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 remote
 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 development
 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, exzluding
 Tramways.
(¢) Main Roads Board.
(d) Navigation Department.
(e) State motor registration and
licensing of drivers—
(i) Administration.
(ii) Allocation of funds.
(2) Metropolitan Transport Agencies—

(a) Metropolitan Transport
Board—
(1) Government Tramways.
(ii) Government buses.

(b) Privately controlled transport
 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 adninistration
 including—
(i) Traffic Advisory Committee
 (feed).
(ii) Technical Committees
(intermittent).
(iii) Transport and Traffic
Research, Statistics and Publie
Safety Bureau.
(iv) Traffic Acts and Regulations.

(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 Commissioners
 recommend that a Ministry
 of Transport be constituted
and that the Ministry have jurisdiction
 over the following services:
 —
The Victorian Railways,
The Melbourne and Metropolitan
 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 Metropolitan
 Tramways Board,
The Country Roads Board,
The Melbourne Harbour
Trust, and
The Commercial and Private
Motor Owners.’