Page 7 Advertisements Column 1

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19419, 30 August 1926, Page 7

MOTOR TAXATION. COLOSSAL INCREASE SUGGESTED. Every rigfct-rnindsd citizen is in acreera«nt with the principle of protecting local industry, provided the community .as a whole is not penalised for the special benefit of one small section. The motor-body building industry in the Dominion is pressing the Government to impose increased duties on all motor-cars imported into' New •Zealand with the object of prohibiting the importation of motor-lodies froru overseas. The duty levied upon imported cars during the last years includes, in addition to the td valorem duty, a special body tax. which was imposed, with the object of protecting the motor-budy industry. This special body tax aaiounted in round figures for Inst year to nearly £200.000. This huge burden imposed upon the motorists of the Dominion lias. failed most signally in its effect, as can be gathered by the fact that only 600 tourin? car bodies wer.e manufactured in New Zealand last year This means that to enable those 600 bodies- to be produced in the Dominion, taxation was paid by motorists at the rate of £330 per body. The bodybuilding industry states- that this sum is insufficient, and is endeavouring to move Parliament to considerably increase the duty. ff the request be granted. then motorists of New Zenland. will Le called upon to pay colossal taxation for the support of n handful of persons engaged in an industry which is total!? incapable of meeting the motoring requirements of tho Dominion. . < 'ff 'He snnrested • dwt-ie* «re imposed,_ the motor industry will "be thrown into a chaotic position, possibly creating unemployment in the motor engineering trade, which, to-rls-r employs 9808 hands, whereas the bodybuildin? industry employs only 1316. and theso are - almost wholly engaged in building commercial bodies (which- will always be built in the Dominion) and general renovation and repairs to existing cars. Hasty legislation is always to be deprecated and a thorough examination of all evidence should be made before any such drastic alteration is carried into effect.— Advt.