SWEEPING REFORM

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 357, 19 October 1932, Page 5

SWEEPING REFORM

("Post" Special Commissioner.)

TRANSFQBT CONTROL IMPORTANT PROPOSALS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY CABINET MR. ANSELL'S SUGGESTION

Wellington, Tuesday. Highly important proposals for the overhaul of New Zealand's control of transport of all descriptions are at present being considered by Cabinet. These involve a complet'e reorganisation of the control along the lines suggested by Mr. A. E. Ansell (Govt. Chalmers) in speak-. ing during the Budget debate in the House last week. "In a special report to th'e Governernment, the Commissionei: of Transport, Mr. J. S. Hunter, diseussed the problems .arising out of the present scheme of diverse control and proposed a supreme council to co-ordin-ate the work now being done by the Transport Depai'tmeiit, Railways Board, (Highways Board, Public Works Department, Marine Department and a host of local bodies. Unlikely to Act It is stated, however, .-that for a number of reasons, the Government is unlikely to act upon the report in the near future. In the meantime, however, other important changes are contemplated through the introduction of regulations governing the transport of goods. These regulations are in the final stage of preparation and they will probably he forwarded to all interested local bodies through.out New Zealand hy the end of this week in order th'at full representations may he made to the Government before they are gazetted.

The Salter Report It is understood they will follow fairly closely the recommendations in Sir Arthur Salter's report recently made in England. Although the establishment of a supreme council was recommended in the Salter report, the proposals now before the New Zealand Government were actually first made some months ago thus anticipating the contents of a Salter report. Mr. Hunter's recommendation, it is understood, is that the supreme council should act in conjunction with the Minister of Transport to co-ordinate transport development in the future and to judge impartially among the many conflieting phases of the transport problem. Present System It has been found impossible to secure proper co-ordination , and effect elimination of waste under the present system of diversified control. The Public Works Department, for instance, has built the railways for one department and eonstructed roads alongside them for another department thus providing means for direct competition with the railways. It is suggested that the Doxninion's ahandoned railway lines and unpayable harbours on which hiuidreds of thousands of pounds have been spent, should be brought under a system of rationalised control, removing the question of higher policy from political hands and also reducing the statutary authority of many existing spending bodies. Further it is proposed that the Transport Board should consist only of members who are specialists in transport problems. They would be responsible to Parliament through the Minister dealing not only with land and water transport, but with air transport. They would have due regard for capital equipment that must be utilised or wasted, but would at the same time plan for the future and seelc the elimination of ohsolete serviees and equipment. It is under- * stood that th'e report before the Government also makes proposals concerning the incidenee of motor taxation and the licensing of transport serviees. The licensing of goods serviees, it is helieved, is proposed on a similar system to that at present in : force for the licensing of passenger serviees.