WAR TAXATION

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20919, 26 September 1939, Page 6

WAR TAXATION

WILL PETROL RISE? PUBLIC SPECULATION CARRIERS DISCUSS PROSPECT Of vital interest to New Zealanders at this stage of the war are the Government’s proposals for financing the part the Dominion will play. To- | night interest will be directed to the ; House of Representatives where the j “war budget” is likely to be announced. Straws in the wind are ■ watched with careful interest by the public. This week speculation has been great as thoughts have tried to ; anticipate new taxation, forecast last week by the Minister of Finance, j the Hon. W. Nash. I Many people expect an increase in i the petrol tax, which would mean j that the price of pertol would rise j perhaps considerably. One section of the community which would be j seriously affected through any such ! measure are those engaged in transport. | At a meeting of South Auckland carriers which was held in Hamilton last night to consider the proposals of the Government for economy measures in the industry during the war, the suggestion that increased petrol taxation might come was made by Mr R. H. Andrew, of Te Awamutu, when he asked if carriers would be able to increase their charges if the tax was increased. Mr H. J. Knight, secretary ol the New Zealand Road Transport Alliance, who outlined the Government proposals to the meeting, said possibly Mr Andrew was “in the know.” He did not know, but it was perhaps i not unlikely. There was little doubt | that carriers’ costs would rise dur- ! ing the war period. Any desire of the carriers to raise charges to meet the increased costs could be made as an application to the Licensing Authority, but the Government was anxious that charges should not soais and that was one of the reasons for seeking more economical transport by means of co-ordination.