Road-transport Activities IN PARLIAMENT
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Mr. Thomas and Petrol Tax. By our Special American Financial Crisis.
An Assurance on Taxation. Parliamentary Lord Mayor's Show Fixtures.
Short-period Insurance. Correspondent Dangerous Parking of Motors.
JJTIRING a Press interview, some days ago, with Mr. 3. H. Thomas, Lord Privy Seal, at the House of Com
mons, which I attended, emphasis was laid upon the expansion of exports as the most suitable means for reducing unemployment. Mr. Thomas referred especially to the possibilities of the motor trade and alluded to the existing basis of taxation as a deterrent to the production of a type of vehicle that is suitable for export.
He declared that satisfactory progress was being made in the general discussions with the motor industry, regarding the possibilities of increasing the export trade. As a good deal has been read into Mr. Thomas's remarks on the subject of the horse-power tax, I give his exact words in order that there may be no misapprehension:— " There is, of course, also the question of the type of engine on British cars. The existing basis of taxation is such that British industrylhas to concentrate on the small horse-power engine, and the result is that that in itself is a deterrent to the production of a type of car that is suitable for the export trade. It is not a new question.
"Many Governments .have battled with it, and I am battling with it at this moment—to see whether there is some meal* not for interfering with the amount of revenue that is raised by the existing tax, but for obtaining the revenue required with a more advantageous method from the point of view of the industry itself."
Mr. Thomas also referred to the lack of service facilities abroad, in the case of British motor vehicles, as compared with that available for owners of American cars and industrial motors.
Roads and Bridges Parliamentary Committee
ANEW non-party committee has been formed in the House of Cdmmons, entitled the Roads and Bridges Committee. Sub-committees have been set up to examine the following groups of questions :—Road Fund administration, and unemployment ; London traffic; legislation; bridges, level-crossings, motor roads and toll barriers ; coordination of road and other forms of inland transport; roads in the Dominions and Colonies, and road design and layout. Major Walter Elliot is chairman, with Mr. .T. H. PaIM and Major Lloyd-George as vice-chairmen, Mr. D. J. Vaughan being the hon. secretary.
Glasgow-Edinburgh Road.
THE delay in the construction of the Glasgow-Editburgh main road is attributed, in part, by the Minister of Transport, to the protracted negotiations with the rail-way companies, with regard to bridges, as well as to the fact that the constructional work on seven miles of existing road was intentionally postponed until the cost of other sections could be more closely determined.
The negotiations with the railway companies have come to a satisfactory conclusion and the work of bridge construction is well in hand. Several sections are open to traffic and it is anticipated that the whole road will be available by the middle of next summer. It will form an important artery for business traffic and help to reduce delivery costs.
An Assurance on Taxation.
NEARLY two years ago, Mr. Churchill, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, assured the House of Commons that the question of replacing, wholly or partly, the present system of taxation by a petrol tax would be further examined. Instead of such a fuel tax being used in place of the other method, it was added. Evidently, Mr. Thomas has taken up the subject with the desire to see whether any readjustment is practicable. There are great difficulties in
the way and the somewhat hasty conclusion that an early change is foreshadowed may not ultimately be justified.
any case, an indication of the Government's intentions can be made definitely only when a Budget is introduced, and opinion in political circles inclines to the view that it can hardly be expected that Mr. Snowden will, next April, be in a position to introduce any revolutionary alteration in the basis of taxation. In any event, it is a little too soon even to speculate on the subject at the present time.
Short-period Insurance.
01R JOSEPH LAMB has suggested that in any sYstem 1.,3of compulsory third-party insurance which may be introduced, there should be included the provision of policies to cover periods shorter than a year and concurrent with
those for which motor licences are now issued. Mr. Morrison stated that the difficulty which the suggestion was intended to meet had not been overlooked.
Another reference was made by Sir J. Lamb to damage to public statues and monuments by motor vehicles, the owners of which were unable to pay compensation, and he asked if consideration would be given to the inclusion in thirdparty insurance of damage to private and public property, Mr. Morrison replied that his attention had not been called to any extensive damage of that kind. As to the inclusion of damage to property, this question also had not been overlooked.
American Financial Crisis.
11/rAJOR GLYN asked the President of the Board of .111Trade whether he had any information as to what effect the recent financial crisis in the United States 'had had on the sale and production of motor vehicles, what stocks were left in the hands ef the manufacturers. Mr. Wm. Graham said he understood that in the United States the stocks of motors in dealers' hands were larger this year than during last year.
Presumably this question was raised to ascertain what possibility there might be of American concerns " dumping" surplus 'motor vehicles in this country at unusually low prices, with a consequent harmful effect upon British trade.
Lord Mayor's Show Fixtures.
TIISLOCATION of traffic and public inconvenience, JJ owing to the Lord Mayor's Show, prompted Mr. Day to suggest that the City authorities should be approached with the object of having the procession held annually on a Saturday. Mr. Morrison said that he was not disposed to suggest interference with the traditional and time-honoured arrangements in connection with the Lord Mayor's Show. He had to balance against the inconvenience and possible loss the historic tradition and the pleasure which it gave to many London citizens and children.
White Lines at Busy Crossings.
11R MORRISON has promised to refer to the London _LV1Traffic Advisory Committee, for its views, the remarks which were made by a West Lancashire coroner, at an inquest on a pedestrian, to the effect that at all busy crossings there should be a prominent white line, so that drivers approaching the crossings should know that people would probably be stepping out into the road, or crossing it.
Dangerous Parking of Motors.
THE Minister. of Transport is considering the inclusion in the Road Traffic Bill of a provision making it an offence to leave a vehicle in aposition dangerous to other trafac'using the road.