The Motor

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 57, 4 September 1926, Page 18

The Motor

MOTOR TAXATION

REPLY TO W.A.C. MEMBER'S

EFFUSION.

This week "Focus," the "Now Zealand Herald's" motor editor, replies to the comment of a member of the Wellington Automobile Club on a previous article of Ms on motor taxation, reprinted in this column. Following is the reply in full: — Taking up the cudgels against hints at increased taxation on motor vehicles, a Southern motorist adopts a remarkable argument in an effort to indicate that the New Zealand motorist is a most unfortunate individual by comparison with car-owners of other countries. To establish his contention he takes into .consideration everything the buyer of a motor vehicle is required to pay. The debiting of Customs duties against the motorist for the purpose of assessing the yearly contribution per ■ear to the revenue is beside the point. If the duty on new cars was directly placed at the disposal of the Main Highways Board it would be a different matter. The concern of the motorist should be the provision of an adequate road fund. It is not sufficient to be satisfied that a specific aggregate is :paid out and absorbed through various channels for expenditure on obscure ■works. Incidentally the calculations of the .Southern champion of New Zealand motorists are grossly pessimistic, and a 'fantastio figure is arrived at after tak- . ing the case of an American car costing £200 at the factory.

By "AUTOS"