MOTOR TAXATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20603, 30 June 1930, Page 12

MOTOR TAXATION.

Sir.—There has been quite a number of letters re the benzine tax lately. Why not take the tax off petrol and pul; tho whole tax 011 tyres, then there would not be any trouble to users who run. launches, and other ways in which petrol is used, in getting the rebate now given to them, and by putting tho tax on tyres those who use their cars and trucks most will be paying their fair share of tho road tax 1 1 would suggest a sliding scale, viz., 10 per cent, on the first £5:5 per cent, on tho next £10; per cent. Qn the next £10; and H per cent, on the balance of the tyres, this would ease the owners of the heavy and solid tyro trucks, and in the case of re-treading liavo the firms doing this work render a return monthly to the customs, and so get the tax through them, unless the retreads pay the tax when they arrive in New Zealand. Motorist.

Sir—We have heard a lot lately about the farmers endeavouring to put an imposition on motorists iu the form of another petrol tax. To hear them talk one would think the rn'otorist paid no tax whatsoever. Do they (the motorists) not already pay fourpcnce 011 every gallon, besides the annual registration, insurance and tyre tax? Although an extra tax might not be quite so hard on the city motorist, where the price is Is lOd per gallon, what about the country motorists who already have to pay from 2s 4d to 2s 8d ? 1' would suggest a fairer method would be to increase the annual registration fee by one or two pounds. In the Old Country it must be remembered the motorists have to pay one pound fop every horse power. I would also suggest that the duty on American . cars and chassis imported into this country bo very considerably increased. This would have the effect of making English cars more popular. England would then be receiving a share of our money. Country Motorist.