The Press Thursday, July 30, 1931. Highways Finance.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20302, 30 July 1931, Page 8

The Press Thursday, July 30, 1931. Highways Finance.

Although the Government's promise to appoint a Select Committee on highways finance is almost as old_ as tho last Budget, the appointment has been delayed until a new Budget is complete and about to be discharged on the heads of motor tax- and all other tax-payers. It has been delayed, in other words, until the Government's financial proposals, including those that affect roading, are cut and dried, and an enquiry which was asked for in the hope that it would have some influence upon them can have none. Technically, and in no other sense, the Government is fulfilling its promise, which was that the '' whole question" should be investigated before the expiry of last year's amending legislation on August 31st, and the evasion admits of only one, very cynical, excuse. In his statement on February L'Uli the Prime Minister acknowledged tlie promise; but he made it brut-ally plain that a Committee could talk about some of the changes and bring in recommendations, but he would not undo them. On the contrary, lie was going to makp some more of the same kind. After this warning, the Government may think it more tactful to set up the Committee late than early, and, if its words must be wind, to let it puff after rather than before the event. It may bo thought, however —and the Government will want it to be thought —that while the problem of balancing the Budget is so difficult the Government must use the readiest means of getting money in, and that such as are wrong in principle or unjust in practice will be temporary only. The Committee, from that point of view, would do good service in laying down Ihe lines of reform to be followed. Unfortunately there are three grave weaknesses in this theory of good coming out of ovil. First, if taxes are piled up unfairly on motorists by the Budget to-day, they will find it hard to remove them. It is always hard to get taxation down again, once it goes up; but, for reasons not at all obscure, motorists face special difficulties. Second, the mere fact that the Committee has been told, and would know even if it had not been told, that it can give only ineffectual advice, is enough to discourage- it from taking much trouble. Third, the })olitical and Parliamentary situations are decidedly unfavourable to the careful investigation of any important problem. The Committee will do as much as it can, or as much as it thinks worth while, or as much as there is time for—which is to say that, ten to one, it will do very little; and for the scamping of a highly important enquiry the Government will be wholly responsible. It is responsible also, of course, for the failure to set up the Commission "to go fully into the whole question "of the incidence of local bodies' " taxation," which is closely connected with highways finance. In facing "whole questions" and then dodging them the Government enjoys a remarkable record ,o£ success.