THE PETROL TAX.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19792, 12 November 1927, Page 14

THE PETROL TAX.

Sir,- —Our friend Sir Joseph Ward has been at it again, We read of him in debate, wending his way through a mase of figures to prove something or other about the petrol tax. He was always the same. When he was Seddton's right-hand man, and earning his title ol the " Wizard of Finance,' his speeches were interlarded with masses of figures read with great rapidity. Afterwards, one obtained them and made a precis in a few lines. Of course, no one at the meetmg dared rise and »sk questions or contradict, because immediately a few odd millions would ,be flung at him, and Sir Joseph would be off like an electric hare toward a new nest of figures. People simply looked at each other, and, when the machine-gun fire ceased, gasped, " Isn't he a marvel." So are reputations made. In this last debate he had " crowded galleries " and had the Premier " unable to correct him." Same old game. As to the Mx. Take the 110,000 cars and average them at £3OO apiece, and we get £33,000,000; the 25,000 trucks and buses averaged at £SOO would be £12,500,000, a grand total'of £45,500,000. On this, Sir Joseph says the total of taxes, including the new petrol tax. is £1,280,000. Surely it seems quite reasonable, because £45,500,000 worth of trucks, buses and cars running round the country will depreciate rapidly on bad roads and burn much more petrol. It is all a question of getting the roads. Finally, the Government is being harshly criticised on many points just now, and on several counts \hev deserve censure. But who is infallible ? Running a country is a tremendously difficult business at the best of times, and tho Ooates Ministry could not have taken office at a worse time. There is no disguising the fact that, due to a too-narrow working majority, much legislation of an unbusinesslike character was placed on the Statute Book. Many things were done for expediency's sake. However, al! life is a compromise, and those who were responsible can be given credit for ltonestv of purpose, even if the results were bad Bnt. in my indcrment, Mr Coates and his Government are trying to fo -m a ri'fficult task in a hneinn" ,:l '« way. They resist pressure from ♦his faction and that. and. bv reason of majority, can sret things done. They have not bad sufficient time to *how results, but I believe in later vears their work will be better appreciated. Char. A. Wilsox.