MOTOR TAXATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 58, 7 February 1925, Page 7

MOTOR TAXATION.

MR COATES IN REPLY. Ptr Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 6. Objections to certain provisions of t le Motor Vehicles Act and a proposal t) drop the newly-imposed tax of £2 £ year on cars iu favour of an amended tyre tax were subjects brought un» cer the notice of the Hon. J. G. Coates (Minister of Public Works) by a deputation representing the South Island Motor Union, which waited tpon him to-day. In the course of his reply, Mr Coates said: "You appear to be pinning your faith upon the tyre tax. lam not the Minister responsible for this legislat on, and anything I say is only my j ersonal opinion and cannot commit tnybody. I wish to make that per--1 actly clear. I have one definite idea £s to the best method of motor taxation, and that is the petrol tax. You c hject to that on the grounds that ex- < mptions will be sougnt, but experii nee shows that it is the only way of I ;etting at the motor car. In my opin:on it is the only way to correctly record the actual use of the machine." Mr J. A. Hawko (president of the inion) : "I have read that in coun-i-ies where they have the petrol tax • hey are row discussing a proposal to adopt the tyre tax." Mr Coates: "They will discuss any•hing to get out of paying." Mr Coates added that the incidence if the flat tax was unfair, and he did lot uphold that.