21 APRIL 1928, Page 3

Sir Robert Home, in a letter to the Times of

Monday, declared war on the principle of taxing motorists on the horse-power of their cars instead of by means of a petrol tax. He made out a strong case for altering the method of taxation by describing his experiences in Australia and New Zealand. There he found that American cars were in general use, though most people professed to him that they would prefer British cars, because the American cars were better adapted to Dominion roads and tracks. The chief defect of the cheaper British cars for general use in the Dominions is lack of power. " But what can you expect," asks Sir Robert Home in effect, " when we tax horse-power ? " He believes that if we changed to a petrol tax all would be well.

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