The Press Wednesday, March 11, 1931. Road Funds.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20183, 11 March 1931, Page 8

The Press Wednesday, March 11, 1931. Road Funds.

The statement which the South Island Motor TJnio» requested of the chairman of the Main Highways Board, to show the amount standing to the credit of the South Island, has at present such importance that his postponing it is unfortunate. Members of the Council of the Canterbury Automobile Association on Monday night were not very ready to accept Mr Fnrkert's explanation, or excuse, which is certainly not easy to follow, and, suggested that it was harder than it should be to get information from the Board about South Island funds and that a business is strangely run if at any time a _ statement setting out "the true position" cannot be given. It would be unpleasant to suggest that the Board is secretive, because it is not prompt and because it has not always been unambi§fu6us «tpd precise; but it is also unpleasant Sto think that it cannot within a few days prepare a sufficiently informative summary of any or all af its accounts. Perhaps at the moment it does not want to be bothered. But there are two excellent reasons why it should be bothered, and it is to be hoped that the Union will press strongly to get the information at the earliest possible moment. . One reason is that motorists, >as special 'taxpayers, sire 'feoth by increased taxation and by the diversion of more of their taxes to general purposes. They are therefore entitled to all information that Will help them to prepare their case, whether it is a case against possibly unjust proposals, or a case to be submitted to the Parliamentary Committees which are to enquire into derating: and into highways finance; and they are entitled to receive this information'in good time. Second, it has long been necessary „to clarify and settle tho 'principles oh which motor taxation js allocated between -the two islands, and it -is now urgently' neeesswy. According to the section dealing" with road finance in the Yeat'Booh, ,the ifevenue from the licensing of motorvehicles and from the tyre tax is distributed- the discretion of the u B'oajrd, but generally " to. eachi' island in proportion -to the number of licenced motor-Vehides., Nothing is said about the j allocation 'of revenue from the , petrol tax, although that is paid into the Revenue Fund together with, the tyre tax apd registration and, license fees. Some years ago the transfer of a huge unexpended balance from the to the North had to be strew*, pusly rented, until an assurance was given thati tbe tranefeaf would not be permanent» :and that taxation raised in the South from. motoriats willing to P»y,it the improvement of their ovm ,roads, . would not be appropriated to,fee Norths' It has never been certain" .that b«yond"ddubt. V 1 'i " "ff* 1 ! nun\v mm i ■" - >