DERATING OF FARM LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20596, 21 June 1930, Page 16

DERATING OF FARM LANDS.

Sir, —Nothing but good can accrue if the present agitation for the derating of farm lands and the adoption of an increased petrol tax is carried to a satisfactory conclusion to the Statute Book. Few subjects of greater importance have been on discussion for many a day. Once fair enough and efficient enough as systems go, the present method of rating is now the very reverse. Ratepayers pay double for what is in many areas indifferent service. Even those who are not actual motor, owners pay for some form of motor transport, in which they indirectly pay tyre and petrol tax. And those few who use rail transport only, well, they deserve immunity from all tax. Those who use the roads should pay for their upkeep. A suitable tyre and petrol tax, allocated annually to local bodies throughout the country on a proportionate basis, the balance allotted to the permanent construction of approved highways as now, is all that is required. Some will say, what, of those districts sparsely settled, where mechanical transport has not yet penetrated 1 Those settlers breaking in new land, who must have roads made and maintained, are they to get off scot free? I say let the petrol tax make these roads. This land of ours must bo developed to its capacity. Back-block roads are the highways of the future. Sooner or later the irrepressible motor is bound to penetrate. In conclusion, let me say that no findings of all the railway commissions Mr. Forbes can set up will do as much to improve railway revenue as the derating of farm lands and the imposition of a higher petrol tax. T.B.

Sir, —Kindly allow mo a little spaco to pass an opinion on this question of rates versus petrol tax. The present system is unjust because the farmer has to'pay the same petrol tax when he uses th? roads as the city motorist, and heavy rates as well. If the rates were removed and the petrol tax increased everyone would pay in proportion to the use they gave the roads. This would settle the question of motors competing with the railways. It pays us better to use New Zealand coal than American benzine. It would make light cars more popular, which would be an advantage, as they do ,less damage to the roads than heavy ones. It would help to sell the English cars, too. But the chief thing it would do would be to lighten the load for the farmers. That and the abolition of the ridiculous duties on stock foods would go a long way toward solving our problems. At the same time, I agree with some of your correspondents that local body methods could be improved considerably and a big saving effected. There is far too much patchwork going on > Kaipara.