THE MOTOR BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 54, 24 July 1914, Page 4

THE MOTOR BILL.

DISCUSSED BY TARANAKI MOTORISTS. STRONG- OBJECTIONS URGED. At a meeting of the newly-formed Jiiianak, .Motorist*' Association last ii'ght, the Motor Bill which is now before Parliament was tllte subject of some considerable discussion and much adverse criticism. Mr. T. 0. List, who- presided, in intieducing the matter, remarked that it was one m which all motor:ts were no , U n mt *™ ste ' 1 Anyone w'hn (had studied the Bill at all would agree that it wis unsatisfactory-in many respects. In the first place it was unsound in priiieip.e, unfair in its incidence, and harrassing m effect iipon a. particular section of the public. Moreover, it achieved nothing dtfinite. The mo>iey it raised would be like a drop in the bucket m connection witJh the upkeep of the roads. It would not appreciably ease the positron so far as the local bodies were concerned. If the Government were going to take over and maintain the main arterial roads, as it should do, and as other progressive countries no, and make motorists hear a fair proportion of the cost then they would not object to the payment 'of a taxIt the improvement of the roads were the aim of the Government, it would not be so 'bad. But when the Bill specifically reduced i>y flu tax upon the cars regularly in commission—namely, doctors' «ind hiring ears—the cars that did most damage to the roads, the conclusion was forced on one that it was designed to penalise one section, 'the j owners of private cars. This was not I right, and could not be justified. If there was to be a tax, let it be equit- i able. It was stated in the preamble of the Bill tJlrat a motor when registered slia,U be licensed to use the roads and ■streets throughout the Dominion ibut it did not give exemption from the payment of toll-gate charges, which harass the traffic throughout Tara'mki. If tih'oy were to have the Bill, and if motorists were to be mulcted in heavy license charges, then at least they shouM have due access to the roads and not be penalised at every turn by toll-gates. The aaverage motorist already contributed pretty heavily to taxation. In tea opinion the' Bill should be objected to most emphatically. There was no urgent need for it, and it should be allowed to stand ove.- for the present. The time for taxing motor-traffic would come' when the Government inaugurated a comprehensive scheme of arterial road making and maintenance. Motor traffic was no longer a. luxiwy; it was a necessity, and it was futile as it was unstatesmanlike for any Government to put obstacles in the way of its development.

EMPHATIC BESOLUTIONS. -Mr. List tuen this meeting of Taranaki motorists protests against the Motor Bill now before the Tfcuse as being reactionary and inequitplilr, penalising one class without offerii%' an adequate quid pro quo, being of opinion that the prope- time for any system of special motor taxation is when the arterial roads are provided and maintained by the Government." Mr, E. fiilmoiir seconded the motion, and Mr. C. B. Stead supported it in the name of Waitara motorists. The motion was caried unanimously. The following resolutions were then passed, on the motion of the chairman: UNFAIR DISCRIMINATION. "That the Bill discriminates harshly and unfairly against private motorists, in that they are asked to pay an annual license fee double the aniount""paid by hirers and doctors." OPPRESSIVE TOLLS. "That the Bill, whilst exacting heavy charges for the right to use roads, does not exempt motorists from the payment of oppressive toll-gate charges, and tins meeting asks that if the Bill is pro" ceeded with these inequalities and injustices be removed." It was decided that copies of these resolutions should be forwarded to the. Minister in charge of the Bill, and to the members representing the province, of Taranaki. The chairman pointed out that Taranaki was the only place in New Zealand wbere toll-gates were in operation to any extant. He was sure that most of the members of the House were averse to the principle of toll-gates altogether. He moved that, if necessary, delegates should be sent to Wellington to give evidence before the Parliamentary Committee.—This was carried unanimously.