MODIFIED TRANSPORT BILL

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 813, 6 November 1929, Page 1

MODIFIED TRANSPORT BILL

Contentious Clauses Abandoned ADVISORY COUNCIL TO GO No New Licensing Districts Yet Press Association PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Today. A MODIFIED Transport Bill will be put before Parliament this session. The contentious clauses are to be dropped in the meantime. There will be no advisory council and no new licensing districts. The main purpose of the measure is the confirming of the setting up of a Transport Ministry.

When the House of Representatives met at 11 o’clock this morning Mr. C. H. Clinkard presented the report of the Transport Committee, recommending that the Transport Bill be allowed to proceed subject to amendments which, he stated, were of a minor character.

The Hon. W. A. Veitch, Minister of Transport, stated that he recognised that there was some opposition to some of the provisions of the Bill, almost entirely due to misunderstanding of those provisions. However, at tins stage of the session he would have to drop the provisions to which there was objection. The Minister stated that a Transport Department had been tentatively set up and a Minisetr of Transport tentatively appointed by Cabinet. It was most important that those clauses of the Bill should be passed which were designed definitely to set up that department and provide for the appointment of a Minister. That would mean that the advisory council would have to go. He was disappointed that he would not be able to get through the provision creating new licensing districts, which would have been of great value in the organisation of transport. The Rt. Hon. J-. G. Coates stated that he considered that there was no more Important matter before Parliament than transport. He asked the Minister whether he would be prepared to set up an independent commission to inquire into the main question of co-ordination of transport and give a lead to the House. There had been a precedent for this course in

other parts of the world, including Great Britain. Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, said that he considered the Minister's action in confining the Bill to the setting up of a transport department was a wise one at this stage of the session. Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Riccarton) suggested that the Minister should drop the whole Bill now and bring in a comprehensive measure next session. Mr. H. G. R. Mason (Auckland Suburbs) urged the Minister to go through with the portion of the Bill he had outlined.

Mr. H. Harris (Waitemata) expressed regret that the whole Bill was not to be put through. It would have been the most useful piece of legislation the Government had introduced.

Mr. G. C. Munns (Roskill) complained of the constitution and operation of the Auckland Transport Board, and asked that that body should be made elective.

Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) suggested that the Minister, in framing the remainder of the Bill for presentation next session, should take cognisance of the expression of opinion in favour of making the proposed advisory council an elective body. Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) said that it seemed the Bill, as it was proposed to be passed this session, should be called “Transport Department Justification Bill.” He thought the Minister should drop the Bill this session, and bring in a measure in a more acceptable form next year. The report was laid on the table.