TAXATION OF MOTORS

Otago Witness, Issue 3149, 22 July 1914, Page 57

TAXATION OF MOTORS

NATIONAL SCALE OF FEES. REVENUE FOR ROADS. LICENSING OF DRIVERS. WELLINGTON, July 17. The Government’s Motor Bill, which was introduced this afternoon, aims at establishing national unifirmity in regard to the registration of motor, cars, the licensing ot drivers, and the imposition of a tax on oars, the proceeds of wirich will be devoted to the upkeep and improvement of roads m the districts usdd by motorists. At uresent under “The Motor Regulation Act, 1908,” a motor may be registered with any registering authority the council of every borough having a population ot not less than 5000, and every countv council is a registering authority. Ihe present riiil proposes to substitute a single register ot •motors for the whole dominion, registry offices being established in the principal centres. Registration onoc effected does not require renewal. Ihe desire is to establish uniformity of marks and numbers for the several classes of motors and to obviate the confusion now arising from the large number of registering authorities. It is further required that a motor when registered shall be licensed to use the roads and streets throughout the dominion. The licensing is annual, and. an annual fee is payable, varying according to the class and power of the motor. Provision is made, as in tho English Act, 'for the. licensing of driver's end. of motors, by whom a small annual fee will be paid. It is not at present made essential that the driver should -have any special qualification. The effect of the provision regarding tne driver’s license is rather to enable the court before whom the driver is convicted of neligcnt or improper acts to suspend or cancel his license, and by such means, as in England, to make it necessary in his own interest that a driver should exerciser care. The place of registration of a motor and the local authority to issue the annual license in respect of a motor are both made to depend upon the location of 'he motor, and not upon the residence of the owner. In the case of a driver’s license the authority to issue a license depends upon the place of residence of the driver. The location of the motor is where the motor is generally kept when not in use. LICENSES AND MOTOR TAXES. Tho annual license (except in tho case of a private motor car) is required to be issued by the local authority of the local district within which the garage of the motor is situated, such local authority receiving the annual fee. In the case of a private motor oar the annual license is issued by the deputy registrar of the provincial district within which the garage of the private motor is situated,. PRIVATE MOTOR CARS. It is pointed out in the memorandum attached to the Bill that private motor cars use the roads and streets to a very largo distance from their respective garage's, and their traffic is not in general confined in any way within the limits of any special local authority. The local authority within which the garage is situated, is entitled to receive and retain the greater part of the annual license fees paid for all cars other than private motors. The fees received in respect of private motor cars are to bo expended as Parliament directs in tho special repair of main roads throughout the provincial district in which the garages of the private motors are situated,. The fees received by local authorities from the annual licensing of all other motors will go as to two-thirds thereof to the local fund of the authority issuing the license and to one-third thereof to the Consolidated Fund, to be expended in repair of roads within a certain radius of the district of the local authority issuing the license. SCALE OF LICENSE FEES. The Bill provides that the following fees shall be payable for annual licenses: — In respect of every private motor oar and of every motor omnibus, and ot every motor coach not exceeding 12 horse-power, £2; exceeding 12 but not exceeding 16 horse-power, £5; exceeding 16 but not exceeding 26 horse-power, £4; exceeding 26 but not exceeding 33 horse-power, £7; exceeding 33 but not exceeding 40 horse-power, £10; exceeding 40 but not exceeding 60 horsepower, £ls; exceeding 60 horse-power, £2O. It is provided that a registered medical practitioner shall in respect of a private motor car used principally for the purpose of his profession bo entitled to an allowance equal to half tho annual fee. In respect of every public motor car not exceeding 16 horse-power, £1; exceeding 16, but not exceeding 26 horse-power, £2; exceeding 26 horse-power, £4. In respect of every motor cycle, 10s, and an additiona' fee of 10s if such motor cycle is used to propel a trailer. In respect of every trade motor not exceeding 16-horse power, £2; exceeding 16, but not exceeding 26 horse-power, £3; exceeding 26, but not exceeding 40 horsepower, £4; exceeding 40 horse-power, £5. In resoect of any other motor, £2. EXEMPTION FROM FEES. Provision is made for the following exemption from fees for annual license; (a) Motors owned by a municipal corporation, town district, county road district, drainage board, river board, education board, harbour board, or fire board, and used exclusively for general or local purposes. (b) Ambulance motors. (c) Motors owned by and used exclusively for the purposes of any authority of a public nature defined as exempt by regulations under this Act. It is stated that the foes prescribed aro considerably lower than those paid under the English Act. VARIOUS PROVISIONS. To establish uniformity of numbers the registration fee is £1 for private cars, 5s for motor cycles, and 10s for any other motor. Provision is made for cancellation and transfer of registration. Special provision is made for the exemption from license fees under special permit of “ demonstration ” cars of manufacturers and dealers. Those permits may be granted on application to the deputy registrars or tho registrar of motors. Fees of 10s for motors and 5s for motor cycles are payable for these permits, which must be produced when asked for. Applicants for drivers’ licenses shall pay a fee of ss. No person under the age of 17 shall hold a license.

DISCUSSION ON THE BILL. MORE DATA WANTED. WELLINGTON, July 17. With reference to the apportionment of fees between the Consolidated Fund and local bodies interested, the Minister explained that a supplementary Bill would be brought down later on, providing for the expenditure of these fees. Mr Wilford urged that the tax should take the form of a tax upon tyres, collected through the Customs House. Mr Massey said that he did not agree with that view. The tax would be based on the value and horse-power of the car. On a tyre tax the taxi-cab would be paying much more than the big car kept for recreation purposes, and the desire was to make the tax fall as fairly as possible in proportion to the owner’s ability to pay. Sir J. G. Ward considered that the House had not sufficient data to go upon. ’They wanted more information as to how many cars wore running in the dominion, in order to arrive at an idea of how much taxation would bo raised. Mr Hindmarsh urged that, in case of accident, the car should be held liable for damages. At present many people were injured by motor cars and were quite unable to get redress. Mr Russel! protested against tho Bill as a form of class tax. If they wanted to get at the rich men they should do so, and not impose taxation upon every taxi-driver and young fellow who owned a motor byke. The Bill was read tho first time.