COUNTY WHEEL TAX.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1920, Page 4

COUNTY WHEEL TAX.

Tie Taranaki County Council is evidently determined to enforce the by-law imposing a tax on motor vehicles using the county roads. Already public notice had been given that the by-law would be put into operation as against owners of motor vehicles in the Taranaki County and Borough of New Plymouth, but at Monday's meeting of the Council it was unanimously decided to extend the operation of the by-law against motorists from the counties of Clifton and Stratford, including Waitara, Inglewood and Stratford boroughs. When the Act was amended last Session the intention was to revoke the power under which the by-law was authorised, but evidently that good intention came to naught, the effect of the amendment merely being to extend to all counties the same power as that conferred on a limited number under"the original Act. The Legislative Council, however, inserted a clause giv-

ing power to the Governor-in- Council to revoke any order made under the pro' visions which wera substituted for Section 5 of the original Act, which relates to the tax. No doubt the Taranaki County needs additional revenue to maintain its roads in a fit state for motor and other traffic. Unfortunately the Government was unable last session to deal with the question of the upkeep of county roads that carry an undue amount of national traftip, so that motorists are again faced with a heavy penalty for traversing the roads in the Taranaki County. We can commend the action of the County Council in deferring the imposition of the tax till after the Christmas and New Year holidays. At the same time, it is matter for regret that the tax was not dropped altogether, for it will surely be strongly resented throughout the whole of the area it affects. Further, it would seem to be the duty of the New Plymouth Borough Council, and possibly the other borough councils concerned, to take steps with a view to getting rid of an impost that must seriously affect the progress and prosperity of the towns concerned. The Governor-in-Council has the power to revoke the authority to levy the tax. That appears to be one way in which action can be taken. Another move would be to test the legality of discriminating between taxing motorists from certain areas and allowing all others to use the County roads free of tax. This could be tested in a court of law, on grounds of equity, for if it is right that one motorist should be taxed, it is only just that all who use the roads in the Taranaki CCmnty should pay the impost, while it is equally fair that if some do not pay them all should be exempt. The general application of the tax would, of course, aggravate the evil, but it would certainly and speedily lead to the provision of a remedy, for the outcry would be such as to compel a revocation of the order. The ratepayers could very well have borne the burden during the expenditure of the loan money, and so been able to tide over until next session of Parliament, when there is every probability of the whole question being settled. It is an unpleasant duty on our part to advocate hostility to the tax, but there is no other course politic in the interests of the province generally, and ,we have no hesitation in urging that every conceivable means should be adopted for getting rid of what must be an intolerable and oppressive burden, and one moreover which militates against the amity of the province as a whole and the furtherance of that intercommunication whereon its trftde and development largely depend.