MOTORISTS APPEAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 608, 9 March 1929, Page 9

MOTORISTS APPEAL

REDUCTION OF THE TAX THAT RISE IN PETROL PRICE (Australian and N.Z. Press Asso< iation ) (United Service) LONDON, Thursday. That the excessive taxation was arresting one of the most prominent postwar industries was stated by speakers of a large private deputation representing motor makers, commercial users and private motorists, who interviewed the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Winston Churchill. They urged him to decrease the horse-power tax. They' alleged that the tax handicapped British manufacturers.

Mr. Churchill in reply warned the deputation not to expect any considerable abatement in the tax. In tbe House of Commons the Prim*" Minister, Mr. Baldwin, in the course of a statement in reply to a series of questions, said the rise of 2ld a gallon in the price of petrol, which is in addition to last year’s petrol tax of Id gallon, was the cause of considerable discussion. He announced that the Government had asked the petrol companies to explain the increase. This in no way prejudiced the question whether the increase was justified or otherwise. He would consider the question of taking action against the companies, if their explanation wer» unsatisfactory.