DERATING OF LAND.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18609, 3 July 1930, Page 3

DERATING OF LAND.

MR POLSON’S SCHEME. OPPOSITION BY MOTOR ASSOCIATIONS. The matter of giving support to the Dominion President’s scheme for the de-rating of land, came before the South Canterbury Executive of the Farmers’ Union yesterday in the form of a letter from Mr Bruce Gillies. Mr Gillies asked what support was being given to Mr Poison’s scheme for relieving land from rating by increasing the petrol tax. “I am taking the liberty,” said the writer, “of drawing your attention to the action of the Automobile Association in this matter. I notice that the Sheepowner’s Federation are working hand-in-hand with your Dominion President in this matter, and also that a number of Provincial A. and P. Associations unanimously supported the scheme, and I regret that the South Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association did not come to any definite decision in the matter. As one member of the South Canterbury Automobile Association stated that they intended to try and smother the scheme at birth, you will agree with me, I think, that the farmers should do everything in their power to counter this move. I may say that I have personally put in a written protest against the action of the Motor Union, as I consider it most unfair that the Association with practically half of its members farmers should use their membership to try and kill a scheme, which has been brought in to try and get some relief for those same farmers, and I have refused to pay a subscription to the Association to help it to oppose my interests. The scheme is based upon the idea that the time has arrived when those who use the roads should help to pay for their upkeep, which is, I think you will agree a very reasonable suggestion. If the protests from the motor Unions are allowed to go before the Prime Minister without a protest from their country members, the Government will naturally think that the whole of the members of these Motor Unions are opposed to the scheme which is not correct.

“If the farmers will take a stand In this matter, I feel sure it would strengthen Mr Poison’s hands considerably. I have spoken to a number of farmers, both members and nonmembers, of your Union, and they have been unanimously in favour of some scheme such as Mr Poison has brought forward, and I trust your executive will see its way to take the matter up.” Referring to this matter in the course of his report to the executive on the Dominion Conference, Mr A. W. Barnett, • one of the delegates from South Canterbury, said they would have to move cautiously in regard to the petrol tax. There was always the danger if the proposal were adopted,, that the people living furtherest away from centres of population would have to pay more in the way of petrol tax than the man who lives near the town. This would be a tremendous handicap for the man living a long way back. Mr P. R. Talbot said he was sure they needed to be very careful over derating land and increasing the petrol tax, because there was no doubt that they might be overloaded before they knew where they were. The tax at present on a motor lorry was a halfpenny per motor car mile, and if they were not most careful, it would soon run up to lid per mile. “If we can get out of the road rates,” said Mr Talbot, “it might be all right, but we want to be very careful. lam absolutely opposed to it. A shilling tax would mean 2/7 per gallon for petrol, which would be more than we could stand.” This ended the discussion, no action being taken.