MOTOR LICENSE FEES
LOCAL ROUTES’ CONFERENCE
A further conference of local bodies in No. 0 District Highways Group was held at Palmerston North, on Thursday to consider the apportionment of motor lorry license fees amongst such bodies in the grounp. Or. -T. Ratehelar (TCairanga County Council) presided, and outlined scheme submitted by Mr. Drew and the purpose of the meeting. The chairman of the Highways Board had stated in Wellington on Tuesday, he said, “that .€210.000 which should have been collected in motor taxation was floating in the air." That showed flic urgent necessity for taking action.
Mr. E. W( Connell, clerk to the rCairangn County Council, recapitulated Mr. Drew’s scheme of allocation of motor license fees —that they should first lie apportioned on a mileage of metalled roads basis; then on a capital valuation basis, and the mean struck between the two to ascertain each local body’s contribution. Mr. Drew submitted a table showing the proportion of motor license fees collected in the grouped districts which would he payable to each local body therein under the scheme named, on the assumption that the amount collected in the area affected would be £5!>37 ] Os. Mr. Connell mentioned that the scheme was operating successfully in Wanganui, only three loeal bodies in that district objecting to it. Cr. Elliott (Palmerston N. Borough Council) moved that the scheme be adopted. Cr. Hare, Kiwitea County Council, seconded the motion and voiced support of the scheme, but stated that he did'not Hunk that the smaller bodies should have as great a voting st length .i- he larger ones.
Mr W. E. Carthew, Mayor of l'Yilding, said he assumed that any action taken would have to be unanimous. llis borough did imi get any assistance from the Main Highways Boar.l at all, and under the scheme of allocation proposed the amendment which the borough would receive would hardly pay the cost fit' administration of the Motor Vehicles Act. Coder the scheme, lie continued, the borough would receive nineh less than it would from motor licenses issued and fees retained by it in the ordinary way. ITc suggested that on tlt is account, the smaller boroughs would lie Heated unfairly. He thought that they should receive GO per cent, of the lees collected plus 5 per cent, for administration expenses, the balance to be handed to the counties. Iff* moved that as an amendment.
The ninendhiciii was seconded by Mr. Trueman (clerk of the Eoxton Borough Council) who, inter alia, protested that the amendments set out in the .schedule of attraction under the scheme were most unfair to boroughs which had not been revalued recentlv.
"Are we going jo get any further if there is objection to the scheme?" asked Cr. Smart (chairman of ihe Pohangina County Council. The chairman: No.
Cr. Smart then observed that apparently if there was dissension the matter would have to he decided by the court.
Mr. Trueman said that the proposition was not a hard and fast mie, and that they should endeavour to arrive al a scheme suitably and equitable to all. "it is an honest attempt to settle Hie question,” said Cr. Smart, alluding to tlu* disadvantages, of the existing scheme under which each motor lorry driver was obliged to keep a diary of the roads over which lie travelled, lie very strongly opposed the amendment and ventured the opinion that Air. Drew’s scheme would be found all right when given sufficient study and a Lair trial.
Cr. Elliott (Pending Borough Council) deprecated the fact that the counties had not before conferred with the boroughs on the question under review. lie hoped that the matter would not go before a court.
Mr. Drew pointed out that it had been said that the cost of Peilding Borough street maintenance was about £BO a mile over the whole borough. Well, speaking for the three lower counties, he could say that they had roads which cost over Cl do a mile to maintain.
Cr. Elliott (Palmerston N. Borough Council) demonstrated that, under the scheme, the Palmerston N. borough would lose more out of the allocation of fees as suggested than some other boroughs, as so many of the lorries licensed in Palmer! on North practically never went out of it.
“Something has just caught my eye,” said Air Trueman. “It is well-known that there is little difference between Fox ton and Levin, .vet under the scheme Poxton would get £sl and Levin. £lO5. It is obviously an unfair allocation. Cr. Hare said that such matters could doubtless be adjusted —it would be childish, he said, to go away without arriving at something tangible. Cr Kiisby (Otaki Borough Council) suggested that the scheme he t ried for a year when, if necessary, an adjustments could he made. Mr Connell suggested, after further discussion, that the scheme as outlined might he accepted with a proviso that boroughs like Peilding ta Ice 50 per cent, of the fees it colected, or it original allocation under the scheme, whichever was the greater.
The Peilding delegates said that that would suit them.
It was then suggested that the amendment be altered to read 50 per cent, instead of GO per cent., and that was done, hut was defeated on being put to the meeting, the motion being carried by 8 votes to 3.
Cr Elliott: The matter will have to go before a magistrate now. It’s a pity.
Feilding, Eoxton and Levin, said the chairman, were the dissenting bodies.
Cr. Hare (chairman Kiwitea County Council) ; 1 would willingly give £l5O to Peilding out of my county’s allocation to settle the matter.
Cr. Elliott commented that if several of (he counties did likewise Hie diftieuiiies might he overcome.
A committee to endeavour to arrive at some agreement in that direction was next mooted. “It must be admitted that this is not a fair allocation. We have bitmnenised our roads and are spending £30,000 on them at the present time without getting anything from the Main Highways Board,” said Air. Carthew. Cr. Campbell (Oroua County Council) suggested that the time was not far distant when boroughs would come within the scope of the Alain Highways Act.
The clerk of the Kiwitea County Council, Air. ITesseltine, voiced the opinion that the amount which would tie collected in taxation would be a good deal less than estimated, and if that proved true counties generously offering to give £l5O or so to small boroughs would “find themselves getting precious little out of it.” Asked if they would reduce the percentage sought, the Peilding Borough Council representatives said that they would accept 45 per cent, which would give them some £3OO.
“It is Hurt £SO which is sticking Fusion," said the clerk of the Poxton Borough Council. Cr. Ale Kirov (Oroua County Council) appealed to the dissenting borough councils to accept the -clieme and try it for a year, for it was patent that the county emm-i-ils were willing to assist them. Cr. Hare: Let us collect all our I'tcs first and then see what we can do. Mr. Carthew said that the Peilding Borough Council would accept the offer held out to it, provided that it was based on a new valuation —the present one, he said was nine years old. It was decided to offer to Shannon, Rongotea and Foxton 50 per cent, of the fees they collected, or their quota under the original scheme, whichever was the greater. Shannon was not represented at the conference, but the arrangement was acceptable to the other bodies named.
The Levin delegates then asked to he included, stating that, although they had been satisfied originally, they could no longer be if other places were given extra concessions. “It is a pity the Government did not take it all over,” exclaimed Cr. Hare. At a stage when it appeared that the conference was going to prove ahoritive. Air. Connell read out a drafted resolution —a modification of the motion carried earlier in the meeting but which did not greatly assist the conference, as it had not been carried unanimously. The resolution, was finally unanimously adopted in the following form: — That the allocation of motor lorry license fees be collected! on the basis of the scheme originally before the meeting, with the exception of Foxtail Borough, which should lie allowed to retain 50 per cent, of the fees it collected or the amount which it would receive under Hie general classification, whichever proved the greater, the division of fees so arrived at to be made on the basis of the valuation as at Alareii 31, 192 G, the arrangement to remain in force for twelve months.
Ah- Drew. What if Shannon Borough Council does not agree.
in reply to the question, Cr. Smart moved, and it was carried, that a committee comprising the chairman and Crs. AI A. Elliott and Monk (the last named being chairman of the iiorowhenua County Council) be set up lo confer with Shannon Borough Council in the event of that bodv disagreeing with the arrangement. it was decided that collections of license fees be paid in to the office of the Kairanga County Council.
On behalf of the Poxton delegates Mr. Trueman said that, although they had to make a stern light, lie was pleased to tell the conference, now that the matter had been settled, that they had had no intention of ultimately standing in the way of an agreement or of being the means of the settlement being decided by the Court.
Air. Drew drew the attention of the meeting to the urgent necessity of insisting on the collection of all license fees as soon as possible by the local bodies affected. Some, iie said, bad been collecting them tor some time. Others had not yet made a start, and it was difficult Lor the inspectors Lo do their work properly when there was such lack of unanimity. It was, therefore, decided to recommend all local bodies to give immediate attention to the matter.
The question cl the damage done to roads by one-ton trucks and the necessity for securing fees from them was briefly discussed, but it was pointed out that, when they went on the weighbridge, they nearly always went over the weight which afforded them exemption from taxation, and that, therefore, there would be no difficulty in that regard.
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2917, 1 August 1925, Page 2
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1,723MOTOR LICENSE FEES Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2917, 1 August 1925, Page 2
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