AGY-1165 | Transport Commissioners of New South Wales

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A Department of Transport was established on 22 March 1932 (1) by the Ministry of Transport Act, 1932 which merged the transport administration authorities. The offices of the Railway Commissioners (the Chief Railway Commissioner and the two Assistant Commissioners), Transport Trusts, the Commissioner of Road Transport, the Tramways Management Board, the Main Roads Board and the State Transport (Coordination) Board were abolished and their functions transferred to the Transport Commissioners of New South Wales. (2) The Transport Commissioners of New South Wales were made up a Board of Commissioners that included a Chief Commissioner of Transport, seven other Transport Commissioners to supervise the various branches of the Department, and the Commissioner of Police. There were four branches within the Department of Transport specifically related to railway operations in all or part of their activities, these were (3) -
* Railway and Tramway Transportation Branch (traffic operations)
* Power and Mechanical Branch (locomotives, rolling stock, workshops, and power generation)
* Ways and Works Branch (rail construction and maintenance)
* Commercial Branch (responsible for the control of freight and passenger traffic, real estate interests, catering and refreshment rooms) The Secretary to the Board of Commissioners plus the Finance, Legal, and Staff Branches provided administrative support. (4) The Transport Commissioners of New South Wales oversaw the maintenance of the permanent way, bridges, wharves, fences and other structures, the reconstruction of Ultimo Power station and the construction of rail line extensions in country New South Wales. Because of the economic crisis Special Equalisation Rates and Fares were also devised to encourage railway use. (5) The Railway Coal Mine at Lithgow halted operations on 29 September 1932 and was closed from the next shift of the following day (30th September 1932). All the miners were released from their contracts with administrative control transferred to the Department of Mines. (6) The Transport (Division of Functions) Act, 1932 (Act No.31, 1932) received assent on 19 November 1932 (7) and commenced on 29 December 1932. (8), The Act abolished the Board of Transport Commissioners and created a Ministry of Transport. There were to be three Departments - the Department of Railways, the Department of Road Transport and Tramways, and the Department of Main Roads - each controlled by a Commissioner. FOOTNOTES
(1) New South Wales Government Gazette No.37, 22 March 1932, p.140.
(2) Official Yearbook of New South Wales 1932-33, p.577.
(3) Ministry of Transport Act , 1932 Section 6.
(4) Loc. cit .
(5) Report of the Transport Commissioners of New South Wales for the quarter ended 31 March 1932 the Joint Volumes of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly Volume 1 1932, pp. 206-207.
(6) Report of the Transport Commissioners of New South Wales for the quarter ended 31 September 1932 the Joint Volumes of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly Volume 1 1933, p. 436.
(7) New South Wales Government Gazette, 25 November 1932, p.4184.
(8) New South Wales Government Gazette, 29 December 1932 Vol.4, p.4591.