often functions inequitably. These arc good reasons for netting up a supreme transport authority with power to draw up a transport policy for the whole country; yet most people will be relieved to hear that the Government does not contemplate immediate .scl ion mi these 1 lives. In the sphere of tramu/irt national policies and Boards of experts are easier to talk about than to bring into hem" particularly when the term is ii.ikun to include the carriage of goods and customers, not merely by road and rail, but a To by sea and air. In Now Zealand a Transport Board, however well-qualified its members might be, would at first have to confine itself

to collecting facts. As yet there is practically no positive information to make it clear what form of transport is most suitable for each class of goods and over what distance. The proposed scheme is sure to he widely debated, and there will be a considerable difference of opinion as to the advi-ability of leaving the task of preparing and carrying out a national transport policy to experts alone. Tbe proposed policy will have an intimate effect on the welfare of the whole community and it will be very necessary that the proper safeguards are taken to secure that the rights of the general public are properly conserved. ,