MOTORS AND TAXATION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2205, 18 July 1914, Page 4

MOTORS AND TAXATION.

The Motor Bill introduced in Parliament yesterday cannot be said to-impose an unduly heavy burden of taxation. It has long been recognised that a, direct contribution by motorists towards the cost of road maintenance- would be no moro than fair and reasonable in view of the strain that this form of traction has put on tho present highways. ■ The Bill follows the English Act in its general lines, and the basis of taxation will lie the- horsepower of the engine. The only, serious objection brought against tins form of tax is that if the English Treasury, system ni rn-fcinj; id adopted the American cars will pay. a Jwaviar tag than

English ones owing to differences in tho design of, their engines. The Government, however, proposes to make allowance for this, . and no extra burden will be borne by owners of American cars. The rates set down in the schedule to the Bill for public vehicles, omnibuses, and trade vehicles seem unduly low, for there can be no question that these vehicles arc in much more continuous use than private cars, carry heavier loads, and the damage they do to tho roads is consequently much greater. To ask the proprietor of an omnibus to pay no more than the owner of a private car . and to demand only a fraction of ..this amount from the owners of cars plying for hire and used for trade purposes does not seem good business. : It is pointed out in the memorandum accompanying the Bill that the rates are very considerably lower than those in Great Britain. It is by no means easy to estimate the probable yield from the taxes proposed, but it might reasonably be expected to amount to between £30,000 and £35,000. There were about 8000 cars imported into the Dominion during the last five years, and some 7500 motor-cycles. Putting the average of ,the cars at 20 horEe-power, on which the ■ tax in the case of private cars would be £4 per annum, one gets a return of £32,000, and the ten shilling tax on motor-cycles would yield another £3700 odd. Such' sums as these cannot revolutionise the roads of' New Zealand, as -many people seem to expect a motor tax to do. Even the stiffest tax that could be devised short 'of, driving the cars completely off the road would yield but a drop in the bucket of road expenditure. The provisions of the Bill with respect to the registration of cars, the licensing of drivers, and the.endorsement of licenses in case of conviction are excellent. It is regrettable, however, that the clauses in the old Act with regard to the lighting of motors should make their reappearance. The requirements are inadequate, and it is open to every local body to impose all sorts of additional requirements in its lighting by-laws. The time fixed for lighting up, sunset, is too early even on the dullest day—half an hour after sunset would be better.' What is wanted, however, is a Lights, on Vehicles Bill dealing with" the whole question. The by-laws of the' local bodies on the subject are a ( tangle of contradictions, and in some cases no by-laws at all. have been made. With the increasing traffic on the roads in the country the matter is one that is well worth dealing with. The penalties provided in the Bill for breaches of the Jaw are substantial and the public is much more adequately safeguarded against the reckless motor driver than in the past.