LATE SHIPPING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 204, 28 August 1926, Page 13

LATE SHIPPING.

Norfolk. August 26.—SaSed: Port Pirle (Napier to West Coast United ' Kingdom ports). • ■■• •">.'•

An'*cort<>B, August 26.—Sailed: West lallp (loading for New Zealand); Galveston, August 26, —Sailed: Taransar

(Published by Arrangement.) MOTOR TAXATION.? Colossal Increase BugOMUtf. Every right-minded citizen is in agreement with the principle of protecting local industry, provided the community as a whole is not penalised for the special benefit of one small section. The motor body building industry in the Dominion is pressing the Government- to impose increased duties on all motor cars imported Into New Zealand, with the object of prohibiting the importation of motor bodies from overseas. The duty levied upon imported cars during the last 4J years includes, in addition to the ad valorem duty, a special body tax, which was imposed with the object of protecting the motor body industry. This special body tax amounted, in round figures, for the last year, to nearly £200,000. This huge burden imposed upon the motorists of the Dominion has failed most signally in its .effect, as can be gathered by the fact that only 600' touring car bodies were manufactured in New Zealand last year. This means that, to enable these 600 bodies to be produced in the Dominion, taxation was paid by .motorists at the rate of £330 per body. The bodybuilding industry states that this sum ie insufficient, and is , endeavouring to move Parliament to considerably increase the duty. If the request be granted, then motorists of New Zealand will be called upon to pay colossal taxation for the support of a handful of persons engaged in an industry which is totally incapable of meeting the motoring requirements of the Dominion.

If the suggested duties are imposed, the motor industry will be thrown into a chaotic position, possibly creating unemployment in the motor engineering trade, which to-day employs 2808 hands, whereas the body-building industry employs only .1316, and these are almost wholly engaged in building commercial liodies (which will always be built in the Dominion) and general renovation and repairs to existing care.

Hasty legislation ia always to be deprecated, and a through examination of aft evidence should be made before any such drastic alteration is' carried into effect. •