TAX ON MOTOR TYRES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 36, 6 November 1920, Page 8

TAX ON MOTOR TYRES

Sir,—The objection of the New Zealand \Taxi Owners' Association to the excellent and admirably conceived proposal to impose an ad valorem surtax on ' motor tyres to raise or augment _ a fund for expenditure' on roads, is quite a reasonable objection. The proposed tare would hit the taxi owners hard, ■•and with a view of meeting their objections may I suggest a simple way out of tha difficulty ? I can seo no reason why the Minister of Internal Affairs should not tahij or arrange for a sole agency for eomo approved make of tyres—preferably one in which the pattern or design of the tread is in bas-relief, any number of which are oil the market. 13y special regulation the Minister could import these tyij;s free of the surtax and supply them at commercial rates to the whole taxi industry in th(j Dominoin. No person but a taxi owner would bo allowed to purchase, and the distinctive tread would he a sufficient safeguaiu aginst illegal dealing. At the same time a taxi owner would of course be free to purchase any other tyre on the market. 1 The prospect of a monopoly of th.o ' taxi tyro business of tlio Dompmon 1 would probably be an inducement to a manufacturer to cut prices, and might I perhaps result in a considerable reduction ; of tlte cost of tyres to tly> trade. May I commend the to the con- ; sidfiration of tho parties concerned ?-J am, etc., YT.T.iI. Wellington, November i, 1920.