HIGHWAYS FUND.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20498, 17 March 1932, Page 13

HIGHWAYS FUND.

to m EEITOB or THB PRESS. tfo—l notice my friends of the Cantefooy Automobile Association do not tgm with nj remarks in appreciation if {IO jyaußMeßdstions of the Economy that the revenue at preaot to the Highways Fund dmiH kcsttforth be paid into the Conrxtntr* Jhad. I did not expect them to ifrM iritk these recommendations. Tlip held % special brief for the and have ostentatiously actrpfpg the taxation on him for special «oattdt OS iceoant of the Highways ftti ft*""* all their utterances for icrgral yean there has been noticeable tiu latent tetr-ttat the National Extkequr vwid m day require some of this tHStfoa. .Hit day has obviously armed, ud I am unrepentant at *%avinf eqwimi approval nf the sound the Commission for liiiiii imiuwiinrn ffirf inn Bt,A ittiy of special taxation of ftkjriftljtiows that generally in course tt in national emergency, it ii Wt& Ipr general purposes annually lflßW('by Parliament, and I think lot is this case history will repeat W#ira suffering a national emergency Ut4lf. The Dominion's income is renearly half. The State cannot WlflM its budget by nearly three mil- ] Shs ftls year, and probably by' nine | nfljiw next year. We have an army iSSnfltyed. Many farmers and i MS traders are nearly frantic with fcwstl trouble. While this is going I ffits* a motorist, am expected to imntl that the taxation which the Rfr'haa a perfect right t€ impose on Wf setoriop shall continue to be earto provide me with luxurious itdt, and further to induce local bodies tMJMd the ratepayers' money for tuna purpose, when we have . imij huge stretches of beautifully Wfyml roads in excess of what the •Sr.can afford. It is absurd! • Sit contended that the New ZeaBptorist pays too much taxation I vould he say if he had to pay Ifier horse-power, as he has to do ißftl&ffford to pay! If he dislikes 'Hlmtion he' can put away his car, |ts running if he chooses. the majority of motorists can flH'ihflord to pay their tax than most wmMetiotts of the community to-day. teal contention, as I understand wjpfttt after having paid his taxajjtt fa shall be at liberty to say how vNftdl he iment, and that it shall I roving roads for his use. tion be upheld when we the Government must many by its economies tion in this time of not! We have now come ;n the Dominion cannot ! .expenditure on roads rred in recent years. In i taxation receipts for purposes of £1,840,000 rol, fees, etc., in 1931, ks expenditure for the ads was £2,233,430. Over of money has been spent )ridges by the Public ent between 1870 (when ed) and 3931. Moreover, :edness of counties has e last ten years from 43,000, or 464 per cent.; i from £13,944,000 to 110 per cent.; and road E32,000 to £289,000, or : taxpayer my responsito subordinate my own and claims to the dire Dominion. Is the serihe Economy Commission nment to be thwarted us and each section c'onBr its special privileges, rer it likas to call them? that the "May" Econthe British Government which hgd tbe same ice as our own Economy ps, in its summary of —-To be abolished, the 11 motor taxation being cchcquer, and all-grants d on annual Parliamenwas given to the prost person singular, "as be Associated Chamber? however, are definitely that all public expendimore rigidly controlled in strict ratio to our Urce*, and I hope when s Commission's Report, m I approve this item, of the Automobile Asto be unaware of the they remind one of a «'e who at! vised people 'ad to »at cake.—Yours,