THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1977
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PRESENT VEHICLE TAX SYSTEM UNFAIR, SAYS REV. MCGOVERN
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REVEREND THE HON. PATRICK MCGOVERN TODAY URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO DEVISE A SIMPLE VEHICLE TAX SYSTEM WHICH WOULD FAVOUR THE SMALL VEHICLE AND DISCOURAGE THE BIGGER ONES.
SPEAKING ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. REV. MCGOVERN SUGGESTED A SCHEME BASED ON ARITHMETIC PROGRESSION FOR SMALL CARS FROM ABOUT 600 C.C. TO 1,500 C.C. AND THEREAFTER, GEOMETRIC PROGRESSION TO FRIGHTEN OFF THE +SPACE-EATING, FUME-SPEWING MONSTERS+.
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HE SAID THE PRESENT SYSTEM, UNDER WHICH ONE HAD TO PAY RELATIVELY MORE TAX FOR A SMALL VEHICLE BUT RELATIVELY LESS TAX FOR A BIG ONE, +WOULD ONLY MAKE SENSE SOMEWHERE IN THE BURROWS OF ALICE IN WONDERLAND+.
ACCORDING TO REV. MCGOVERN, THE OWNER OF A +METAL MONSTER+ OF 6,750 C.C. PAYS A TAX OF ABOUT 22 CENTS PER C.C. AND THE OWNER OF A MODEST UTILITY, SPACE-SAVING, SMALL FAMILY CAR PAYS FROM 35 CENTS FOR THE BIGGEST IN THE CATEGORY TO 58 CENTS FOR A SMALLER 600 C.C. CAR.
+MOST RIDICULOUS OF ALL IS THE PERPETUAL PLIGHT OF THE MOST ECONOMIC OF ALL ROAD USERS, THE PLUMBER OR OTHER MAINTENANCE MAN WHO CAN ONLY GET FROM A PLACE TO ANOTHER IN TIME BY USING A MODEST TWO-WHEELED VEHICLE, TAKING UP PERHAPS ONE QUARTER OR ONE SIXTH OF THE ROAD SPACE OF A SMALL CAR,
+ IN THE PRESENT UPSIDE-DOWN LOGIC THIS UNFORTUNATE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PRIVATE TRANSPORT HEAP PAYS $1.75 TAX PER C.C. FOR A 100 C.C. MOTOR-CYCLE A RATIO OF JUST EIGHT TIMES MORE PER C.C. THAN THE OWNER OF THE METAL MONSTER,+ REV. MCGOVERN SAID.
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HE PRAISED THE GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER, FOR GIVING A RESPITE TO THE MUCH BATTERED OWNER OF A PRIVATE VEHICLE ....
.. FROM FURTHER BASHING+ AND HOPED IT WOULD USE THE RESPITE TO RECTIFY THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF VEHICLE TAX.
ON THE SUBJECT OF THE METHOD OF ASSESSMENT OF THE RATEABLE VALUES OF PROPERTY, THE REV. MCGOVERN SAID IT WAS +BASED ON UNREALITY.+
TWO TERMS KEEP RECURRING, HE SAID, ONE IS +FREE MARKET RENT+ AND THE OTHER +FAIR MARKET RENT+.
HE POINTED OUT THAT A FREE MARKET PRESUPPOSED A FREE PLAY AND BALANCE OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND. BUT THAT DOES NOT EXIST IN HONG KONG WHERE THE DEMAND FOR HOUSING FAR EXCEEDS THE SUPPLY, REV. MCGOVERN SAID.
/HE ADDED