PETROL TAX

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23883, 10 August 1939, Page 8

PETROL TAX

APPORTIONMENT OF NEW LEVY VARIED CIRCUMSTANCES OF OPERATORS (Special to Dah-tt Times) WELLINGTON, Aug. 9. Asked to-day about the suggestion that the increase of 4d in the petrol tax might be dealt with by passing half on to the general public, the remaining 2d being borne by the transport operators, the Commissioner of Transport G Laurenson) said he did not think lhere was any likelihood of any flat apportionment of that nature being brought into operation. The Transport Act provided that each transport operator's case should be considered on its rn&rits The 'legal position was that in. each, cas.e;tU rates and charges for a service; were to be considered in the light thp financial position of the operator (that was his total operating and overhead costs) against his revenue the commissioner said, and therefore any application for an increase in freight rates or passenger fares must be considered in the light of the circumstance? of. each particular case. For, instance'; ; thete were .some operators whose i would, warrant their standi*'* the. whole of .the 4dv whereas. others might not be able to do so., COMBINED PROTEST NORTH AND SOUTH ISLAND < • MOTORISTS , (Peb United Press Association) '. ' • •, « AUCKLAND. Aug. 9. to obtaining individual sUpoort from members in a combined orotest of the North and South Island Motor Unions and Automobile Associations throughout New Zealand against tho increased petrol, tax. the Auto mobile (Auckland) Association decided at a meeting, tonight: to send out circulars t 6 inform members how the tax would affect them. Members will be supplied with copies of the protest already, lodged, and they will be asked to forward individual letters of. protest to the members of Parliament for their various districts.