XN000022-1974-03-27 — Page 11

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Wednesday, March 27, 1974

He said that "to defer the raising of additional revenue

until after the debate on transport policy would be too dangerous and

quite illogical too for my road taxation proposals have nothing to do

with transport policy and the Green Paper."

As regards public light buses, the Financial Secretary reduced

his original proposed increase of $3,000 to $2,000 to set the licence

fee for this category of vehicles at $5,000. The reduced increase will

mean a loss of 34 million additional revenue.

Public cars will continue to pay on the same basis as private

cars, plus $30 for each seat for a passenger.

The licence fees for taxis remains at $320 as originally proposed.

This figure is achieved by doubling the fee for the driver and for each

seat for a passenger to #20 and $60 respectively.

In the case of motorcycles, the Financial Secretary maintained

that the pre-budget fee of 370 was unrealistically low and he considered

that his original proposal to raise it to $200 was fair,

However, he proposed to reduce it to $175 which he considered

"very reasonable, particularly as motorcyclists have the advantage of

being able to park free of charge." The lower fee will mean that the

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additional revenue from this class of vehicle will be about $500,000 less

than under the original proposal.

/As regards