A BENZINE TAX

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19830, 3 May 1927, Page 6

A BENZINE TAX

FOR MAIN HIGHWAYS WORK URGED BY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE The matter of urging upon the Government the imposition of a benzine duty as a means of providing funds for the Main Highways Board has been investigated by a special committee of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce. At last evening’s meeting of the Council the report of the committee was considered and it was decided to communicate with other Chambers of Commerce inviting their support. There were present at the meeting Messrs J. Coull (president), J. Aforrison, I. Newton, W. J. Gilberd, S. E. Read, A. Robinson, A. A. Willis, H. Bree, S. E. Goodey, T. H. Rice, William Brown, A. Harris, A. E. Rankin, and H. H. Cork. The report, which was taken from the J 925 figures stated that there were 104,000 motor vehicles in the Dominion, and the importation of motor oils amounted to 40,969,075 gallons. This amount was made up of Benzine 2,593,835 gallons. Benzoline 49,971 gallons. Crude Petroleum 445,359 gallons. Gasoline 4,772,714 gallons. Alotor spirit 25,836,468 gallons. Other oils 10-,055 gallons.

To this the importation of kerosene (5,130,185 gallons) was to be added, and lubricating oils (2,039,488 gallons). The taxes collected in 1925, from tyre duty, registration and license fees, heavy traffic licenses and local body licenses amounted to £705,000. The import figures for motor cars for 1923, 1924, and 1925, were 13,950; 18,629; and 25,700 respectively. “Taking the population of New Zealand in 1925 as 1,364,000, we find that we have a car to every 13 inhabitants, as compared with America where there is a car to a family of 3| persons,” continued the report. 44 If we assume that the annual increase in importation and the annual increase in population to be maintained for tho.next 15 years, we shall arrive at the point that in New Zealand we shall have a motor vehicle of some sort for each family of 3$ persons. “Under present conditions all tyre taxes are used to pay off interest on loans to the Main Highways Board, and from the Public Works fund £200,000 'for construction and £33,000 for maintenence; the Alain Highways Board providing naif of the fund for maintenence and half for construction.” Moving the adoption of the report, Mr Brown said the time was opportune to bring the matter forward. The report was adopted and it was decided to move as stated above.