LORRY DRIVERS’ TAXATION

Evening Star, Issue 20133, 25 March 1929, Page 14

LORRY DRIVERS’ TAXATION

DEPUTATION TO PREMIER (Per United Press Association.J INVERCARGILL, March 23. This morning the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) received a large deputation from the motor Jorry owners of Southland asking what relief lorry owners might expect to receive irom taxation. Sir Joseph Ward said that the Government was working towards the end of relieving this taxation, but he could not give an indication of how much relief would bo given or- what shape it would take until he had gone into the financial position ot the country. Jn any case the- matter would have to go before Parliament. Jn connection . witli the National Transport Advisory Board he would like to stress tho fact that this hoard had nothing whatever to do with administration. Its functions were purely advisory. The administration would have to be carried out hy tho Minister in charge and the permanent head ot the department. The Advisory Board which had been set up was expected merely to give advice on technical matters to the permanent Transport Board. I:Jc would like to say further that he had no intention so to increase the personnel of tho Advisory ifoard that it would bo unwieldy, as would be the case if ho yielded to. the suggestions ot many wlio desired that every section ol industry should he represented. To make the board too large would only be to defeat the purpose for which it was formed, and with a large membership it would take too long to roach decisions which would, in any case, be majority decisions. The Government was anxious to give effect to what it had indicated publicly as a matter of policy m connection with motor taxation, hut no decision coukl be arrived at by him as Finance Minister until ho had examined the position of the country, and this decision must then go before Pfffliamont. They could, however, rest assured that whatever alterations were made would be retrospective, dating hack to the commencement of the now financial year on April 1.