Suggested for Transport
Page 85
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Private undertakings should be guaranteed an annual profit equal to the average of their annual profits since 1930, in proportion to the value of their assets used by the undertaking.
In this case, profits should include depreciation of wasting assets, which it should he the duty of the company shareholders to provide for. At the same time, the board should create a sinking fund sufficient to buy out the private owners within 25 years of the board's formation.
The commission would need to have in mind that there was real value in
maintaining the personal ownership of country services. Only in the last resort should small family concerns be transferred to a larger unit. Rather, the owners of such businesses should be encouraged tobecome "all-purpose carriers."
The development of vehicles carrying both goods and passengds was desirable and, if necessary, a new form of composite licence should be evolved.
Mr. Dunbar suggested that in many cases it would pay large operators to give away their rural services to small concerns.
Consideration would also be given to the development of mail-carrying buses. The commission might consider that county councils should be empowered to subsidize unremunerative services.