Vehicle Tax Changes

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31071, 28 May 1966, Page 14

Vehicle Tax Changes

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 27.

Changes in motor taxation from next July 1 will affect owners of motor vehicles at present exempt from annual licence fees. The changes are made by the Motor Vehicle Taxation Regulations, 1966, gazetted today.

. Three categories are provided for exemption from motor taxation. Class A, which provides for complete exemption, applies to farm trailers and to vehicles used on a road in a “technical” sense and not used on a public highway, such as vehicles used exclusively within the boundaries of an airfield.

Motor vehicles also qualify for class A if used on a public highway only over a concrete motor crossing or sec-

tion of road built and maintained in either case at the expense of the vehicle owner. In both cases owners pay the full cost of their road use. Class A vehicles must be registered and licensed but are exempt from these fees.

Class B covers farm vehicles except farm trailers and mobile road-building machines, such as road graders.

All vehicles in class B will be subject to annual licence fees. Vehicles in this class first put into service after July 1 will be subject to registration fees. The full amount of petrol tax, however, will be refundable for these vehicles. Class B vehicles will be exempt from mileage tax and from heavy traffic licence fees. The authorised road use of farm vehicles in class B will be extended. One new provision will enable the farmer to use his tractor and trailer for carriage of any farm produce, requisites or stock over return trips not exceeding 13 miles to and from the farm. Another extension enables “exempt” farm trucks or cars to be used for carrying existing authorised commodities between separate farms under the same ownership or management where the return journey does not exceed 13 miles. Other vehicles in class B

include all tracked vehicles (and traction engines), tractors and trailers used exclusively for cultivating and maintaining land used for sport, recreation or education, and those used exclusively for river catchment or drainage board operations. All class C vehicles using petrol will qualify for a tax rebate of one shilling a gallon. Diesel vehicles in this class will be subject to mileage tax for road use only.

All vehicles in class C will be exempt from heavy traffic fees but subject to annual licence fees.

In general the group consists of motor-vehicles used for servicing aerial top-dress-ing work and mobile machines used for general purposes, such as cranes and concrete mixers.