TRANSPORTCONTROL

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1933, Page 6

TRANSPORTCONTROL

AN EXPERTS INVESTIGATIONS

CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA

•SYDNEY, March 22.

To inspect the -roads and examine the transport problems of Australia, the chairman of the Road s Improvement Association, Inc., of Great Britain, Mr Ree s Jeffreys, ha s arrived in Sydney. 'He ifi her e in a private capacity, but will- endeavour to survey thoroughly various problems in which h e is interested. Mr Jeffreys is recognised as one of the leading authorities on roads in the world, and has been a member of many important British and international committees on highway matters. "Extensive research is being carried out in the improvement -of road surfacing throughout -America and Europe,lip said. “The objective ig cheapness. While the bitumen surface is still being extensively used, experiments are being carried out' with oil and surface soils. ,

‘•lt mainly depends on the success of these experiments whether the development of large countries will lie done by road or railways, but where there ’iis njo heavy .mineral traffic, everything points to the use -of -roads. This move is of special interest to such a country las wherethere arc still extensive areas without direct means of communication with the senbord.”

While reluctant to comment upon transport matters in Australia until he had studied them further, Mr Jeffreys said that the attempt of the railways to nut road trarsport out of business, or handicap it, must come to an end. “In the long, run, to ininose heavier taxation and more restrictions on transport will not help the railways, he /said. “One line of solution is that the expenditure on rail and road shall he rationed so that the- two avenues of transport may be administered as one, and not as two completely independent entities'. On the other hand, read transport must submit to l regulation >a,s distinct from restriction, and should not undertake at uneconomic rates.

“From wlrat I have learned of transport condition® in Australia, it is clear tin '.t the interests of Governmentowned railways and tramways are depriving the people of the. benefits of modern road transport, 'and that the cost of such road transport, as they are permitted to use is greatly increased by bureaucratic control and heavy liceusinq: fees.”