HIGH PETROL TAX.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 165, 15 July 1930, Page 19

HIGH PETROL TAX.

FARMERS' UNION DEMAND. "DON'T 3LET US BE HALFHEARTED." REDUCTION OF RAILWAY LOSSES. 3 (From Our Own ■Correspondent.) MOKRDs SVILLE. Monday. "The people it is going to hit are the joyriders," declared Captain F. Colbeck, the veteran Farmers' Union spokesman, at a'meeting of the Morrinsville branch, when advocating an increase in ' the J \ petrol tax to 1/ a gallon, and the J- utilisation of the proceeds, estimated at ; about £2,500,000, for the complete derating of all farm land in New Zealand. '"Don't let us be half-hearted about this," he added. "Let us oppose any increase in the petrol tax unless it is i used for the derating of farm land. I think this is the most important question before the farmers of New Zealand at the present time, because we have a good chance of getting it carried into effect in the near future. I think every branch of the Farmers' Union should pass a resolution supporting derating." After further discussion the meeting carried a resolution urging that the example of Great Britain in derating farm land should be followed in New Zealand. Several speakers expressed regret that the recent conference of county councils in Wellington had been content with advocating an increase in the petrol tax of only 3d, instead of an amount that would have allowed the derating of all farm land. Captain Colbeck expressed the opinion that the retail price of petrol would not go up by the amount of the proposed increase in tax, but any increase in the price of petrol would enable the railways to compete on more equal terms with road transport, and would reduce the losses on the railways. The farmers were paying rates, petrol tax and taxation to help make up the loss of £1,500,000 on the railways. Only a few years ago nobody used the roads except farmers, and it was fair that they should have paid rates for upkeep, but now all their rates went to maintain the main roads for joyriders, and in addition they provided a free track for motor trucks that competed with the railways. It was decided to send a deputation to the next meeting of the Piako County Council to urge the importance of derating.