RELIEF REQUIRED

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 589, 15 February 1929, Page 10

RELIEF REQUIRED

ALLOCATION OF HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES AMENDED CHARGES URGED A proposal that a concession should be made in the fees charged for heavy motor vehicles, occupied a conference of representatives of 12 local bodies last evening. Mr. L. 11. Potter. Mayor of Mount Eden, presided. The Newmarket Borough Council submitted an amended scale of charges, of which the most important item was the proposed taxation of vehicles of under two tons loaded weight, and suggested that any alteration in heavy traffic fees involving a reduction in tbiamount available for distribution should be strongly opposed. It also proposed that it should be a recommendation to the Government that the Motor Spirits Taxation Act. 192 7, should be amended by increasing the percentage of the tax available for distribution among boroughs and cities from S per cent, to 20 per cent. The chairman said the New Zealand Master Carriers* Federation had waited on the Minister of Public Works urging that a petrol tax should be introduced in substitution of the present system, which was unfair. The master carriers asked for substantial relief in heavy traffic dues. At present the boroughs were receiving about 8 per cent, of the petrol tax and the Highways Board about 92 per cent. If the 8 per cent, were increased to 20 per cent, it would go some way toward covering the loss on the heavy traffic licences.

Mr. R. G. Clark, One Tree Hill Road Board, compared receipts from heavy traffic and petrol tax by suburban local bodies. Mount Eden received £2,714 for heavy traffic fees and £1,676 for petrol tax for 1928. Newmarket received nothing, either directly or indirectly. One Tree Hill received £1,072 from heavy traffic fees, but nothing from the petrol tax, as it was a road board. As a borough, with the present population of 7,500, it would receive approximately £7OO.

Taking Mount Eden’s figures as a guide, it would be necessary, in the event of abolishing heavy traffic fees, to increase the boroughs’ share of petrol tax from 8 per cent, to 21 per cent. To allow of a 50 per cent, or 25 per cent, drop in heavy traffic fees the petrol tax would require to be_ advanced to 14.5 per cent, and 11.25 per cent, respectively. Mr. W. L. Titchener, chairman of the New Lynn Town Board, moved us an amendment that the amended scale of charges relating to the taxation of vehicles of under two tons loaded weight only should be adopted, and that a recommendation to the responsible authority be made that a speed limit of 25 miles an hour for heavy vehicles should be imposed, and speed governors for the purpose be affixeYlThe fees proposed were as follow: Up to one ton, solid tyres, £2; one ton to two tons, £4; up to one -ton, pneumatic tyres, £1 14s; one ton to two tons. £3 Bs. Resolution embodying these suggestions were adopted. A committee consisting of Messrs. Potter, Clark and Titchener was appointed to support the resolutions in the event of the Government calling a conference to consider heavy traffic fees.