MOTOR TRANSPORT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5336, 8 October 1928, Page 4

MOTOR TRANSPORT.

WHAT IT ISI COSTING. £2O PER HEAD OF POPULATION. “'When considering the econjomy or otherwise) of motor transport, the individual consiigner is very prone .to look only at his freight bill, and* to think only of the, convenience of. having the: motor vehicles! calling; at his do ( or ; but if he pauses, toj think of wihat motor transport viewed as n whole is costing Nejw Zealand this would prcjbably change his t ideas,” Said the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. K. S. Williams, in his Statement presented to thiq Housp of Reon Tuesday. “The motoiYtranspont bill for evqry ■ma.n, woman and child in New Zealand is £2O per (head per year. “lit is estimated that all t'ho goods Md passengjers carried by the motor transport op routes where railways are available could have be|en carried on the railways with almost n.o ad■ditiontil expense, while the estimated revenue from this business—some £630,000 per ajwiiUm—wCiuld have made tihe railways practically self-suppqrt-ing. The signiflc,c|nce of ithisi fact from a community point of view' cannet be overlooked. “In| connection with ropding, I propose thl.? year to provide he sum of £908,500, and increase of £60,250 on last year; while the Main Highways Board proposed a vote of. £94:o,oooGfor construe,tion a,g, against £67's„'ooo' last yeay, and £975,000 foy maintenance, a.s against £725,000 last year.”