IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE HONEST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 18, 18 February 1942, Page 4

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE HONEST

REINSTATEMENT of a proportion of petrol permitted under last year's licensing scheme, and the promise of a certain amount for further use for pleasure, makes the average person wonder at the sudden benignity of the Government, particularly in view of the deterioration of the situation in the Pacific war zone. The gesture however, is so broad that it takes little mental perception to realise that the sudden relaxing of the grip upon our precious petrol supply, is dictated merely by the fact that the date for the re-licensing of vehicles is drawing near, and some attempt must be made to meet the anticipated revenue. We feel that the average car owner, would have preferred 'a clean breast made of the position. Naturally, the Government desires to meet its budget, and as car registration prodi.ces a considerable portion of the taxation required it is readily understood that some effort would be made to collect it. On the other hand if our legislators had come to the: people, pointed out that the difficulty arose out of the war situation, and. expressing the intention of collecting the revenue by some other means, we are certain that they would have been understood and at the same time, the petrol supplies conserved-.