WAR TAX ON PETROL

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25274, 28 August 1947, Page 3

WAR TAX ON PETROL

PROTEST BY SOUTH ISLAND MOTOR UNION Protests against the increase of Id a gallon in the price of petrol, and against the Government’s action in doing away with the Highways Board account, were expressed at a meeting yesterday of the executive committee of the South Island Motor Union. Mr P. Harvey, the secretary, reporting on the annual meeting of the North Island Motor Union, said that a deputation from the North Island Union had waited on Mr Nash after its meeting. Mr Nash had said that the condition of the ’country would not stand any reduction in the price of petrol. The deputation ha 3 asked him about the war tax of 4d, and Mr Nash had said there had been no promise that it would be taken off, and at any rate, the war was still on. Mr G. Hamilton said that the union should make a further protest against the price of petrol. “We have the public behind us, but what do we get—another increase,” he said. The meeting, decided to express the union’s “great astonishment at the retention by the Minister of the 4d tax on petrol imposed for. war purposes, especially in view of his remarks during the discussion on his Budget for 1946-1947,” and its “perturbation at the action taken hi doing away with the Highways Board account.” The committee decided to confer with the North Island Union with a view to joint action being taken on the matters.