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Road-Transport Activities IN PARLIAMENT
Page 150
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The Road Traffic Bill. The Latest French Tariff Bills. The McKenna Duties.
LAST Tuesday the Rouse of Lords gave a third reading to the Road Traffic Bill and the measure will now go before the House of Commons, where it will probably arouse more sustained controversy than it has done in the Upper Chamber. The Government will almost certainly propose to reinsert Part V of the Bill, which gave local authorities power to run bus services, and, if so, the House of Commons will support the Government, although the Unionists will oppose what they regard as an undue extension of municipal trading.
Unlike the House of Commons, the Lords permit themselves the privilege of further amending a Bill after the third reading and on the motion that the Bill be passed. Accordingly, several amendments were, at the last moment, made at the instance of Earl Russell. The new clause prohibiting the driving of motor vehicles elsewhere than on roads was altered so as to provide that it shall be an offence to drive a motor vehicle on "common land, moor land, or other land of whatsoever description, not being land forming part of a road." , A new sub-section was inserted in Clause 20 requiring a person driving a motor vehicle on a road to stop the vehicle on being so required by a police constable in 'uniform, under penalty of a fine not exceeding 15.
Safeguarding Rights of Companies.
IN Clause 66, which requires the issue of road-service licences for stage carriages and express carriages, the Earl of Cranbrook moved to delete the provision that a licence shall not be refused if the route be specifically authorized by a special Act or an Order having the force of an Act of Parliament. His object, he said, was to preserve the rights of those companies which were operating tramways or bus services under contract with a municipality having powers under a private Act. It seemed to him wrong that it should be possible for a Traffic Commissioner to override the decision of Parliament.
Earl Russell remarked that so far as he knew there was nothing in the Bill that would prevent such a contract operating or render the person having the contract unable to enforce it. The amendment was agreed to. The Bill was then passed by their lordships.
The Latest French Tariff Bills.
TEE President of the Board of Trade, referring in the House of Commons to the new French Tariff Bills and their effect upon Vrench import duties on British motor vehicles, stated that the official explanation of the proposed changes was that, owing to the difficulties of estimating the value of motorcars and parts, the duty of 45 per cent. ad valorem at present laid down in the tariff had not, in fact, in all cases been levied.
With regard to both parts and complete vehicles the new specific duties purported to be calculated so as to be equivalent to a real ad valorem duty of 45 per cent Mr. Wardlaw Milne asked if the Board of Trade was satisfied that this did not really mean an increase of the duty, and Mr. Graham replied that was his present information. It was plain at the moment that the effort was rather to make the 45 per cent. ad valorem effective. He did not see any increase of tariff in it.
German Makers Seek More Protection.
THE German manufacturers, the President of the Board of Trade understands, have suggested measures to raise existing tariffs on motor vehicles imported into that country or to limit the total number of cars to be imported. These suggestions have not, however, been accepted by the German Government. The McKenna Duties.
THE Lord Privy Seal was asked whether he had received a memorandum from the Society qf Motor Manufacturers and Traders advocating the retention of the McKenna duties on imported motor vehicles, in order to shelter the home market from unrestricted foreign competition, and what steps he proposed to take in the matter. Mr. Thomas said he had received a memorandum from the society, in which, amongst other matters, it advocated the retention of the McKenna duties on imported motor vehicles. He was not in a position to make any statement. M-r. P. Hannon wished to know whether Mr. Thomas had given the representatives of the motor manufacturers who saw him any assurances that would put an end to the state of uncertainty now prevailing throughout the whole of the industry. Mr. Thomas replied that it was not for him personally to give an assurance as to the obligations of the Government.
He discussed the matter fully with the motor interests. He heard their views and knew their opinions as the result of the discussion, and be had made the necessary representation on that subject. This rather cryptic utterance was regarded in parliamentary circles as indicating that Ms. Thomas ha& submitted the arguments against the removal of the import duty to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has the real power in this matter and who has already announced his intention, at some unspecified time, to abolish the McKenna, safeguarding and silk duties.
T IVERPOOL'S contribution towards the provision of 1/employment on road schemes represents work estimated to cost about 1640,000. There are 18 schemes which have,
in principle, been approved. .
Passenger-transport Conditions.
1‘11-R. J. GARDNEA suggested that the London Traffic J.Y.LAdvisory Committee should be consulted with a view to arranging for the adoption by the London tramways and bus authorities of the Paris system, which enables passengers to board tramcars and motorbuses at busy stopping places in the order of their arrival through the use of numbered tickets. Mr. Morrison said this scheme was some time ago considered, but was not suitable for London.
Municipal Transport Services.
/FR. MORRISON explained that it was intended under 111Part V of the Road Traffic Bill (which gave powers to local authorities to run buses and which was struck out in committee by the House of Lords) that the running of municipal transport services should, from time to time, be subject to any necessary revision.
Piccadilly Tunnel Abandoned.
THE Minister of Transport states that the proposal for the construction of a tunnel from the Mall to Berkeley Square, London' to take north and south-going traffic under Piccadilly, has been carefully examined on more than one occasion. Having regard, however, to the many important considerations involved and to the fact that the execution of the scheme would seriously interfere with the amenities of Green Park, it is not proposed to proceed further in the matter.
A Bridge to Replace a Level Crossing.
THE construction of a bridge to take the place of the existing level-crossing on the A30 road at Blackwater, Hampshire, has now been begun, a grant for the nurnose having been made in 1926.