HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19292, 3 April 1926, Page 8

HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES.

BASIS OF ALLOCATION.

DISTRICT BODIES AGREE. POPULATION AND VALUE. Complete agreement has been reached by the 33 local bodies in the Auckland Heavy Traffic District as to the method to be employed in the distribution of the heavy traffic license fees collected for the year 1925. The fees, which covered the periou irom January 1 to December 31 of last year, were collected by the Auckland City Council on behalf of the local bodies in the district and amounted to £34,689 10s lOd. This amount less five per cent, allowed to the City Council for the cos.t of collection is now available for distribution. A conference of the local authorities concerned' was held at the Town Hall on March 24 when an endeavour was made to reach a basis for the allocation of the money. A majority of the delegates approved of a scheme under which it he money would be allocated equally upon the population basis and the capital value of each body's district. The representatives of the Manukau County and the Manurewa Town Board declined to accept this arrangement until they had consulted with itheir colleagues. These two bodies have now announced their acceptance of the basis proposed and the three bodies not represented at the conference, the Otahuhu Borough Council and the Helensville and Tuakau Town Boards, have also notified their agreement with the scheme. The allocations are now being worked out by the city treasurer's staff and although the amounts to be paid to each local body will not be available for some days the distribution is to bo made as at March 31. The population figures being used are tthose shown in the returns of the 1921 census and the capital value figures upon which the remaining 50 per cent, of the fees will be distributed are those for 1925.