FARMERS AND MOTORS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 18

FARMERS AND MOTORS

OPINIONS ON TAXATION DESIRE FOR SIMPLICITY Various phases of the interests of the motoring public were discussed at the annual conference of the South Taranaki Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, at Hawera, when, amongst others, the members carried a remit urging that the present multiplicity of licenses be abolished, but did not favour an increased .petrol tax in place of the present flat rates' on vehicles. A remit on the subject was formally moved by Mr. Barker (Awatuna) and seconded by Mr. Jennings, as follows: — "That this conference calls upon the Government to do away with the* present wasteful multiplicity of licenses of motor vehicles and substitute a system that would return a greater net tax with less inconvenience to the taxpayer." . ' The provincial secretary'gave an instance of how it affected: a tourist company, to which it was a much greater handicap .than to a private owner. He said the incidence of the tax should ■be as far as possible equitable to all. .Dealing with a company, ho said .that it had to get new number plates each year, a license for each driver, ■each car had to be registered. There -was also the annual and the taxi license, heavy duty license for tho big vehicles, license for dangerous goods, and the annua] license for the company. Then it had, to keep details of and send a return of mileage done through differ' ent counties and, altogether the matter was getting out of hand. There was too much loss in stationery and in time to the ratepayer as to the Department in keeping ■ registrations. >He stated that the Department had paid the Post Office £15,000 for collections of licenses. -There should be one form to cover the lot. Referring to- the tax collected, he added that only a small proportion of, the. amount collected was actually going on the roads. There was a multiplicity of payments and these wasteful returns should jbe abolished and a system instituted which would provide the greatest net amount and with a lessening of inconvenience to the taxpayer. '■'."That the Government be requested to increase the petrol tax to sixpence per gallon and abolish the present flat tax on motors." In moving this remit Mr. H. Wells said the farmers paid 'too much at present, and jvould save by a flat tax on the amount of petrol used. , ' Mr. Batten, in seconding tho ■ remit, said that, people using petrol, made use of the roads, and should pay' for that privilege. Mr. Cocker opposed, saying that 'many farmers used their cars as much as commercial men. Tires, ho naid, were not duty free, and a' man paid for his mileage by the duty on tiras. He''gave interesting particulars of the very large number of privately-owned cars in his district. He. said that no incidence of taxation would be absolutely fair to all, and that in his opinion the carrying of thd remit into operation would give an opportunity to levy more taxation. The heavy traf-" fie fees, he said, would'go to 'die, Gov-., ernment instead of as at'present, to help the local bodies. A vote taken-showed an almost unanimous adverse majority, and the motion was lost.