MAIN HIGHWAYS ACT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 229, 12 September 1923, Page 5

MAIN HIGHWAYS ACT.

MOTOR VEHICLE TAXATION. AN EMBARRASSING POSITION. Wellington, Sept. 12. A somewhat embarrassing situation has arisen in the administration of the Main Highways Act, owing to the fact that revenue is not forthcoming from motor vehicle taxation. It was anticipated when the Main Highways Bill was submitted to Parliament in 1922 that the Motor Vehicles Bill would also be introduced and passed. It was from the last-named Bill that the Government expected to secure an annual revenue of £150,000 to supplement contributions from the Consolidated Fund, the Public Works Fund, and monies accruing from Customs duties on tyres. Owing to failure to reach au agreement with motoring organisations as to the rate of taxation to be paid, the Motor Vehicles Bill had perforce to be dropped, so that the source of revenue disappeared.

Meantime, the work of grouping counties into highways districts is proceeding, the North Island districts being practically settled. Although its revenue will be considerably less than was anticipated, the Board intends to carry out its functions as far as practicable. A census of local bodies’ roadmaking plant is being taken, the estimated value of this being about £500,000. The organisation for effective use of this plant will occupy the Board and the district councils as soon as the census is complete. With a new to investigating the quality and life-value of road-surfacing materials, arrangements are being made to set up a bureau of information under the Main Highways Board as soon as the grouping of districts is disposed of.