COST OF TRAFFIC

Hokitika Guardian, 23 December 1932, Page 7

COST OF TRAFFIC

REGULATION OF TRANSPORT.

LONDON. December 12.

Almost 1.09,0.10 persons were killed or injured on British roads last yearin the United States, during the 18 months ended December. 1981, more people were killed on the roads than the number of American soldiers lost in the 18 months in which the United states Look part in the Great War. 11l all address in Leeds Air C ; E. 1?. Sher-

rington. secretary of Railway Research Services, Loudon, remarked that these facts suggested the need for legulatioii of road traffic, apart from tile the financial,-effects on other forms, of transport.

Purveying the methods adopted in other countries, he remarked that in Geimaiiv many road passenger services were run by the Post Office to prevent competition. New services could not be started if the local authorities or German railway raised objections, except on appeal to, and joint decision by, the Alinistor of Posts and the Alinister of Transport. The Belgian Government enacted last March much stricter legislation than had applied before. Italy had placed the licensing of her omnibus services in the hands of the Minister of Communications. and competition with the State railway was not regarded with favour as a public policy.

In an. allusion to the way in which New Zealand had dealt with road moto--freight services, lie observed that the coming into force of the new system was partly due to the findings of the Salter Committee. Tt was surely a sign of the times that a British Dominion should act on a British report before the British Government itself had given any indication of definite policy.