Government in New Zealand
Trading Services
Trading Services
Monopoly Trading
- Post Office
- Railways
- Public Works (hydro-electric branch)
- Commercial Broadcasting
Under governments of the left, the railways are regarded primarily as a developmental service and are placed under ministerial control; under governments of the right, they are regarded primarily as a trading concern, to be run on commercial principles with a minimum of 'political' interference. With the development of motor transport, the railway monopoly was seriously weakened; it is now being strengthened by regulation of road transport and by the acquisition of competitive road services by the Department. The hydro-electric branch of the Public Works Department sells power in bulk to power boards and other local supply authorities.
Competitive Trading
- State Advances
- Public Trust
- Government Insurance
- State Fire Insurance
Most of these services were introduced in the early period of New Zealand's economic development as a means of regulating indirectly the cost to the public of certain services provided by private enterprise.