TAXES OPPOSED.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19144, 29 October 1927, Page 6

TAXES OPPOSED.

UPKEEP OF THE ROADS. SHOULD MOTORISTS PAY ? .Mr W. Gow (Duiieuin) moved the adoption of the following remit at yesterday's session of the annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce: "That in order to bring our main highways up to a standard that will . ensure economy in the running costs of liicitor traffic, a petrol tax be levied. That, in view of the fact that highways in tlie vicinity of cities require to be reconstructed to a higher grade of road, th>' Highways Board be urged to provide, from the imposition of a etrol tax. sufficient r-.. 1 caae to earn- out this work. That the Government be requested to introduce an amendment of the Highways Act, placing on the Board the initiative for proposals for improvement on our highways." He reviewed the operations of the Main Highways Board. Roads were classified, and unless an application was made by the local body, the Board took no action. There was no apportionment between the two islands, and most of the money .set aside for construction had been spent in the North Island. South Island local bodies had been remiss in the matter of making application for allocations. There had been a great accumulation in the maintenance fund, and a great deal of this money had been borrowed for use in the North Island. The remedy for the present state of affairs was to give the Board power to vary the contributions of local bodies. Money obtained from the petrol tax could be utilised by the Board in reconstruction and maintenance. In sixteen American States a petrol tax was in force, and the hardship to the farmer was not great. In New Zealand also farmers would not suffer so much from a petrol tax as from an additional rate. Mr A. E. Eosevear (Duuedin) seconded the motion. Tax on Tyres Proposed. Mr A. G. Lunn (Auckland) moved an amendment that for a petrol tax an increased tyre tax be substituted. Mr C. P. Agar (Canterbury) said lie hoped both proposals would be rejected. He instanced the case of City roads, to which the Highways Board did not contribute. It would be unfair, he said, to tax City people for the upkeep of roads, when none of the funds would be used for the upkeep of City Toads. Mr H. P. Caughey (Auckland) seconded the amendment on the ground that the suggestion would, if carried out, press heavily on farmers. Mr J. McLean (Greymouth), and T.' H. Eice (Wanganui) supported the remit, tho latter stating that in order to get benzine to the farmers, it was necessary to have good roads. Mr D. Seymour (Hamilton) opposed the remit, being of the opinion that any additional tax should be made on tyres, not petrol. Mr A. F. Wright (Canterbury) said that he was afraid that the only effect of passing a remit would be to put the .Associated Chambers in favour of more taxation, and that was the last thing that was desired. Ho urged caution in dealing with the question. The present Act was a misfit and personally he would like to see a South Island Main Highways Board set up. Mr W. J. Gilberd (Wanganui) favoured a benzine tax. Mr C. Broadfleld (Invercargill) said that if should not be overlooked that the farmers were abandoning benzine driven engines, and were going in for olectricity, Too Much Money Collected. Mr A. H. Maekrell said they should be careful in advocating fresh taxation. Ho was not altogether against the remit, but they did not want to overdo road expenditure. The South Island really did not need all the money it was collecting for the roads. (Laughter.) A suggestion that a petrol tax of threepence per gallon should be collected made him shudder. Mr J. B. Richards (Stratford) said nearly all the roads in his province were tar-sealed, but this policy existed long before the Board's advent. It was found before tar-sealing was instituted, that roads could not be maintained out of revenue. Really good roads were good economy. He 'was opposed to the remit. Mr Lunn said the petrol tax was objectionable, lie realised tho necessity for- good roads, and a tyre tax would be collected from just those who used the roads. Mr Gow said the Highways Board must have unrestricted control of all moneys before it could do its work efficiently. Motorists themselves considered the petrol tax most equitable. It would not be an imposition on dairyfarmers. The funds must be found, and if not by. a petrol or tyre tax,-then by a heavier rate. Mr Lunn refused to alter his amendment at Mr Gow's suggestion. The amendment was lost on the voices and the remit was also rejected by a large majority.