I move: That the Road Transport (No. 2) Bill, 1933, be now read a Second Time.
When the Road Transport Bill, 1933, was passed it contained a provision that persons qualified as carriers under that Bill could apply for an existing carrier's certificate within one month from the passing of the Bill. Despite the efforts of the Department of Industry and Commerce to draw the attention of interested parties to that provision through the Press, through posters and through broadcasting announcements, a number of persons interested did not make application until after the final date provided for in the Act had passed. The Act gave no power to extend that date. Consequently application for certificates after the extension of the month cannot now be entertained.
When that matter came to my notice I was of opinion that those who had neglected to apply under the Act could not be covered by any subsequent legislation. Apparently, the number that failed to make application was quite considerable and, in fact, over 200 applications for certificates were received late. Some of these were from quite considerable concerns. Under the circumstances it was deemed advisable to extend the period during which applications for certificates could be made so as to cover the applications that were received late as well as any further applications that may still be outstanding. It is, of course, to be clearly understood that any persons who do not make application within the extended time now provided cannot make application at any further date. The Bill is merely to extend the period during which applications can be made.