The Hokitika Guardian MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28th. 1921. PASSING IT ON.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1921, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28th. 1921. PASSING IT ON.

AYk are anxious to be just, even generous, towards Mr Massey in our comments upon bis administration of tho affairs of the country, but really with all our desire to avoid mere party bickerings at such a time as this, we find it extremely difficulty at occasions to understand bis attitude thavardsi important .questions. During the discussion of the tariff amendments in the House of Representatives on AVednesday night for instance, after announcing his abandonment of the proposed kerosene duty, lie proceeded to let it bo known that he was not particularly concerned about the retention

of the petrol duty. “The Government” lie said, ‘‘bad no strong fooling regarding the proposed duty of 1 }d per gallon on petrol. The amount was not large enough to matter a great deal to the consumer who would accept such a charge from the importer without a word. The money was intended to be used for the roads of tli,. country and it would lie reserved for that purpose if it was collected and if members chose to strike out the duty the Government would not object.” A statement like j this makes one wonder whether Air | Massey and his colleagues feel very j strung!,v about any iff their proposals or j whether they are simply seeking the line of least resistance. ‘ But we remember that Mr Seddon was credited with having said in America during one of his joVrneys across the great Continent that the policy of his government was to find out what the people wanted arid then give it to them Mr Massey may have taken this story literally, and decided to follow the example of his great predecessor. AA’hat concerns us more is the Prime M blister's ready acceptance of the prin- ( ciple of “'passing ‘ on” and his repitition of the Hon. Downic Stewart’s statement that the money obtained from the petrol duty would bo expended upon the roads of the country. Thor,, can be no doubt that tho duty would be passed on by tile importers to their customers. That is the ease with all duties. But during the process. a jH-r rentage small or great, is invariably added to the duty, and by the time the importers and the retailors bad taken their additional tribute from petrol a good deal more than the ljd per gallon would have passed on to the users. The more important point is, however, that the users of petrol are not, speaking generally, the people who would benefit most from tlie money expended upon the roads. Mr Massey seems to have run away with the idea that |ietrol is used only j for propelling motor ears, motor buses and motor lorries. If this were so. there might be something to say/ for the duty. sine,, the cost of the motive power might restrain the reckless driv- ; ers to be found everywhere. Tint as a : matter of fact, very large quantities of petrol are used for industrial purposes , and any increase in price would be a . direct tax upon industry. Thousands , of milking machines up and down the , country are driven by petrol, as are j also thousands of other machines used i in agricultural and pastoral pursuits, j and in manufactures, to say nothing of fislhing bloats, small coastal craft, lighting plants, domestic appliances and ■ so forth. Why people engaged in j these industries and undertakings j should bo specially taxed to maintain j roads they do not require, perhaps j roads at the other end of Eh,. Dominion. ' it would puzzle even Mr Massey or the j Minister of Customs t,, explain. But ; of course there would not he the slight- ! est chance of the money obtained from 1 the duty becoming an independent j grant for the construction and main- i tonimce of roads. It would not in- : crease the public works expenditure by i a single penny. The money would go into the Consolidated Fund, as other j duties and taxes do, and the Minister j of Finance, would find more j urgent uses for whatever sum might j L>,, available than the provision of bet- 1 tor roads for local bodies that were , unable to do all they could have wish- j ed in this direction in the days o|' pros- • perity. Mr Massey would do well to j take another recess to consider this problem. j