FEWER MOTORS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20333, 4 September 1931, Page 8

FEWER MOTORS.

DROP IN ;kE(^STBA^ONS 4 '■>' - ;';last year : j ; /iEf i3RENCE FW BttFfSSH i- ;;. i..Statistics given in tlie of the Transport Department, presented to Parliament, stow a marked decrease in the number of motor-vehicles registered during the year ended March 31st last, when the figures are compared with the registrations for the five preceding ■yenrs. Details are as follows: Commercial • - Yeay - "■ Ours." vehicles.' Cycles.. Total. -iS-25-Uti . . -18,83.1 <1409 5130 28,850 14 0 6-27 /' 1'6,4">9 4692 5464. 26,595 " 1«37.38 /. Jt&fcl.'. 3399 . .1560 29,490 ' "IP2S-29 .. 18,739 4167 ' - 4768 „ *j7>674 1929-30 ... 20,802, 5745 4300 80,847, moil .y - 4113 3139 19,630 The report states that the registra-: tions of vehicles manufactured in Great Britain have not during'the year 193031 shown the same percentage decrease as have registrations of vehicles. manufactured in other countries. This is said to be probably due to the'-increased preferences granted in the, Customs Act Amendment Act, 1930, in respect of vehicles manufactured in Gfeat Britain. . On June Ist, 1931, the registrations of 12,785 vehicles were cancelled owing to th§, licenses npt having been renewed ; 1930-3-1.- The number is r * considerably greater than that for Juno, 19t>0 viz., 8335. . • The following figures show • the number of motor-vohicle registrations (including dormant, registrations) as at ; March 31st, 1931: — North South Island. Island. Total. Cars- ■■ 99,967 56,213.156,180' ■O^movoial^ , Cycles • • 22,634 ,15,342 37,976 . Totals.' ... 146,056. . 83,070- '229,726 These-figures do'iiot include vehicles ■ -"for-which approximately 3000 "demon* stration," .plates were,issued to dealers --during t-he-year. Vehicles Actually on Koad. Tlie number of "Jive'', registrations: - oii' the register kept, in accordance with tlie : pr6visiona-' of- the Motor-Vehicles •. 'indication "of the number of .vehicles; < 'acttoally''on- : 'th«\rdad. The'numbers -these '*Hve" registrations' fjave- be% • jßfttiniated"'foi-* faifi • mtfittb and the; monthly averages for the twelve months '-endfe'd'Match 315t,'1930, and 1931, aro : given as -follows. ? ■ ■' ■' - • Monthly .-Averages. . Vehicle. ■'■ 19&0. 1931. Motor-car* 13.7,015 ■ *134,407 Trucks . - 25,512 2i j'294 Omnibuses , 1.029 '?v2 Ttactiori ; ensineiv ' ...; 173 Ji7 1 <®p^Eto*s • ••■' . -•» ?2~ Motor-cycles . 26,260 fOtfcor ,y . < <£*o *SB .. Totals... i.TT^B<?"i'. lß7 '7o«. Service cars ...designed Jto carry not more than nine persons aro. included , "with "motorcars,;, .^esijgned jto. carry moreC than Jiina/pergofis are included with omnibuses. Tax on Petrol. After mentioning that the motor- *' Spirits tax was increased from four- , ,p,ence to sixpence a gallon as from July agnd, 1930; the- report - supplied data ' 'showing the yield and distribution of • /tse petrol tax for the ytjar ended March ;31st last, figures for previous years be,mg also given for comparative pur- ,.' . poses. Details £ . Gross yield •• , 1,117,294 • - Deductions — •* , Refunds and coat til! making same ... 102,844 Commission to Customs Dept. for . . • - -"'.'collection •••• • • -14,400 p. . 117,2*4. = ' '■ " '41.866,0'5'b Net yield (i.e., gross yield less refunds and commission, on -collection), year' ended March. 31sfrr~ • •».-/ ... - i £ / . ■ J&29 .. . 802,232 .1080 .. .. 801,907 1981 . . . . 1,800,050 Total since inception o£ tax .. £3,207,765 Therp has, it is stated, been an. increase" in; the applications. for refunds since the tax was increased to (sd. There 'are two main reasons for this—first, the l financial stringency due to the prevailing depression, and,, second, tho increase in the tax, which-has now made it worth while for people to claim refunds that' they did not worry about when the tax was 4d. Distribution of Proceeds. The distribution of the proceeds from the petrol, tax between the Main Highways Board and boroughs with populations of 6000 and over, was as follows, for the year'ended March-31st, 1931: £ Main 'Highways Board ." .1,219,209 ' Boroughs, (population- of-6000 and over) ■ .. • - 80,841 Total - ... .. £1,300,0.50 •Tlie report explains that after August Ist, 1930, the proportion of the petrol tax paid to boroughs with populations of 6000 and over was reduced from 8 per cent, to per cent. "iiike all taxes," comments the report, "the petrol tax may'shift either backward to the producers of the benzine, or. forward to the"' consumers of motor transport services, while a certain amount of the burden may be carried f<jr a time by the operators of motor transport services; In the-long run . the petrol tax will tend to be shifted forward to the consumers of motor transport services, and, -in so far as the increased cost of services causes a'.diininution in the demand for them, a proportion of the tar will also, in the long run, be castupon the producers of motor-vehicles and equipment, in the form of losses of business consequent on a diminished demand. For the ■year ended March 31st, 1931, passenger transport effected by motor-cars, motor"Otanibuses; and motor-cycles contributed ■ £>7o out '• of every & 100 of ; the;- total' 'yield from,.the getprol, jfcS?;- ; 6tit of every £IOO, from .trucks.'■! Thus the petrol: tax derived from car--■iiaage' of"passengers.-in motor-vehicles is' over Mice that derived .from the transportation of. commodities. A further analysis of tfiie motives'lying behind thel movement of persons (impossible at this stage) would shed further light on this question. Investigations by the Department indicate that approximately- 50 '■' per cjnt.. of, tiic *o(al cost qt •operating.' in New Zealajid is for. pur;- .- Vpbses of a non-business nature.-?': y.v:::

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