TRANSPORT LAW.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 254, 25 September 1929, Page 2

TRANSPORT LAW.

GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSALS.

HIGHWAYS BOARD TO REMAIN.

Considerable interest was i Bill which was introduced in t yesterday. Many changes in t but the Highways Board is ti BILL BEFORE HOUSE.

MANY QUESTIONS ASKED. (By Telegraph—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 24. When the Motor Transport Bill made its appearance to-day the Prime Minister had to meet a bombardment of questions from all sides of the House of Representatives. Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates led off with a series of questions, and he was followed by others who sought information on a variety of points. Mr Coates was specially interested as to whether the new proposals would supplant or in any way alter the Highways Board. The Prime Minister said that the proposals did not interfere with the Highways Board at all. It would continue as it existed as at present, it would not be under Ministerial cpntrol. There would be no reduction in the local bodies’ revenue. CLAIMS FOR MEASURE.

The bill is called the “Transport Law Amendment Bill,” and is sponsored by Hon. W. A. Veitch. It is claimed for it that it is the first step towards the preparation of a comprehensive measure dealing with motor transport. At the present time the law as to the registration and licensing of motor vehicles is contained in the Motor Vehicles Act. The Public Works Act contain special provisions governing the use of motor lorries and other heavy motor traffic. Motor omnibus services are regulated under the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act. The application of taxation derived froni motor vehicles and from motor spirit used in motor vehicles is provided for in the Main Highways Act. It is essential in the interests of the public that the legislation be simplified by bringing the several measures referred to above within the compass of one, or at the most, of two acts. Just before that can be done it is desired to make certain material changes in the law. The purpose of the present bill is to make these changes and so prepare the way for a comprehensive measure, proposed to be submitted to Parliament next session. The Governor-General mav appoint a member of the executive to be Minister of Transport, and there is to be established a Transport Department and a Commissioner of Transport. Tho Governor-General may also appoint a Commissioner of Transport and other officers of the department. He 'may also appoint one or more advisory committees for the assistance of the Minister and provision is made for the making of regulations under the act. LICENSING MOTOR DRIVERS. Part 2 contains some important principles of which these are important. viz: (1) All exemptions from the payment of annual license fees are abolished. (2) Provision is made for altering tho system of licensing motor drivers. In future such licenses will be issued by the registrar of motor vehicles or by a deputy registrar instead of by the local authorities, thus simplifying the procedure as to the annual renewal. License lees will, however, continue to be paid to the local authorities. (3) Provision is made for the compilation by the Justice Department, for the use of the Transport Department, of monthly lists of persons whoso drivers’ licenses have been endorsed or suspended by any court. OMNIBUS TRAFFIC. Part 3 deals with motor omnibus traffic as follows: (1) It is proposed in this part to make motor omnibus districts co-ter-rninous with highways districts under the Main Highways Act. This change will simplify the administration and will also bring within the scope of tho act those motor omnibuses that are now carrying on business outside any motor omnibus district. (2) Under the present law licenses to carry on motor omnibus services are granted by the local authorities which in most cases are themselves engaged in carrying on the same class of service. This is not satisfactory, and it is proposed by the bill to substitute a specially constituted licensing authority for each district consisting of officials and of representatives of the interests affected. (3) A central licensing authqnty is constituted to deal with applications for ..motor omnibus services to be carried' on in two or more motor omnibus districts.

evinced in tlie Motor Transport ;lie House of Representatives ;he present law are proposed, ;o remain. APPEAL BOARD. (4) A Dominion Transport Appeal Board is constituted tp hear appeals from the decisions of licensing authorities.

(5) When applications for licenses in respect of motor-omnibus services are made by any local authority, or by the Minister of Railways, and also by a private person in respect of the same routes, the licensing authority is required' to give preference to the local authority or minister over other applicants. Where the renewal of tne license of a private person is refused on the ground that the service would be in competition with the service of a local authority or the said minister, the licensee is entitled to require the local authority or Minister, as the ease may be, to over his undertaking, a price to bo agreed on or to be determined by a Compensation Court.

COMPENSATION FOR LICENSEES. (6; The methods of fixing the price to be paid for any such undertaking is substantially the samo_ as is already prescribed bv section 15 of the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act, 1926. except that a licensee is expressly declared to be entitled to receive compensation for the loss of his license in addition to the value of tho property taken over from him. (7) Special provision is made for the issue of permits for the use of licensed motor omnibuses on special ocasions (for example, race days or holidays). (B,i Additional provisions are _ made with respect to accidents occurring in connection with motor omnibus services to permit of the holding of formal investigations into the causes and results thereof. . , Part 4 of the bill is intended to apply, with the necessary adaptations, the provisions of the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act to other motor vehicles carrying on transport services of passengers or goods on definite routes and in accordance with a time-table. In regard to part 5, its sole purpose is to restore the jurisdiction of licensing authorities under tho Motor Omnibus Traffic Act within the areas of the Auckland Transport Board and the Christchurch Tramway Board. MAIN HIGHWAYS. • In part 6, main highways, the principal amendments of tho law proposed to be made are as follow: (1) The North Island and the South Island are to be separately represent eel on the board. In matters affecting the North Island, the Island representatives are not entitled to vote, and similarly the North Island representatives cannot vote on South Island proposals. This, in effect, provides separate boards for each island, but avoids the necessity of affecting the legal identity of the present board, which is a body corporate with power to hold property, enter into contracts, (2) Provision is made for the allocation between the North Island and the South Island of the moneys available in any year for the maintenance of main highways. (3) A limited authority is conferred on the board to assist local authorities in the maintenance of roads and streets that are not main highways. The amount to be expended for this purpose is limited in any year to £150,000.. In part 7 provision is made for an | excise duty on motor spirits produced in New Zealand, and more elastic provisions are also made in regard to refunds of duty on motor spirits destroyed or used otherwise than in motor vehicles. MORE SIMPLE PROCEDURE. The last part of the bill has been drafted to simplify the procedure in respect of the issue of drivers’ licenses and of licenses in respect of heavy motor traffic. It is intended that such licenses be issued by the post office. The fees payable in respect of such licenses are now received by the local authorities, and it is proposed that in future all such fees will be collected by tho post office and will then be allocated to the local authorities entitled to receive the same.

Clause 61 prohibits the practice that has been adopted by certain local authorities of fixing the remuneration of their traffic inspectors by reference to the amount of the fines recovered in respect of offences. It is complained that with officers appointed on, such terms there is a tendency to lay informations for mere technical breaches of the law which would in other circumstances be ignored.