PETROL TAXES.

Southland Times, Issue 20002, 16 October 1926, Page 16 (Supplement)

PETROL TAXES.

THE OPPOSITION CASE. Motorists in England have been almost unanimous for a petrol tax to replace the present horse-power rate. The taxes of £1 per horse-power have been yielding a road fund of nearly £20,000,000 a year, and it is contended with some justification that the tax is inequitable for the simple reason that the ordinary Ford car pays £24 a year while the 21.6 h.p. Rolls-Royce pays £22, because it has been designed with a small bore in accordance with English custom. The British motorist points out that the duties of 33 and 22 per cent, on American and Canadian cars respectively are sufficient protection for the British produce without imposing another handicap on American cars by levelling heavy yearly taxation. There are two points of view for the manufacturer. On one hand it is contended that the tax is preventing British factories from designing cars with powerful engines of the American type. The other view is that the tax is a good argument for the choice of a British car. In five years the owner of a Ford would have paid £l2O against i the £55 for an 11 h.p. British car costing perhaps three times the price of the Ford. Considering all things, it would seem better to retain the import duties and give the British manufacturer a free hand to ■ indulge in larger cars without the fear that I sales will fall off because of the tax. Replying to the request of the majority :of Lieut.-Colonel J. Moorei Brabaxon, Parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Transport, says: “I maintain that, inequitable as the horsepower tax has been, it has had a very serious influence on the English manufacture of motor cars, and that, had it not been for this tax the light car of low horse-power and high efficiency would never have come to have been the main product of this country and the admiration of the world. “The imposition of this tax caused the British manufacturer to produce a car which, in a large way, avoided the tax and had a market unattacked by American mass-production vehicles. “Does anybody seriously contend that the Morris would have got to its present prosperity if the Ford had not, in this country, been carrying the absurd burden of £24 a year? Had it not been for the horsepower tax, it might well have been that the American cars with their mass production would have swept every manufacturer off his feet in this country. “The horse-power tax may be very silly, you may riddle it scientifically, but it has been a goose that has laid the British manufacturers’ golden eggs, and they should think very seriously before killing the bird. But, in the words of the poet, ‘the old order changeth, yielding place to new, lest one good custom should corrupt, the world.’ It is indeed now that one must give thought to the question as to whether the British industry is strong enough—or, indeed, capable enough—to compete on even terms (except for the tariff) against the large producers of the world without the stimulus that the horse-power tax has given to the home-produced small car.” BRITISH DESIGN. EFFORTS FOR OLYMPIA. The most comprehensive motor exhibition in the world, the British Olympia, will be held this month. While American motor shows merely represent the 50 odd makes of American cars, the British Olympia is open to cars of every origin, and well over 100 makes will be shown this year. British cars will predominate, and will, of course, be the object of greatest interest. Some factories dave been working in considerable secrecy and although nothing sensational will appear, it is certain that well-known car manufacturers will launch some surprises. The trend is to reduce the size of the cylinders and increase their number. Both British motorists and Australian, South African, and New Zealand car buyers have been advocating the production of moderate price sixes of from 14 to 16 h.p. Olympia will answer some of these demands. Famous makes are now passing j the final tests and it is predicts! that 1927 i j will be recorded in the distoftr of motor " , design as a signal advance in six-cylinder design by British .manufecturers. Four-wheel brakes will appear on still more cars, and balloon tyres will be almost universal. A striking trend in brake design will be the extensive adoption of servooperated brakes on the more expensive cars. A year ago servo systems were rare, but some interesting varieties are to be shown at Olympia.

In bodywork, the feature will be the increasing vogue of the closed car. Allsteel bodies will be more numerous, this I method of construction having been a | natural sequence to the demand for closed ! cars. Attention will be drawn by many I manufacturers to the cellulose or pyroxylin finishes now used instead of paints and enamel. While these preparations will be seen in greatest variety of American cars, there will be a number of famous British cars with this standard finish. At the last Olympia, only two British cars were exhibited with lacquer, but weathering tests in the meantime have resulted in an increasing preference. NEGOTIATING CORNERS. EVERYDAY FAULTS. The everyday faults of taking a corner too wide, turning off to the right without signalling, overtaking on a corner and overtaking on tde wrong side should be sufficiently obvious breaches of driving etiquette not to require special mention here, and any driver who wishes to be regarded as “polished” should avoid them at all costs. \ A little training of the senses will be of considerable assistance in driving for safety, because often a difficult situation may, by quick observation, be anticipated an dthus avoided. One of the most important times to exercise driving observation is when traversing roads on which trams are running, because these vehicles appear largely to be a law unto themselves. As the overhang of a tram as it rounds a bend is fairly considerable, it may easily happen tdat a car which is close to the side of tram may be struck by some part of the overhanging structure. It is well to remember, also, that trams have very great braking powers, equal, if not superior, to those of a four-wheel braked car, and these brakes are applied usually without any warning to overtaking traffice being given by the driver. To handle a car in a crowded thoroughfare requires constant attention to the surrounding conditions, and, in general, where traffic permits, the car should be driven as near the centre of the road as is practicable. In tdis manner absent-minded pedestrians who step off the pavement or vehicles which appear unexpectedly from side turnings may be avoided more easily than if the car is close to the kerb.