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Otago Daily Times, Issue 21019, 7 May 1930, Page 4

wholeheartedly supports the resolution.” The Main Highways Boards had curtly refused to furnish a free grant or to increase the present £2 for £1 subsidy for main highway maintenance. He stated with reference to the remit that the continuance of the present antiquated' system of land taxation to meet the new ideas, tor the construction and maintenance of main highways necessary to modern transport had all the objectionable features of a class tax on the primary producer. It was incongruous that two parallel forms of taxation should be imposed upon one section of the community for what was surely a State utility. There were now maiyr thousands of regular motorists who were not ratepayers and many thousands of ratepayers who rarely used the main highways. A ■ farmer Whose rateable property was valued at £3OOO, and subject to a tax of lid in the £l, paid £lB 15s per annum, more than half of which now went into the general account solely for highway maintenance. The addition of a tax of 2d per gallon would, on the present estimated consumption, bring in £BOO,OOO annually.—Cr Clark, in seconding Or M Gregor’s motion, protested against the use of the funds provided by the present tax for the relief of unemployment. . The tax had been struck for one purpose, and that was -the maintenance of main highways.—The motion was carried. GENERAL. . The application of S. Bisset (Kaitangata) ■ for a slaughtering license was granted. The chairman reported that no tenders had been received for the old toll-house at the Clarksville bridge, and it was decided that the building should -be demolished and the material sold. At the conclusion of the business of the meeting the chairman reminded councillors that this would be the last occasion on which he_ would occupy the chair at council meetings. In reviewing the activities of the council during his term of office, Mr Gardyne stated that the council had been ■ sinking further and further in its finances each year, and it was impossible to increase the rates to any extent. The council’s overdraft was by far top high, as last year £SOO had been paid in interest on the overdraft, and this year the interest would show a further increase. In his opinion, nothing but retrenchment would rescue the council from its present position. He concluded by thanking councillors for the loyal support they had given him during his term. Cr Renton, on behalf of the members of the council, congratulated the chairman cn the manner in which he had supervised the business of the council.