HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 189, 7 May 1940, Page 9

HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES

Farmers’ President’s Views On Minister’s Action The Dominion president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, Mr. W. W. Mulholland, stated on Saturday that the action of the Government in the recent amendment to the transport regulations reducing by half the heavy traffic licence fees payable by farmers and market gardeners on trucks up to a certain capacity would meet with verv general approval aud appreciation on the part of these interests, and, lie thought, on the part of the community generally. They would realize that it’ was an attempt, if not a very complete one, to adjust the heavy traffic charges on these vehicles more nearly to the amount of use they made of the road. “'.rhe Minister of Transport,” continued Mr. Mulholland, “has always regarded very sympathetically the claim of the farming interests that the incidence of heavy traffic fees was very unjust as it applied to them, ami we appreciate his efforts to meet the situation which has resulted in this change in the regulations. “However, at 'the present time, in important areas in New Zealand, farmers’ trucks engaged purely _on ■farm business.-have, by local action, approved, of by the Minister, been completely exempt: from any fees, in these cases the Minister’s announcement that no exemptions will be allowed means that ihere will be an increase in the actual burden which they will have to bear. However, with the knowledge that the Minister is fully aware of the unfairness of the charge and his sympathetic attitude he will no doubt see that no increased burden is placed on the farming community at this critical juncture.”