ALLOCATION OF PETROL TAX

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 28, 13 November 1947, Page 7

ALLOCATION OF PETROL TAX

REMIT TO MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

(P,A.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 12. A proposal that a greater share of the petrol tax should be given io cities will be made by the Wellington City Council in a remit to the next municipal conference, to be held in March, 1948. The Council made this decision- on the recommendation of the- town clerk (Mr E. P. Norman). He said that, in the year ended 1946 the petrol tax revenue was £4,360,000, and of this boroughs of more than 6000 population received £115,930, the Main Highways Account £1,505,678, and the Consolidated Fund £2,724,000. During the last 20 years a system of highways through counties and small boroughs had been developed and had rightly received the lion’s share of the money available for roading. The time had now come when traffic arteries in congested urban areas required* remaking on new lines and, when provision must be made for parking vehicles off main streets this would require a tremendous expenditure. Tj. was only equitable that the taxation extracted from users of vehicles should be supplied for the purpose. It should be paid into the general coffers. Until services, such as roading, had been provided from it, it was equally wrong that rates should be paid by owners of small dwellings and others not, owning motor-cars, to provide additional roads and parking areas for motor-cars.