HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23213, 10 June 1937, Page 12

HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES

LOSS OF REVENUE LOCAL BODIES CONCERNED Concern at the Government's action in taking away from local bodies the power to. issue heavy traffic and drivers' licences, thereby robbing them of considerable revenue, was expressed by several speakers during the course of a conference of county and borough councils last night, convened by the Automobile Association 'Otago) The chairman (Mr F. J Williams) introduced the subject when lie said they would have seen that the Minister intended to take over the transport duties of local at'.thnrities He sympathised with those authorities which had a population ot less than 6000 persons as they were going to lose money. The matter did not affect the motorists who had to pay anyway, but it was hard on those carrying out the duties of local authorities. "As local bodies we do not like w.« lose any of our funds." said Cr J Ritchie, of Vincent County Council "We have been relieved of some of line highways of course, and this is going to make a difference, but I think strong representations should be made to the Government on the matter." Cr D. M'Lcnnan Tuapeka. said trial his council would lose about £240 a year. They had already nrotested to the Government. " When the Minister said he was going to take over arterial roads and call them State highways, we thought we were all right," said Cr W Moore. Bruce County, "but judging from things now. that was only an anaesthetic, and the taking away of heavy traffic fees is simply painless extraction. The counties should desperately oppose the filching of revenue that thev have previously enjoyed. Cr D. H. Cockburn. Lake County considered the question was one for a common front by all the local bodies. Cr J. Rodman. Waitaki County said that white some of fhem had objected to the "filching" of heavy traffic fees they must remember that they were living in times of change and they must expect something different occasionally. Provided the money was used for forming footpaths in restricted areas and for lighting, the counties would not be much worse off. The chairman pointed out that the Post Offices would retain 6d on each licence issued, and of the rest. 40 per cent would go to the cities boroughs etc., and 60 per cent, to the Consolidated Fund His association eonsidered that the fee for the reissuing of licences was too high and should be reduced. He suggested that the counties should approach the Government and ask that only new licences should be issued by the Posl Offices the old ones to be reissued by the local authorities as before.