PETROL-TAX REFUND

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 288, 25 February 1928, Page 12

PETROL-TAX REFUND

FIRST PAY-OUT IN MARCH FORMIDABLE REBATE FORMS In an endeavour to preclude? the possibility of fraud by clairrants for refund of the petrol tax cf 4d a gallon, the Government has prepared a formidable declaration form of rebate consisting of an exhaustive series of questions. rpnE first batch of these forms arrived yesterday from Wellington, but a pay-out will not be made until the end of March.

Exemptions are listed under seven headings: Milking machinery, shearing machine engines. farm tractors, launches, lighting plants, other stationary engines, and dry cleaning or manufacturing. Refunds will be made at the central motor registration office, or at any post office desired by the claimant. On receipt of the cash refund claimants will return receipt forms issued with the declaration forms. Although an elaborate series of questions has been evolved, to prevent misuse of tax-free petrol, frauds must of necessity be difficult to detect —at least until the system has been in operation for some time.

An instance of the elaborate questioning that must be answered is afforded in the case of milking plants. One is required to state the make and horse-power of the engine, the number of hours run and the number of cows milked.

In respect of launch engines and other exempt petrol machinery, the make, horse-power, and running time is demanded. These particulars will form a basis for checking the accuracy of declarations. When data relating to numbers of engines of similar horsepower is collected, an average will be struck and any abnormal consumption will thus be open to suspicion. Claims will relate to petrol used during the quarterly period before application and only one application may be made in each quarter.