TAX ON MOTORS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 May 1916, Page 4

TAX ON MOTORS.

DEPUTATION TO COUNCIL. 'A deputation waited upon the New Plymouth Borough Council lust night td protest against the imposition of the new taxes on motor 'buses and freighters. The fee was £l, and it has lately been' increased to £5 in respect of motoi freighters and £0 of 'buses. Mr. T. C. List (chairman of dlMietors of the Taranaki Motor Transport Co., Ltd.)_ acted as spokesman, and said that the increase was unreasonable and calculated to harass enterprise. The 'bus; services from the country had created a new atmosphere in the 'business of the town. They brought in from 300 to 401) .people at least every week, and this fact ought to Ire carefully considered by councillors in imposing license fees." Then there was the repair work in connection with the services. All of this was done in the town, and it amounted to a considerable sum. His own company spent over £IOO weekly in the town. All the services were in a pioneering stage, and deserved the very hearty support of townsmen, especially in the light of the heavy increase in the cost of benaine, tyres, etc. The services should certainlv not be penalised. The heavy increas'e, was regarded by 'bus owners as unjust, and calculated to injure and hampet enterprise, and he hoped councillors would very carefully reconsider the charges with a view to putting them on a more reasonable basis.

Mr. M. Jones followed, and said he had" been doing his best to link the sparsely settled suburbs with the town, but the hew charges were not the sort of encouragement he looked for.

Mr. Bendall spoke of the heavy cost of running motor lorries, and Mr. Smith, proprietor of the 'New iPlymouth-Urenui services, said lie would have understood the Waitara borough putting on a prohibitory tax, for the business folk there complained of the country people going to New Plymouth to do their shopping now that the motor 'bus facilities had been provided; but he certainly could not understand New Plymouth going out of its way to hamper his operations. He was now paying something like £OO a year to the two counties and the two boroughs, and the service could not Stand a further tax.

The Mayor intimated that the matter Would be considered by the Council, and the deputation withdrew.

Owing to the lateness of the hour, consideration was deferred until next Monday evening. Meanwhile the collection of the increased fee will be deferred.