The table indicates that for long 
listance transport of passengers and 
mails, where speed is important, and 
where the expense of transport is not 
a main consideration, this method of 
transport is gaining in popularity. 
[t is also being used to afford facilities 
for journeys between the cities and re- 
mote places in the States where other 
means of rapid transport do not exist. 
40. It is difficult to over estimate the 
benefit to be derived from the develop- 
ment of this service; it already serves 
definite needs; and it probably will be 
a considerable factor, possibly indirect 
more than direct, in the development 
of Australia. It is now subsidized by 
the Government to the extent of 
approximately £70,000, but as and 
when its commercial utility is proved, 
it should gradually emerge from the 
ohrysalis stage in which State grants 
support it, into the full flight of a 
self-supporting undertaking. 
General. R 
41. One of the main questions affect- 
‘ng Australian transport systems is the 
necessity for a proper co-ordination of 
them all. 
The report of the Traffic Advisory 
Committee of the State of New South 
Wales recommended in April last that 
a Ministry of Transport should be 
appointed, and that the following 
activities should be brought within its 
purview : — 
(1) General State Transport 
\gencies— 
(a) State Transport Committee 
or Commission. 
(b) Railway Commissioners, ex- 
zluding Tramways. 
(¢) Main Roads Board. 
(d) Navigation Department. 
(e) State motor registration and 
licensing of drivers— 
(i) Administration. 
(ii) Allocation of funds. 
(2) Metropolitan Transport Agen- 
cies— 
(a) Metropolitan Transport 
Board— 
(1) Government Tramways. 
(ii) Government buses. 
(b) Privately controlled trans- 
port service, e.g.— 
(i) Privately owned buses. 
(ii) Commercial vehicles. 
(iii) Taxi-cabs. 
(¢) Sydney Harbour Trust. 
It is further suggested that the new 
Ministry should take over traffic ad- 
ninistration including— 
(i) Traffic Advisory Com- 
mittee (feed). 
(ii) Technical Committees 
(intermittent). 
(iii) Transport and Traffic 
Research, Statistics and Publie 
Safety Bureau. 
(iv) Traffic Acts and Regula- 
tions. 
(v) Annual Transport and 
Traffic Congress (honorary). 
A Royal Coramission, which was 
ippointed last April to inquire into 
he control and working of the Vie- 
-orian Railways, reported on the 2nd 
vovembher, 1928— 
“In order to effectively bring 
about co-ordination between rail, 
tram and road motor services, 
which would be in the interest of 
the competing transport agencies, 
and of the public, your Com- 
missioners recommend that a Min- 
istry of Transport be constituted 
and that the Ministry have juris- 
diction over the following ser- 
vices: — 
The Victorian Railways, 
The Melbourne and Metro- 
politan Railways, 
The Melbourne Harbour 
Trust, 
Road Motor Transport. 
“Tt is further recommended 
hat a Transport Board be created, 
and that such board comprise a 
full-time independent chairman 
and one representative of each of 
the following bodies: — 
The Vietorian Railways 
Commissioners, 
The Melbourne and Metro- 
politan Tramways Board, 
The Country Roads Board, 
The Melbourne Harbour 
Trust, and 
The Commercial and Private 
Motor Owners.’