TAXING THE MOTORIST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21308, 13 April 1931, Page 8

TAXING THE MOTORIST

ROAD USERS ALARMED

COMPREHENSIVE ORGANISATION SUGGESTED. (Fhom Onn Parliamentary Rbportkr. ) WELLINGTON, April 10. Persistent fear that the Prime Minister intends to draw further revenue by taxation from the motoring public of New Zealand cither by the direct levy or through an adjustment of the moneys in the Highways Fund is hastening a comprehensive organisation of the motor road users throughout the Dominion, who will very shortly hold a special conference in Wellington. Although all motor owners, whether interested privately or in trade, are agreed upon the common objective of staying so far as is possible tlie sweep ing hand of the tax gatherer, there is far from unanimity upon the question as to how action should be taken to watch satisfactorily the welfare of the motor users and at the same time safeguard the interests of those who are concerned with the construction and maintenance of the roads. It is proposed by the promoters of the movement that a motor users’ federation should bo formed embracing the wholesale and retail branches of the trade, private owners as represented through the North and South Island Motor Unions, and the transport section as represented by the Master Carriers’ Federation and Motor Omnibus Association. Anything that is a burden to the user is detrimental to the trader it is claimed, and the cardinal principle underlying the composite body it is intended to form is consideration only of the questions affecting the common interest. No sectional influence can bo exorcised, since it is realised that the whole question of transport must shortly be considered in the light of recent developments in New Zealand and also because of the extreme financial shortage in the State coffers. The federation, if formed, will become the political watchdog of the motorists. There is a fear that the welfare of the motor users will be submerged by that of the railways, tramways, and local bodies—three powerful sections of the transport and road-using community, which are regarded as a potential menace when the question of additional taxation is broached later this session.

The history of motor taxation in this country indicates that in the minds of the organisers the motorists may expect increased taxation rather than relief, and some are inclined to view all other interests ns hostile to the general advancement of the road users’ cause. Among the motor unions in both islands, however, there is a strong body of opinion which is likely to insist that any comprehensive movement shall be organised in co-opera-tion with local bodies, particularly in view of the possibility of further interference with the highways funds, because the Highways Board itself, representing near! £00,000,000 sunk in New Zealand roads, is seeking financial assistance for maintenance and extension. There are grounds for believing that the motor u.ser will provide a popular target in the search for this money. In its present desperate search for money the Government is almost certain to call upon transport to bear its share of the burden. With the railways in difficulties by an annual loss of more than £1,000,000 a year, witu municipalities feeling keenly the effect of motors in competition with trains, and with local bodies harassed by tremendous rating burdens and the Highways Board being gradually drained by the hungry State Treasury, the motorists’ position is sufficiently serious to cause genuine alarm. Representatives from the invited associations have been chosen to attend the conference, but there is a certain element of wariness in the minds of the private owners lest their interests be overshadowed by the influences of the trade. It is thought, furthermore, that local bodies should be asked to co-operate so that the movement may become one for the road makers and the road users in the widest sense, and may lead the way toward a satisfactory solution of a difficult and controversial problem.