PETROL TAX.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19160, 17 November 1927, Page 5

PETROL TAX.

A WELLINGTON PROTEST

i [THE PRESS Special Service] WELLINGTON, November 16. ! The following resolution has been forwarded to the Prime Minister by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce: "The council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce has given consideration to tho provisions of the Motor Spirits Tasation Bill. Without going into the contentious question of varying forms of taxation in respect of motor vehicles, the Chamber desires to enter an emphatic protest against the haste with which the above Bill was introduced and passed into law. The reasons actuating this protest are as under: > (1) "We are not satisfied that the Dominion is justified in going headlong into the construction of roads before a co-ordinated policy has been laid down. This policy should, inter alia, provide for a programme of construction over a number of years, fix the order of precedence, and have full regard to the development of outlying districts in conjunction with, and possibly in preference to, the extension of main highways. (2) "Tho immediate collection of the new tax of 4d per gallon on motor spirit will exact substantial sums prior to such a policy being fixed. (3) "The increased price of motor spirit which will result from the new tax deprives the general public of the benefit recently conferred on them following the institution of bulk delivery by the oil companies at enormous expense. (4) "No provision appears to have been made for the allocation of revenue between the separate districts, nor is any regard taken to the extent to which any particular city, county, or district has already committed its ratepayers for the provision of roads. (5) "This legislation appears to us to have been designed for the protection of the Now Zealand Railways without regard to a general transport policy. (6) "The system of refunds appears to present many practical difficulties. "The Chamber further considers that the whole subject should have _ been considered with a view to defining a general policy of transport in New Zealand, alike by rail, steamer, and road, and strongly urges that a Royal Commission be set up composed of practical men, under the presidency of a Judge of the Supreme Court, for the purpose of giving thorough consideration and makinpr exhaustive enquiry into the transport needs of the Dominion." NAPIER DECISIONS. (PRISS A6SOCUTIOK TELEQBAM.) NAPIER, November 16. A meeting of users of heavy motor vehicles to-night resolved: (1) "That this meeting feels it is not economically possible for motor vehicle owners to meet the heavy taxation imposed, particidarly upon heavy traffic, and urges that a full investigation be made to ascertain just how much they can fairly pay." (2) ''This meeting views with concern the fact that no statutory provision has been made along the lines proposed by the' Minister for Public Works for the allocation of 92 per cent, of the revenue raised under the Motor Spirits Taxation Bill. It is felt that expenditure of this large amount of money should not be left to the sole discretion of the Highways Board."