PETROL TAXATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 August 1939, Page 6

PETROL TAXATION

MOTOR UNIONS PROTEST

RECENT INCREASE OF FOUR PENCE.

ACTION OF THE GOVERNMENT CONDEMNED.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) PALMERSTON N„ This Day

This conference of delegates repre- | senting all automobile associations i comprising the North and South Island Motor Unions, with a membership of ninety thousand, places on record ah unanimous protest against the action of the Government in adding to the already excessive rate of taxation on petrol of 4d per gallon, coming as it does after repeated representations Had been made for relief by remission of that part of the former tax which was allocated to the Consolidated Fund. The Government’s action indicates a complete disregard of the interests of petrol users. The Government’s suggestion that the additional’ tax is required for purposes of defence is, in the opinion of the conference, untenable for the reason that the tax has not been earmarked for that purpose.. Furthermore, should the active defence of the Dominion against invasion become necessary the first step undoubtedly to be taken would be to commandeer all bulk petrol stocks, thereby depriving the Government automatically of the revenue which it alleges is required for that purpose: The foregoing is part of the text of a resolution adopted at the annual conference of the North Island Motor Union. The conference contended as distinctly unfair the position in which the Government's action has placed petrol users whereby, in protesting against; additional taxation they might be charged with unpatriotic unwillingness to make a contribution to the security of the Dominion when the real position is that petrol users already are taking their full share of this responsibility.