MOTOR TRANSPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 238, 8 October 1935, Page 18

MOTOR TRANSPORT.

N.Z.'S 136,000 CARS. SOME FACTS AND FIGURES. VEHICLES NUMBER 209,402. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WETjTJINOTON, Monday. Many interesting Tacts nnrt figures regarding motor transport in New Zealand are contained in the annual report of the Transport Department, from which the following have been taken: In last year's report it was mentioned that the registrations of motor vehicles effected during the year had shown a rising tendency compared with the previous year, which recorded the lowest total on record since the inception of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1924. The registrations during the year covered by this report were higher by 9239 than those for the previous year.

During the past year Great Britain supplied 47 per cent of our cars, 25 per cent of commercial vehicles and 75 per cent of our motor cycles. The corresponding figures for the United States of America and Canada were 52 per cent, 50 per cent, and 24 per cent respectively.

The number of motor vehicles licensed at March 31, 1935, was 209.402, of which 136,009 were ears. During 1934. 02,014,450 gallons of petrol were used in the Dominion, of which motor vehicles (that is, petrol on which the full duty was paid) accounted for 55,914,450 gallons. In 1933-34 £1,827,710 was spent on main highways, £2,087,318 on urban roads and streets, and £2,930,160 on other roads, a total of f0,845,200. Of the annual charge of £80 per mile on all roads. £40 was for maintenance and £46 for interest and loan charges.

Passenger Services.

Referring to the operation of the Transport Licensing Act the report states: —

The public benefits accuring from the operation of the Act, as applied to passenger services, seem to present themselves in a more striking maimer each year the annual review is made. I hose benefits may be summarised briefly as follows: —

(a) A saving of approximately 10,000,000 vehicle miles per annum as compared with the figures for the year before the licensing system came into operation. (b) A saving of approximately just over £300,000 per annum in vehicleoperating expenses. (c) A substantial saving in wear and tear on the roads. (d) The freeing of approximately £500,000 capital invested in the industry for use in other avenues ot investment. (e) Improvement in regularity ot services. _ , (f) Improvement in standard ot vehicles in use, with greater comfort and safety to the travelling public.

(g) Reduced fares in numerous instances. (h) More healthy financial position ot passenger-service operators. Drivers' Hours. There is no doubt that in many cases road accidents have been caused by truck drivers falling asleep or becoming less alert as a result of excessive periods of hours at the wheel. Some form of control is desirable from the point of view of (a) the establishment of some form of competitive parity which will make it impossible for "owner-driven" motor transport subject to long hours and low wages to undermine the higher standards of employment enjoyed by employees in other forms of transport, and (b) the prevention of accidents. _ This is fully recognised in England and other countries, where very vigorous control is exercised over drivers hours. In New Zealand the position as regards control is fraught with much difficulty owing to the very large preponderance of owner-drivers. The position is quite satisfactory as regards passenger services and large trucking concerns, but these unfortunately are but a very small portion of the total. Although the number of owner-drivers m the truck industry cannot be stated with absolute accuracy, a table shows that of the total number of truck owners holding licenses under the Act, 67 per cent hold licenses for one truck only and 21 per cent hold licenses for two. From these figures it is safe to assume that ot the total number of trucks licensed—viz., 3355—about 2000 are operated by qwnerThe Department is fully alive to its responsibilities in this direction, but, owinrr to the complex nature of the problem, realises that great care must be taken and thorough investigations made before embarking upon control of this nature.

Some 05 per cent of the total petrol consumed in the United States ofAmerica now contains ethyl spirit, sa\s the, "Petroleum Times." Tn other countries ethyl spirit consumption is not far short of of) per cent of the total. A few years ago there was only one ethyltreated brand sold in England; now there are at least four available.