THE ONLY WAY,

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 187, 9 August 1930, Page 13

THE ONLY WAY,

PETROL TAX INCREASE

HELPING BACKBLOCK ROADS.

DECISION WITH HOUSE.

PRIME MINISTER'S DEFENCE,

(By Telegraph'.—Parliamentary ■ Reporter,

'y. Friday.

A vigorous defence, of the -.increase in petrol tax§ was 'made , by \ the,- Prime Minister, W.'.;Eorbes, : :;.in/:the course of bis reply to the Budget debate in the House this afternoon. Mr. Forbes made it clear that if Parliament refused to sanction the increase, there would be no further money available for roads, and the backbloek districts particularly would be the sufferers. The Prime Minister said the Government had decided that the road-users should pay —they were being asked to relieve the. general taxpayer—and that ■was a fair request. If the House decided against that policy, then that •would be the end of it. There would be no further,, money available for the roads. If the House voted against the increase, it-would be for the members to make their*peace with the local bodies and the backblbck settlers. The backblock settletg.;.were entitled to relief. "It is nonsense.ijjo ■ say the Government has no sympathy/for the fanners," added the Prime.'Minister. "I am a farmer., myself, aii'd/as'far as the farmers are concerned, they'will get a fair/deal from' me." (Heardiea^l'"J ' ■ '.' 'r : ■■••"' "'''>' Substantial Allocation. 1 . Out of the'."additional jieiroi "tas, it was proposed#o-apply-.£l4piOOO'for back-; block roads, and those ..who-bad" raised' a hue and cry'against the, increase' had surely forgotten*' the l . back-country settler. There/h'adibeen /instances of members representing constituencies con-, tabling back /going into the lobby to Vote j'agayi'st' the' Government. The menibeMpr Islands', had been sent- to; Parliament to vote against- , the Coates;-. Government, I '/"and although that member's 'district' Avrjtild l obtain a large share|oi tlie petrol,.tax allocations for expenditure ?on' buck-blocks roads; he had votedLagainst-;-the. Government.. ._ The Pri^^^uiii.ftr>rca^-H:- : 'l'Qnff list of electorai;6i ; :Vhich''ie- said had been benefited by"'moneys'"'spent 'on roads' to give access.'vto" oiitlying'" district's. These were^Bay//of ■ Islands,; Ka.ipa'ra;' ' Thames, Fjaiiklin,;; iHamiltqiiy. Hauraki, Waikato, |kgl.aii,.;,ilarsden,. Waimarino, Waitomo, 'Stratford,' .Patea,,/ Rangitikei, Bay of Plenty, Mastcrtou, Wairarapa', •//Motueka,' • Westland,- "• MidCanterburyJ." Waitaki; uGlutha,... Central Otago, Channers, Mataura, and Wallace. Of the total sum-expeiided,-20/per cent was spent in the Waimarino electorate, 17 per cent in the Bay of Islands, and 15 per cent in Westland. .*• . »- •. '■'Is this a bid for votes?" queried Mr. A. M. Samuel (Thames). -•^-| , aif^l)is'tribtitioiu^ 7 ;->:..w r ,, The PrimevMmister: It has been .said that been a fair 'distribution of .public'moneys on these roads, and this;analysis,.has ..been-taken 'out to Bhow'ipw, tie "'various t ' electorates, have received -amounts expenditure'. It is - that the electoratesi -?j*6^-ei3qiJfcea.' : ic.-By - '"- the ■United p:ilg;gei/;£72BC£ U&QTini, i£l3r--118, and Labour, elect orates - £20,424,;" : A Eefc rn Mcruber JMI {Shrill Reform lau^lf.')':'.'.''-.:?-'"' I :;^'';^.' '"'■'.'■■■" The PrJme*Cpinistei?> added' that electorates 'and the Country-party'received' £11,26.2. "And yesr fie" said, referring to tbe independents,' ;> . "they ' -all "marched solemnly dhtp/the'jlobby, to vote against the Government for trying to assist the backbloek'/districts." ' One would ■ expect some/ acknowledgment of gratitude, because" the •Government had tried to do -its?best. Mr. Safiueii.'-Does the. Prime Minister suggest a,;.system of payment by votes ? "The Prime Minister is only'meeting some of Me criticisms and insinuations that have, been- made," replied Mr. Forbes. ,i' 3. think those who take a fair-minded view of the situation will admit that so far as the expenditure ' of public money is concerned no charge can he made .against any Minister, and no consideration of one party or another, enters into the matter. There is no. suggestion '" of political party colour." ' .'(Hear; hear.)