MOTORING INTERESTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 18 May 1928, Page 4

MOTORING INTERESTS.

FARMERS’ UNION DISCUSSION. PETROL TAX AND LICENSES. 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 yesterday, when, amongst others, the members carried a remit urging than 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 lemit on the subject was formally moved by Air Barker (Awatuna) and seconded bv Mr Jennings, as follows : “That this conference ca’Js upon thje 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 ho\y 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 ’fJ, asi far as possible, equitable to all. DBaling with a company, he said tha t it had to get new number plates'each year, a ’license for each driver, each car had to he registered. There was also the annual and the taxi-license, heavy duty license for the big vehicles, license for dangerous goods, and the annual license for the company. Then •fc had to 'keep draikails of and send a return of mileage done through different counties and altogether the matter was getting out of hand. There was too much loss in stationery and in time to thi? ratepayer as to the department in keeping registrations. He stated that the department had paid the Post Office £T5,000 lor collections of licenses. There slrou'd be one form to cover the lot-.

Referring, to the tax collected, he added that only a small proportion of tlje amount collected was actually' going on the reads. There was a multiplicity of payments and these wasteful returns should be abolished and a system instituted which would proviae the greatest net amount andi with a lessening of inconvenience to the tax-payer. “That the Government be requested to increase the petrol tax to sixpence per gallon and abolish the present Hat tax on motors.” In moving this remit Mr H. Wells said the fanners paid, too much at present and would save by a flat tax on the amount of petrol used. Mr Batten ,in seconding the 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 a.s much as commercial men. Tyres, he said, were not duty free and a man paid for his mileage bv the dutv on tyres. He gave inten3stin.tr partioulahs 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 can-yin® of the remit into operation would give an opportunity to l levy more taxation. The heavy traffic fees, he said, would go to the Government instead of as at present. to help the local bodies. A vote taken showed) an almost unanimous adverse majority and the motion was lost.

“That this conference strongly protests against the system of changing car number .plates annually as being unnecessary waste.” This was the word ing of a remit carried unanimously, pro testing against the extravagance of the present method of registration of motor vehicles. It was moved by Mr H. Wells' (Tokaora) and Air Batten seconded. “Leave the- matter to Air Dickie,” said Air Haiseltine,” he knows all about our opinions on the matter and will 1 , do all possible to secure a change.” Air Hodge approved of the remit, saying he could not- see the need of a change every year, and that it was only creating an opportunity for some institution to make money out of the people. Air Haseltine urged that a little disc on the car. ais was in operation in .some districts, would ojet over the trouble. It could ba got over easily without changing the numbers. The remit was supported by Air E. J. Betts, who oonsid red the old county system- worked we’il, and it was carried without opposition.