Road tax help welcomed

Press, 8 April 1978, Page 5

Road tax help welcomed

PA Wellington The Road Transport Ac—ciation has welcomed the Government’s move to guarantee advances from trading banks to transport operators who cannot pay the new road tax. Operators could apply for a Government-guaran-teed loan if they were not able to adjust to the new systems for the payment of charges. Buying and fittir distance recorders to vehicles would also qualify for a 100 per cent tax deduction in the year the equipment was fitted. The association’s president, Mr R. P. Martin, said that the credit facility should ease the pressure on many long-distance and rural truck operators. The move to guarantee

trading bank advances was the least the Government could do under the trying

i circumstances faced by some operators. He also welcomed the decision to make the purchase price and cost of hubodometers 100 per cent tax-deductible for operators in the first year of operation. The Minister had lived up to his undertaking to assist the industry as much as possible and the industry was grateful for his action in this regard, Mr Martin said. “One point that concerns me is that the conditions stating when an advance may or may not be made are not spelled out,” he said. “It is still not clear whether all truck operators will be able to ma ;e satisfactory arrangements to meet the increased taxes. We would like to

hear from those whose loan applications have failed,” Mr Martin said.