NO OVERTAXING.

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

NO OVERTAXING.

It is absurd to declare that New Zealand is overtaxing its motorists. On the other hand much goes into the Consolidated Fund which is not distributed for the benefit of motorists. But this does not bring the motorist any Dearer a faster roading policy. Colonial motorists have to pay heavy Customs duties for the privilege of living in nonmanufacturing countries. This puts all on the same footing, and the only really useful contribution to road works in New Zealand seems to be the £.2 a year and the fluctuating tire tax yield. If this is an adequate contribution for a country which has one motor-vehicle for every 10 persons, then we must patiently continue to wear out cars on our bad roads. The tire tax does not necessarily affect the extensive road user most. Tires deteriorate if the car is laid up for a few months, and if a motorist has bad luck he may burst or ruin tires which have done little mileage, and thus pay a tax for something he does not get. Again, the motorist who lives in a badly-roaded country will wear out tires rapidly, while the town motorist enjoys good roads and pays a smaller tax per mile of service. The only advantage of fiat rate taxation is that it provides accurate statistics of vehicle ownership.