PETROL TAX

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 11281, 11 August 1930, Page 3

PETROL TAX

SHDEPOWNERS’ VIEWS

CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

: References to the increased petroi tax were made at Saturday’s meeting of the Poverty Lay and East Coast Sheepowners’ Union and it was decided endorse the imposition of the extra 3d on condition that the proceeds be devoted to reduction m road rates. ; Mr. C. .H. Williams pointed out that the orighia.l proposal of the Sheepowners’ Federation was to increase the petrol tax to lid per gallon. The extra. 3d was creating a great- saving and it did not seem possible to get any more at present. If the tax were increased to lid, the Consumption-, would be cut in half and there would be less r'wsiiu©. He believed, however, tlmo the disposal of the tax was not going to relieve rates on farm lands and farmers would not be much better off. , “I think, we will be very mucii Worse off.” commented the president, Mr E. 11. B’ack, “for the Main Highways Board has to pay some of the- tax’ into the Consolidated FunO. and will thus be faced with reducec revenue.”. - - • , ' Stating that it seemed ridiculous to spend huge sums of money in new constVnet’on, • Mr. Williams went on to criticise-the principle of making first-class highways alongside the railways. The main north road from Gisborne, however, was not' on- the same footing; as it gave an outlet to the north which’ was not provided by the sailway. -, • • : After further' discussion, &;,resomtiofi was carried endorsing the imposition of the additional 3d tax on condition, that the proceeds be devoted to reduction of- road , rates.