THE WHEEL TAX.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1919, Page 7

THE WHEEL TAX.

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL'S COUNTER PROPOSAL. At yesterday's meeting of the Taranakl County Council the chairman reported 011 the meeting of local body representatives at Eltham to meet the Hon. J. B. Hine, in regard to the Council's wheel tax by-law. He stated hehud informed the conference that Jie could not guarantee (hat the Council would defer putting the by-law into operation, and tho Minister had suggested that powers might have to bo takeu to deprive the Council of the right to levy such license fee unless the Coucll withheld its hand for a time. Mr. Connett said the Minister's proposal was that the Council should defer action for say, six months. Ho had approached the chairmen of tho Ciifton uaU Stiati'M-d Counties wth ii view to securing a contribution I'mm thosu bodies towards the upkeep of tho roads, and then tho (ax need not be put i.i operation against traffic for those counties, or front the Egmont County. He had, however, received no satisfaction from them. He thought if some -arrangement like that could ho made they could go ahead and collect tho tux within the county as there seemed to be little opposition from inside, except from the Borough Council, and he did not think that should prevent them putting the tax in operation. If the Minister exercised tho powers he .said he had* and prevent the collection of the tax, then the only thing for the Council to do was to apply for permission to eTect toll gates, and he did not see how they could refuse them. Cr. Lawrence said he was in favor of going ahead and collecting the tai, as the. Council had to keep faith with the rate-' payers. The letter of the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. J. B. Hine) suggested that, as there was general dissatisfaction with the lotylng of such annual license fee, Ihe Council should consider the desirability of not enforcing the provisions of the by-law for a period of, say, six months. In the meantime, ihp whole question of aiding local bodies by an increased subsidy based on the rates collected was under consideration. It was decided to make proper application to the Stratford and Clifton County Council for a contribution in lieu of the collection of tax against vehicles from those districts. The Council was not Inclined to accede to the request of the Minister to refrain from putting the by-law into operation,