1.—15

1926. NEW ZEALAND.

MOTOR-OMNIBUS REGULATIONS COMMITTEE (REPORT OF THE). (Mr. E. P. LEE, Chairman.)

Presented to the House of Representatives, and ordered to be ■printed.

ORDERS (IE REFERENCE. Extracts from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Friday, the 9th Day of July, 1926. Ordered, " That Standing Order No. 219 be suspended, and that a Select Committee be appointed, consisting of thirteen members, to whom shall be referred for consideration and report the regulations as to the control of motoromnibuses gazetted in terms of the Board of Trade Act, 1919, and its amendments, together with any petition presented to this House relating to the same ; the Committee to have power to call for persons and papers ; three to be a quorum: the Committee to consist of Mr. J. S. Dickson, Mr. Eraser, Mr. Forbes, Mr. H. Holland, Mr. Howard, Mr. E. P. Lee, Mr. Macmillan, Mr. Potter, Mr. Savage, Mr. Sidey, Mr. Tapley, the Hon. Mr. Williams, and the mover."— (Right Hon. Mr. Coates.) Wednesday, the 14th Day or July, 1926. Ordered, " That the proceedings of the Motor-omnibus Regulations Committee be open to accredited representatives of the Press during the examination of witnesses."—(Mr. E. P. Lee.) Tuesday, the 27th Day of July, 1926. Ordered, " That the petition of E. A. M. Leaver and others be referred direct to the Motor-omnibus Regulations Committee."—(Mr. Sullivan.)

REPORTS. Petitions of K. Froude and 71,487 Others; W. G. McDonald and 11 Others ; E. A. M. Leaver and 202 Others ; and A. E. B. Johnson and 14,124 Others. The Motor-omnibus Regulations Committee, to which were referred the above petitions, has the honour to report that the Committee has heard the evidence of thirty witnesses in connection with the above-mentioned petitions, namely :— From Dunedin —on behalf of the City Tramways. From Cliristchurch—on behalf of the City Tramways and Canterbury bus-proprietors. From Wellington—on behalf of Suburban Motor-bus Company ; motor-bus employers ; Tramway Employees' Federation; Civic League; motor-body builders ; Wellington Coach and Motor Builders' Association; Wellington City Council; Public Works Department; Eastbourne Municipal Borough ; Eastbourne omnibus-proprietor. From Auckland—on behalf of Royal Motor-bus Company ; Motor-body Builders' Association ; Omnibus-proprietors' Association ; a citizen ; Auckland City Council; Auckland Tramways ; Mount Eden Borough Council. From Takapuna—Mr. A. Harris, M.P.; motor-bus service; Takapuna Borough Council; Takapuna Tramways and Ferry Company ; Devonport Borough Council. From Wanganui —Wanganui Tramways. From Palmerston North—Municipal omnibuses. After careful consideration of the very lengthy evidence, the Committee recommends— (1.) That, in order to obviate certain legal difficulties and to simplify procedure, the regulations as they stand be revoked, and a statute be enacted dealing with the matter, to come into force forthwith. (2.) That such statute should provide for the establishment of licensing districts as constituted by the regulations. (3.) That power should be reserved for the Governor-General in Council to constitute new districts and alter existing districts. (4.) That the statute should confer on motor-omnibus owners in business at the coming into force of the regulations and competing with tramway undertakings a right within a given time to require the delegated or public tramway authority to acquire their undertaking, and to pay therefor the value at the time of acquisition. In arriving at such value, goodwill should not be taken into account. The like power should be conferred on a motor-omnibus proprietor licensed under the statute, where a renewal of the license is subsequently refused on account of the municipal transport authority deciding to establish a service.