Hauliers Owe State M400,000
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As the result of a decision by the High Court in Sydney, Australia, that the State of Victoria may impose .a tax on inter-State hauliers, operators owe the State Government more than LA400,000.
Since 1954, when the Privy Council held that it was unconstitutional for New South Wales to tax inter-State hauliers, Victoria has been trying to devise legislation to raise money from operators to pay for road maintenance. In December, 1955, a law was passed by which hauliers were required to pay tax at the rate of id. per ton-mile based on unladen weight (applicable to vehicles weighing over 4 tons) plus Id. per ton-mile on 40 per cent. of capacity. Many hauliers refused to pay. In his judgment, the Chief Justice said that the tax, like bridge tolls or harbour dues, did not detract from maintaining freedom of trade between States. In a dissenting judgment, Mr. Justice Taylor stated that he could not see any commonly accepted test for determining whether a tax was reasonable or not.
The Hauliers' Federation may appeal to the Privy Council. Mr. Arthur Warner, Victorian Minister of Trans-. port, has said that other States may now' e.nact similar legislation.
The Court also decided that hauliers engaged exclusively on inter-State trade could not be compelled to pay registration fees in Victoria.