MOTOR COMPETITION

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 213, 28 November 1927, Page 16

MOTOR COMPETITION

POSITION OF RAILWAYS NEED FOR RESTRICTIONS (From Our Own Correspondent) HAMILTON, Saturday. Competition of motor services with the railways is causing much comment in business circles. The road maintenance problem is also becoming a sort of nightmare to local authorities. Regulations have been suggested by a Hamilton commercial man which he thinks would meet the position. His idea is:— (1) That all roads be classed for motor services into three classes: (a) Essential routes, that is, routes leading to the railway or to a town where there is no railway service, licence fee £5; (b) semiessential routes, that is, where motor services were needed to make a more complete connection, or where, perhaps only one express runs daily, licence fee, £2O; non-essential routes, that is, routes that were in direct competition with an efficient railway service, licence fee, £SOO. (2) That licences be issued by the Government and not by local bodies. (3) That licences be issued to existing services and that no more be issued so long as the public is served efficiently. (4) That fares be controlled by the Government, according to the road conditions and the volume of traffic. (5) That in the event of, say, three services being licensed on one route and one going out of business, no other licence be granted, provided that the remaining services cater efficiently for the needs of the public. (6) That full insurance be carried by service cars. (7) That when a service fails to keep its plant in good running order and neglects to keep up an efficient service, the licence should be cancelled after three months from the date of notification to put the plant in order. (8) That no lorry carrying a freight licence should be allowed to carry passengers. (9) That existing services are services on the road on November 3, 1927. (10) That routes be defined on the licence*