TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT (ANNUAL REPORT OF).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1935 Session I, H-40

H. —40

1935. NE W ZEALAND.

TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT (ANNUAL REPORT OF).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Leave.

The Right Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Transport, Wellington. g IE Transport Department, 31st July, 1935. Herewith I have the honour to submit the annual report of the Transport Department for the year ended 31st March, 1935. In doing so I wish to state that I assumed the office of Commissioner of Transport as from Ist June, 1935. I have, &c., G. C. Godfrey, Commissioner of Transport.

INDEX TO CONTENTS.

Page 1. Introductory .. . • • • • • • • • • • • ■ • • • • • ® 2. Motor-vehicles Insurance (Third-party Risks) Act, 1928 .. .. . • • • ■ • • • 3 (a) Statistics re Premiums and Claims .. .. .. . • • • • • • • 3 (b) Review of Premium Rates, &c. .. .. . • • • • • • ■ • ■ • ■ 4 (c) Actions when Negligent Driver subsequently dies .. .. .. .. • ■ • • 4 (d) " Hit and Run" Drivers.. .. .. .. •• •• 4 3. Motor-vehicles Act, 1924 {a) Registration of Motor- vehicles, by Types of Vehicle, 1927-35 . . .. .. .. .. 4 (b) Registration of Motor- vehicles, by Country of Manufacture, 1927-35 .. .. • . • . 5 (c) Motor-vehicles licensed at 31st March, 1935 .. .. . ■ • ■ • ■ ■ • 6 (d) Motor-vehicle Registration-plates .. .. .. .. ■ • • ■ ■ • • • 6 (e) Motor-vehicles actually on the Road .. .. .. • • • ■ • • • • ' (/) Petrol-consumption, by Motor-vehicles and otherwise .. .. • • .. ■ • 7 4. Motor-spirits Taxation Act, 1927 .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ® (a) Petrol-tax Yield, 1928-35 (b) Distribution of Petrol-tax .. .. • • • • ■ • ■ • ■ • • ■ 8 (c) Petrol-tax classified according to Types of Motor-vehicles .. .. .. • ■ • ■ 8 (d) Refunds of Petrol-tax .. .. ■ • • • • • • • • • • • • • 8 5. Special Mileage-taxation .. .. • • • • • • • • • ■ • • ■ • ® 6. Road Finance .. . • • • • • • • • • ■ • • • • • ■ • (а) Dominion's Road Bill, 1929-34 .. .. •. • • • ■ ■ • ■ • • • 1" (б) Sources of Money expended on Road Bill, 1929-34 .. .. .. .. •• 11 (c) Annual Charges per Mile on Roads, Streets, &c., 1929-34 .. .. .. • • ■ • 12 (d) Motor-taxation .. .. ■ • ■ • • • ■ • • • • • • • ' 7. Heavy Motor-vehicle Regulations, 1932 .. .. ■. ■ • ■ • • • • • • • 12 (a) Allocation of Heavy Traffic Pees .. .. .. • • • • ■ • ■ • • • If (b) Limitation of Loads on Roads ~ .. . • • • > • • • ■ ■ • • 13

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Pago 8. Traffic Census .. .. . • • • • ■ • ■ • ■ ■ • ■ ■ • • 13 9. Transport Licensing Act,, 1931 .. .. . • • • • • • ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ • 14 A. Passenger-services— (a) Continuous Passenger-service Licenses, 1934-35 . . . ■ . • . ■ - ■ 14 (b) Seasonal Passenger-service Licenses, 1934-35 .. ■ ■ • • ■. • . ■. 14 (c) Temporary Passenger-service Licenses, 1934-35 . . ■ ■ . ■ ■ • •. 14 (d) Traffic and Financial Statistics, 1934-35 .. . • . . . • • . . • 14 (i) Traffic . . .. . • •. ■ ■ • ■ • • ■ ■ • • 15 (ii) Revenue .. .. .. •. • • • • • • ■ • • • 16 (iii) Expenditure .. .. ■ ■ ■ ■ • ■ • • • • • • 16 (iv) Financial Results of Year's Operations .. . . .. .. .. 17 (v) Financial Condition of the Industry .. .. . • .. . . • • 17 (vi) Control of Fares .. .. .. .. • . ■ • • 17 (vii) Net Result of Operation of Act . . . . . . . . .. . • 17 (e) Inspection of Passenger-service Vehicles .. . . . . .. .. . . 17 B. Goods-services — (а) Continuous Goods-service Licenses, 1933-34 .. . . . • . . . 18 (б) Seasonal Goods-service Licenses, 1933-34 .. .. . . .. . . . 19 (cj Temporary Goods-service Licenses, 1933-34 .. . . . . . . . . . . 19 (d) Finances and Statistics, 1933-34 .. .. .. . . . - .. ■ ■ 19 C. Appeals from Decisions of Licensing Authorities .. .. .. .. .. . • 19 10. Commercial Air Transport .. .. •. • • • • ■ • • • • • • • 19 11. Motor Accidents and their Prevention .. .. .. .. •• •• 19 (a) Review of Accident Statistics .. .. .. .. • • ■ • • • ■ • 19 12. Traffic Control .. .. . • ■ • • • • • • • ■ • • • • • 20 (a) Transport Licensing Act, 1931 .. .. . • ■ ■ ■ • • • • • • • 20 (b) Motor-vehicles Act, 1924. . .. .. .. •• •• 20 (c) Traffic Offences .. .. .. • ■ ■ • • • ■ • • • • • 21 (d) Need for Uniformity in Control of Traffic .. .. .. . . . • .. .. 21 (f) Drivers' Hours .. .. .. .. .. .. ■ • • • • • • • 21 13. The Oversea Mechanical Transport Council .. .. .. •• •• •• •• 22 14. Changes in Transport Laws and Regulations .. .. .. .. .. .. • • 22 15. Transport Legislation in other Countries .. .. . ■ .. . • • • • • 23 16. Appendix— Statistical Tables— 1. Motor-vehicle Registrations by Highway Districts at 31st December, 1934 .. .. .. 24 2. Motor-vehicles licensed as at 31st March, 1935 . . . . . • .. .. .. 24 3. Distribution of the Petrol-tax to the Boroughs, for Year ended 31st March, 1935 .. .. 25 4. Annual Yield from Taxation of Motor-vehicles, 1923-35 .. .. .. .. .. 25 5. Lengths of the various Classes of Roads, Streets, and Bridges in the Dominion as at 31st March, 1922 to 1934, inclusive .. .. . . • • • • • • • ■ ■ • 26 6. Lengths of the various Types of Bridges in the Dominion at 31st March, 1923 to 1934, inclusive.. 26 7. Applications for Passenger-service Licenses for Year ended 31st March, 1935 .. . . 27 8-11. Traffic and Financial Statistics of Licensed Passenger-services (North Island) — 8. Fleets comprising Vehicles having Seats for more than Nine Passengers .. .. 28 9. Fleets comprising Vehicles having Seats for not more than Nine Passengers .. .. 28 10. Other Fleets . . .. .. .. • • • • ■ - • • • • 29 11. Totals for all Vehicles .. .. .. .. .. •• •• •• 29 12-15. Average Operating-expenses and Revenue of Licensed Passenger-services (North Island) — 12. Fleets comprising Vehicles having Seats for more than Nine Passengers .. . . 30 13. Fleets comprising Vehicles having Seats for not more than Nine Passengers .. .. 30 14. Other Fleets .. .. .. .. • • • • ■ • • • • • 31 15. Totals for all Vehicles .. .. .. •, • • • • • • • ■ 31 16. Assets and Liabilities of Licensed Passenger-services (North Island) as at 31st March, 1935 .. 32 17. Details of Depreciation on Licensed Passenger-service Vehicles as at 31st March, 1935 (North Island) .. . . .. .. .. .. • • • ■ • • • • 32 18. Applications for Goods-service Licenses for the Year ended 31st March, 1935 .. .. 33 19. Goods-service Licenses classified according to Number of Vehicle Authorities .. .. 34 20. Analyses of Data relating to Fatal Motor Accidents in the Dominion during the Year ended 31st March, 1930 to 1935, inclusive .. .. .. . • • • • • • • 35

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REPORT.

1. INTRODUCTORY. The principal activities of the Department during the year have comprised the various actions associated with the administration of the Transport Licensing Act, 1931, which provides an annual licensing system for commercial passenger and freight services carried on by motor-vehicles the administration of the Motor-vehicles Act, 1924 ; and the Heavy Motor-vehicle Regulations, which deal with the control of motor traffic generally and the use of roads by the heavier classes of motorV6hl Approximately 750 passenger-service and 2,000 goods-service licenses were renewed during the year The actual decisions regarding each license are made by the various District Licensing Authorities but now that the licensing-system is settling down the Department is taking active steps to ensure that the licensed services have reasonable fares and charges and provide a satisfactory standard of service. Properly qualified officers call on the operators and go into their systems accounting and records, and a full report on each case is then placed before the appropriate Licensing ĀUth The y problem of the control of motor traffic m the interests of public safety assumes larger proportions each year. On the one hand the number of convictions for breaches of traffic laws now represents approximately 30 per cent, of the total convictions m the Magistrate s Courts, whiles on the other hand motor accidents continue to take a growing toll of human life and property. The Department has this matter under constant review, and during the year a special check-up was made on brakes and lights in order to minimize the risk of accidents due to mechanical defects m these parts of the motor-vehicles. The check was made on a Dominion-wide scale, and constituted an important step in directing the attention of the motorist to the necessity for keeping his vehicle up to a satisfactory standard of fitness. Mention of this and other steps taken by the Department would be m complete without special mention of the splendid co-operation which is always so readily forthcoming from the various local authorities and motor organizations. Legislation providing a system of licensing, similar in many respects to that m force m connection with motor transport, was promoted during the year in respect of commercial air transport. A considerable amount of investigational work was carried out during the year, Several sta ments dealing with the problems of motor-taxation, road finance and transport rates, and competition were placefbXe the Transport Co-ordination Board. At the request of the Dairy Industry Commission the Department also carried out an inquiry lasting over several months into the problem, of milk and cream collection by motor-trucks in the Dominion. 2. MOTOR-VEHICLES INSURANCE (THIRD-PARTY RISKS) ACT, 1928. (a) Statistics. For the year ended 31st May, 1934, forty-four insurance concerns gave the prescribed notice to undertake business under the Act, and carried on business accordingly. The net income from pre» for that year excluding, of course, any relating to the 1934-35 licensmg-year, amounted to £221,73 , after taking into account adjustments on account of extra premiums due to changes m the classification of the vehicle and the cancellation of registrations, and allowance for the commission of the Post and Teleg ClMms D durii!rthe year, including costs, together with the liabilities in respect of outstanding claims Tsist May, 1934, Amounted to £198,614, or 89-57 per cent, of the net total of premiums received. gtowg f]le exper i en oe of the scheme during the four years ended 31st May, 1934. It should be noted that the figures for claims do not represent the amount paid during each year,' but refer to accidents happening during each particular period. ■"""™™| ft*. . nnirl anrl I

1 Comparison between the claim ratios for the third-party-risks insurance and other branches of accident insurance show in most cases higher figures for the former than the latter. This can e

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Claims paid and ilistiRevenue from mated Liability for Claim Ratio. Year ended 31st May, Premiums. Claims outstanding at 31st May-. £ £ Per Cent. 1 nor. . .. 235,007 202,380 86-12 JS? •' .. 242,864 186,379 76-74 iqoi " " .. 233,731 161,352 69-03 '• •' '■ 229,133 151,095 65-94 Jg3 -- •• 221,734 198,614 89-57 Totals .. •• ••

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attributed mainly to the fact that the premium-rates are annually reviewed and fixed so as to provide the lowest amounts consistent with a reasonable minimum margin to cover overhead and profit for the companies undertaking the third-party business. The small margin is made possible by reason of the fact that the pooling of the business (nearly 90 per cent, of the business of which is carried on by companies forming the third-party pools) results in expense being kept down to the barest minimum. The following table shows the claim ratios for various classes of accident insurance during the last available five years : —

) 1 (6) Annual Review op Premium Rates. Section 16 of the Motor-vehicles Insurance (Third-party Risks) Act, 1928, provides that the amount of the premiums to be paid in respect of third-party insurance may be fixed from time to time by Order in Council. After all available statistical data had been carefully examined the conclusion was reached that in view of the fact that the experience had not altered materially from that on which premium-rates for 1934-35 were based, no alterations to the existing rates were warranted. (c) Actions when Negligent Driver subsequently dies. Action has not yet been taken to overcome the disability under which a party injured by an accident finds himself when the person responsible —e.g., driver of motor-vehicle —subsequently dies. The views of the motor unions, insurance companies, and the New Zealand Law Society have been obtained, and they have recommended that action be taken to overcome this disability. The subject is one of general law rather than motor-vehicle law particularly, and the Justice Department now has the matter under consideration. (d) "Hit and Run" Drivers. The table hereunder indicates the number of claims and the amounts paid out under the agreement relating to personal damages caused by " hit and run " drivers for every year since the agreement has been in force. The agreement mentioned is one which enables persons injured by an unknown motorist to claim damages on account of personal injuries if caused by negligence of the motorist. It will be noted that the number of claims lodged has materially increased this year. The possible causes of this increase are —(a) The terms of the agreement becoming better known to injured parties (the Police have agreed to co-operate in this) ; (6) the greater disregard of obligations to stop when motor accidents occur ; (c) increase in total of accidents.

Table of Claims.

Note.—The number of claims shown above includes in some instances accidents re which the driver was subsequently located. 3. MOTOR-VEHICLES ACT, 1924. (a) Registration of Motor-vehicles, by Types op Vehicle. 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. As the table hereunder shows, the registrations during the year covered by this report were higher by 9,293 than those for the previous year, the percentage increase being 85-68. The registrations effected during the month of

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j Percentage of Claims paid (including Costs) during the Year Class of Insurance. j j I 1929. 1930. 1931. 1932. 1933. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Employers' liability .. .. 69-84 71-99 71-63 71-52 77-75 Personal accident .. .. 52-23 .54-12 54-34 49-40 47-09 Motor-vehicle comprehensive ... 52-44 64-04 67-61 56-16 50-03 Other forms .. .. .. 27-50 j 23-60 32-05 33-83 28-08

Number of . ., Year ending 31st May, \ made. Claimants. £ s. d. 1932 (five months only) .. .. .. 5 595 0 0 1933 .. .. .. .. .. 11 885 8 0 1934 .. .. .. .. .. 12 720 2 6 1935 .. .. .. .. .. 27 566 12 6

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December, 1934 —viz., 2,964 —were the highest for any month since the " peak " month of December, 1929, when 3,861 vehicles were registered. The particulars of the registrations effected during each of the last ten financial years are as follows : —

(b) Registration of Motor-vehicles, by Country of Manufacture. Hereunder is shown the country of manufacture and the number of motor-vehicles registered during the years ended 31st March, 1927 to 1935, inclusive : —

It will be noticed that 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., 56 per cent., and 24 per cent, respectively.

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Year ended 31st March, j Oars. jCommercial Vehicles. Cycles. Total Registrations. 1926 18,811 4,409 5,130 28,350 1927 .. .. .. 16,439 4,692 5,464 26,595 1928 .. .. .. 12,531 3,399 4-,560 20,490 1929 .. .. .. 18,739 4,167 4,768 27,674 1930 .. .. .. 20,802 5,745 4,300 30,847 1931 12,378 4,113 3,139 19,630 1932 .. .. .. 6,151 2,656 2,058 10,865 1933 .. .. .. 4,716 2,640 2,072 9,428 1934 .. .. .. 5,551 3,339 1,956 10,846 1935 .. .. .. 12,895 5,011 2,233 20,139

u i Great United States of Qther Total Year ended 31st March, Eritain c a e ™da° r Countries. Registrations. I ; ' Motor-cars. 1927 .. .. 2,185 13,623 631 j 16,439 1928 .. .. 2,172 10,078 281 12,531 1929 .. .. 2,886 15,667 186 18,739 1930 .. .. 3,675 16,993 134 , 20,802 1931 .. .. 3,265 9,057 56 12,378 1932 .. .. 2,607 3,477 67 6,151 1933 .. .. 2,832 1,834 50 4,716 1934 .. .. 3,091 2,406 54 5,551 1935 .. .. 6,096 6,730 69 12,895 Totals .. 28,809 79,865 1,528 110,202 Commercial Vehicles. 1927 .. .. I 630 3,907 I 155 4,692 1928 .. .. 522 2,706 ! 171 3,399 1929 .. .. 522 3,318 327 4,167 1930 .. .. 502 4,792 451 5,745 1931 .. .. 392 3,225 496 4,113 1932 .. .. 447 1,574 635 2,656 1933 .. .. 686 1,149 805 2,640 1934 .. .. 941 1,471 927 3,339 1935 .. .. 1,266 2,791 954 5,011 Totals .. 5,908 24,933 4,921 35,762 1 — Motor-cycles. 1927 .. .. 3,851 1,592 21 5,464 1928 .. .. 3,479 1,067 14 4,560 1929 .. .. 3,794 949 25 4,768 1930 .. .. 3,486 802 12 4,300 1931 .. .. 2,581 548 10 3,139 1932 .. .. 1,567 483 8 2,058 1933 .. .. 1,515 545 12 2,072 1934 .. .. 1,428 514 14 1,956 1935 .. .. 1,669 542 22 2,233 Totals .. 23,370 7,042 138 30,550

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The registrations of motor-vehicles which have not been licensed during two successive licensing years are cancelled automatically. 0» the l.t June 1934, tie regrstratmr, of 12.331 vehrcle. which had not been licensed for the years 1932-33 and 1933-34 were cancelled. (c) Motor-vehicles licensed at 31st March, 1935. The appended figures show the number of motor-vehicles licensed for the year 1934-35 as at the 31st March, 1935 : —

________ ' - 1 - The increase in the number of licensed vehicles, excluding dealers' vehicles, as compared with the more ase increase representing 5-54 per cent. The percentage increase m the SKTSSBMittSS Sye.r ~s fairly e™n herug 6-46 «d mi a r»f I*ol Tipr cent in. the number of motor-cycles that were licensed. of "dormant" registrations—i.e., vehicles which although registered had not been licensed for the current year—as at the 31st March, 1935, were—

(d) Motor-vehicle Registration Plates. The following classes of plates were assigned during the licensing year 1934-35 :— (1) For private cars, plates without initial letter 301-99999 inclusive, and vMh letter (2) For fr °>fvit™e rd "'and " rental" cars, plates without letter 1-300, inclusive, and X99900-X99999. (31 Cvcle plates for issuance to cycles. } (4) Plates with initial letter " D " (both car and cycle) for dealers vehicles.

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North Island. South Island. Dominion. Number. Number. Number. • 87,594 48,415 136,009 Cars '• " , •; i j V " 14 679 7 427 22,106 Light tracks (2 tons and under laden .. •• Heavy trucks (2 tons and over laden) •• •• ' Passenger trucks .. • • • • • • ' ' 3g2 135 527 Omnibuses •• •• " " , (J53 544 1,597 Taxis .. ■■ ■■ ■■ '■ " ' 445 281 726 Service cars • • • • • • ■ ' ' ' 12 1 291 Rental and private-hire cars •• •• 7?g 1125 Dealers'cars " " " 811 432 1,243 Local-authority road vehicles •• •• 1,513 Government vehicles •• •• " 1 ' 5g() 1 725 3^305 Trailers .. • • • • • • "' " ' g6 '44 130 Dealers'motor-cycles • • •• •• •• 14 975 9,465 24,440 Motor-cycles • • • • ■ • ' ■ " ' _ Totals .. .. .. •• 134,701 74,761 209,462

~ ' " ~~ 1932-33 I 1933-34 TotaL Register. Register. 3,970 4,712 8,682 Cars ■■ •• •• •' ' x 962 2,296 4,258 Liglit trucks • • •• •• ■' '• g31 1;004 1,835 Heavy trucks • ■ • ■ ■ • • • • • 5Q 62 n2 Service cars . • • • • • ' ' ' ' yj 33 50 Taxis . • • • • • • • " " 2 13 Rental and private-hire cars • • • • ■ • g 2 8 Contract cars • • • • • • '' '' 22 18 40 Omnibuses • • • • • • ' ' ' ' 25 54 79 Traction engines Trailers— 32 9 631 960 Two wheels • • • • ■ • '' " 3 g 47 83 More than two wheels . • ■ ■ • • •' 134 206 Tractors • • • • • • ' ' " 35 55 Other motor-vehicles •• •• •• " g g67 3690 6,557 Motor-cycles ■ • • • • ■ '' "' J m , .. 10,217 12,721 22,938 Totals

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(5) Plates with initial letter " E " for vehicles exempt from payment of annual license fees. (6) Plates with the prefix " GOVT." for vehicles owned by Government Departments. (7) Plates with initial letter " H " for heavy trucks. (8) Plates with initial letter " L " for light trucks. (9) Plates with initial letter " P " for omnibuses. (10) Plates with initial letter " R " for trailers. (11) Plates with initial letter " S " for service cars. (12) Plates with initial letter " T " for taxis. (13) Plates with initial letter " V " for passenger trucks and " Contract " motor-vehicles. (e) Vehicles actually on the Road. The number of " live " registrations on the register kept in accordance with the provisions of the Motor-vehicles Act, 1924, may be taken as a reasonable indication of the number of vehicles actually on the road. The numbers of these " live " registrations have been estimated for each month, and the monthly averages for the twelve-monthly periods ended on 31st March, 1931, to 31st March, 1935, are given hereunder : —

N.B. Service-cars designed to carry not more than nine persons are included with motor-cars, while those designed to carry more than nine persons are included with omnibuses. The above table shows 5,946 more motor-cars 011 the road in 1934-35 as compared with 1J.33-34. The number of trucks also increased by 3,451, this representing an increase of over 10 per cent, as compared with the previous year. (/) Petrol Consumption. The following table shows a classification of the manner in which petrol was consumed in the Dominion during the last seven calendar years : —

The figures in the first column afford a reasonably reliable index of the usage of motor vehicles during the last seven years, subject to allowance being made for the growing use of smaller cars with a lower consumption of petrol, and also subject to the fact that in latter years a greater proportion of applications have been made for refunds on petrol not used m mo tor-vehicles.

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Monthly Averages. Type of Vehicle. ~ 1931. 1932. 1933. 1934. 1935. . Number. Number. Number. Number. Number. Motor-cars .. .. 134,407 130,889 127,115 123,331 129,277 Trucks .. I 25,294 26,232 26,907 29,863 33,314 Omnibuses .. ■. ' 1,040 1,048 1,000 iln Traction-engines . . 1 117 123 136 140 Trailers .. •• 923 1,160 1,545 2,400 2,407 Tractors 302 426 561 600 600 Motor-cycles !! !! 25,167 23,487 21,995 21,171 21,110 Other motor-vehicles . . 458 441 421 Totals .. 187,708 183,806 179,680 178,925 188,125

Consumption of Petrol. Calendar Year. By Motor-vehicles Aeroptae^&c.°Petrol j T 011 W !\ I ? on which Refunds of | all Duty was paid). Duty were made). I • Gallons. Gallons. Gallons. , q9 o .. 41,457,150* 2,057,940* 43,515,090* inon " " 56,575,840 3,650,040 60,225,880 loon 62,821,479 3,907,900 66,729,379 |go, " " " .. 55,203,252 5,286,000 60,489,252 1Q o 9 " " .. 49,861,449 5,495,479 55,356,928 iqoo " " . .. 51,262,371 5,400,0001 56,662,371 1934 " _ 55,914,450 6,100,000f 62,014,450 * Excludes an unknown amount of petrol on which duty was not paid. t Estimated.

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4. MOTOR-SPIRITS TAXATION ACT, 1927. The following data show the yield from and distribution of the petrol-tax for the year ended 31st March, 1935. The figures regarding the net yield for previous years are given for comparative purposes : — (a) Yield. £ Gross yield .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,774,523 Deductions — Refunds and cost of making same .. .. .. 163,916 Net yield .. .. .. .. .. £2,610,607 Net Yield (i.e., Gross Yield less Refunds), Year ended 31st March. £ 1928 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 143,516* 1929 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 802,232 1930 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 961,907 193 .. .. .. .. 1,314,450t 1932 1,677,520$ 1933 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,865,7 62§ 1934 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,368,147 1935 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,610,607 Total since inception of tax .. .. .. ..£11,744,141 * Part year only. t Increase from 4d. to 6d. per gallon as from 22nd July, 1930. } Increase from 6d. to Bd. per gallon as from 7th October, 1931. § Increase from Bd. to lOd. per gallon as from 9th February, 1933. (b) Distribution. The distribution of the net yield of the petrol-tax for the last five years ended 31st March, was as follows :—

N.B. —The distribution of petrol-tax amongst boroughs in accordance with section 9 (1) (b) of the Motor-spirits Taxation Act, 1927, for the year ended 31st March, 1935, together with cumulative figures showing the total distribution from the inception of the petrol-tax up to the 31st March, 1935, is given in Table No. 3 in the Appendix. (c) Classification according to Vehicles. The following figures show the new yield from the petrol-tax for the year ended 31st March, 1935, split up according to the nature of the vehicle in which the motor-spirits was consumed* : —

(d) Refunds of Duty. Refunds of duty may be claimed by all persons using motor-spirits for any purposes other than as fuel for motor-vehicles in respect of which annual license fees are payable in terms of the Motorvehicles Act, 1924. The refunds are made by the Registrar of Motor-vehicles (the Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department).

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1931. 1932. J 1933. 1934. 1935. £ £ £ £ £ Main Highways Board .. .. .. 1,219,209 1,231,202 644,126 669,868 970,506 Boroughs (population of 6,000 and over) .. 80,841 107,061 99,489 101,728 112,370 Consolidated Fund .. 321,685 1,105,182 1,579,965 1,511,499 Commission on collection .. .. 14,400 17,572 16,965 16,586 16,232 Totals .. .. •• 1,314,450 1,677,520 1,865,762 2,368,147 2,610,607

Kind of Vehicle. j Estimated Amount. I Percentage of Total I £ Per Gent. Motor-cars .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,462,800 56-07 Trucks .. .. •• •• 956,800 36-65 Omnibuses .. .. . • • • • • • • 88,000 3 • 37 Motor-cycles .. .. .. •• •• 78,800 3-02 Balance, covering other motor-vehicles and other uses of motor- 24,200 0-89 spirits for which refunds were not claimed Total .. .. .. .. .. 2,610,600 100-00 * The figures are, of course, to be taken as only an estimate to arrive at the true position, but they have been carefully taken out from the best available data.

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The claims made for refunds of duty on motor-spirits again showed an increase compared with the previous year. The average number of applications dealt with each quarter during the year 1934 being 13,179, as compared with 12,316 for the preceding year. The number of claims made and the total amount refunded in terms of the Motor-spirits Taxation Act, 1927, were as follows :

The particulars of the claims paid during each of the quarterly periods in 1934 are as follows

During the calendar year 1934, 1,451 claims were lodged during the second month following the close of the respective quarterly periods, and these were reduced by 10 per cent, in accordance with the provisions of section 7 of the Finance Act, 1933 (No. 2). With the exceptions mentioned in the following paragraph, refunds are payable at the rate of 6d. per gallon on all motor-spirits consumed for purposes other than as fuel for licensed motor-vehicles in respect of claims lodged during the month following the close of the respective quarterly periods. Refunds at the rate of Bd. per gallon are made in terms of section 4 of the Customs Acts Amendment Act, 1932-33, on motor-spirits consumed in aircraft and in vessels used exclusively in the fishing industry for commercial purposes. A deduction of 10 per cent, is also made on spirits consumed for the purposes outlined herein if application is made during the second month following the close of the quarter. 5. SPECIAL MILEAGE TAXATION. Motor-vehicles Amendment Act, 1934-35, Section 4. Owners of all road vehicles not propelled exclusively by means of motor-spirits, with the exception, inter alia, of tractors used solely for agricultural purposes and traction engines, are required to pay'a mileage-tax graduated according to the classification of their vehicles under the Heavy Motor-vehicle Regulations. The tax is payable monthly. The following figures show the number of vehicles in respect of which mileage-tax was payable as at 31st March, 1934 and 1935, and the revenue derived from mileage-tax during the years ended 31st March, 1934 and 1935 : —

The heavy decline in 1934-35 is mainly due to the exemption from the payment of the tax of tractors used solely for agricultural purposes. The rate of the special mileage-taxation varies according to the petrol-tax, and the revenue is distributed on the same proportionate basis as the revenue from -that tax. Provision exists for granting variations in or exemption from this tax by Order in Council. The following total and partial exemptions are at present in force : — (a) Total Exemption. (1) Traction engines. (2) Farm tractors. (3) Vehicles fitted with " E " plates. (Ib) Partial Exemption. (1) Electrically-driven vehicles (75 per cent.). (2) Heavy-oil compression-ignition engines (40 per cent.). (3) Vehicles driven by certain producer gas plants (70 per cent.).

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Year. ! Number of Claims. Amount refunded. I , £ 1928 11,101 34,299 1929 .. .. •• •• 19,814 60,834 1930 25,797 83,741 1931 . 37,116 132,150 1932 .. .. .. •• •• 45,986 137,387 1933 .. .. .. 49,265 138,194 1934 .. .. .. .. 52,718 155,714

Quarter. ■ Number of Claims. Amount refunded. £ s. d. March .. .. •• •• 14,295 43,660 16 7 June .. .. .. •• •• 13,983 43,001 4 8 September .. .. .. •• 12,012 33,923 17 4 December.. .. .. -• •• 12,428 35,127 14 10

Year ended 31st March, 1 Number of Vehicles, j Revenue. £ 1934 .. .. 269 2,016 1935 .. .. 96 1,594

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6. ROAD FINANCE. (a) Dominion's Road Bill, 1929-34. The Department has investigated the numerous statistical data available from official sources and has analysed and classified them in order to show approximately what the roads, streets, and bridges are costing under the headings of construction, maintenance, and loan charges. The figures which have been analysed relate to the five years ended 31st March, 1934. The classification of the roads into main highways, urban roads and streets, and other roads has been carried out, as each class of road or street has differing problems attached to it. This classification has involved a certain amount of estimation, as also have certain aspects of the figures for the whole road bill. Any estimations have been made on a conservative basis, and the figures are sufficiently close to actual fact to form a basis for reliable broad conclusions. The following table shows the expenditure under the various headings for the five years ended 31st March, 1934:—

The principal points emerging from the table for the five years ended 31st. March, 1933, were commented on in last year's annual report. The figures for 1933-34 as compared with the previous year are commented on below : — (1) Maintenance. (i) Main Highways. —The increase of approximately £60,000 is due to a corresponding increase in the expenditure of the Main Highways Board in this direction. (ii) Urban Roads. —The chief cause of the decrease of expenditure is the reduced expenditure by boroughs under this heading. (iii) Other Roads. —The decrease shown for this item is chiefly attributable to reduced payments out of ordinary revenue by counties on roads other than main highways. (2) Construction. Except for a slight increase in expenditure on main highways, the subheadings show further decreases for 1933-34, the total decrease being £142,566, or about 5 per cent, less than for 1932-33. (3) Loan Charges. The figures show slight increases in loan charges against " main highways " and " other roads." The decrease on account of urban roads and streets is principally due to a fall in the rate of loan charges against boroughs for that year.

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— 1929-30. 1 1930-31. 1931-32. I 1932-33. ! 1933-34. I 1- I | \ Maintenance—■ £ £ £ £ £ Main highways .. .. .. 1,455,845 1,326,372 1,202,343 858,577 919,194 Urban roads and streets.. .. 484,609 581,734 529.104 453,969 397,371 Other roads .. .. .. 995,040 1,130,811 1,009,702 763,648 708,424 Total .. .. .. 2,935,494 3,038,917 2,741,149 2,076,194 2,024,989 Construction—• Main highways .. .. .. 1,187,367 838,477 540,841 261,602 275,676 Urban roads and streets.. .. 1,155,636 1,077,380 1,338,677 1,224,214 1,104,047 Other roads .. .. .. 1,175,048 1,656,395 1,489,127 1,122,145 1,085,672 Total .. .. .. 3,518,051 3,572,252 3,368,645 2,607,961 2,465,395 Interest and sinking fund charges — Main highways .. .. .. 562,909 595,845 635,930 622,128 632,846 Urban roads and streets.. .. 600,188 615,530 640,728 642,282 585,900 Other roads .. .. .. 1,033,965 1,125,027 1,198,786 1,129,482 1,136,070 Total .. .. .. 2,197,062 2,336,402 2,475,444 2,393,892 2,354,816 Total annual road bill —■ Main highways .. .. .. 3,206,121 2,760,694 2,379,114 1,742,307 1,827,716 Urban roads and streets.. .. 2,240,433 2,274,644 2,508,509 2,320,465 2,087,318 Other roads .. .. .. 3,204,053 3,912,233 3,697,615 3,015,275 2,930,166 Total .. .. .. 8,650,607 8,947,571 8,585,238 7,078,047 6,845,200

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(4) Total Road Bill. The following table, showing the percentages of the total expenditure spent on (a) maintenance, (b) qonstruction, and (c) interest and loan charges, is of interest: —

As interest and loan charges are relatively fixed, they show an increasing proportion of the total, concomitant with the decline in maintenance and construction expenditure. (6) Sources of Money expended on Road Bill, 1930-34. The Department has also analysed the expenditure on roads during the five years ended 31st March, 1934, in order to ascertain the sources from which the money expended has been derived. The following table shows, under five main headings, the sources of revenue expended on (a) main highways, (b) urban roads, (c) other roads, and (d) all types of roads : —

The principal points emerging from the 1933-34 figures above as compared with the previous years are as follows : — (1) Loan-money. This item shows an increase over the previous year of more than £100,000. Loan-money comprised approximately 10 per cent, of the total money available for 1933-34. (2) Local Rates. Local rates show a falling-ofl of £200,000 but were still the chief source of money for expenditure on roads. The amount expended from this source is approximately one-third of the total road bill for 1933-34.

11

. I „ , ! Interest and Loan Maintenance. Construction. j Charges Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. 1929-30 .... 34 41 25 1930-31 .... 34 40 26 1931-32 .... 32 39 29 1932-33 .... 29 37 34 1933-3 30 36 34

" ———— ______ _________ 1929-30. 1930-31. 1931-32. 1932-33. \ 1933-34. Main highways— £ £ £ £ £ Loan 430,441 530,574 455,296 37,472 237,469 Local rates .. .. .. 589,986 591,618 | 494,341 428,998 431,262 Unemployment-taxation.. .. •• •• ' 55,073 60,259 53,032 General taxation .. .. 210,218 146,274 | 141,823 124,176 147,342 Motor-taxation .. .. 1,975,476 1,492,228 j 1,232,581 1,091,402 958,611 Total 3,206,121 2,760,694 ! 2,379,114 1,742,307 1,827,716 Urbftii roads Loan .. 649,396 450,885 330,114 122,417 70,291 Local rates .. .. .. 1,379,797 1,497,721 1,405,383 1,291,683 1,153,032 Unemployment-taxation .. .. •• 75,000 510,000 660,000 616,278 General taxation Motor-taxation .. .. •• 211,240 251,038 263,012 246,365 247,717 Total .. .. 2,240,433 2,274,644 2,508,509 2,320,465 2,087,318 Other roads — Loan .. •• 1,169,613 1,608,680 1,145,567 412,470 381,090 Local rates 1,123,361 1,121,923 841,313 798,805 734,844 Unemployment-taxation .. .. .. 39,102 281,242 677,227 675,524 General taxation .. .. 807,690 900,060 966,757 900,750 927,750 Motor-taxation .. .. .. 103,389 242,468 462,736 226,023 210,958 Total .. .. .. 3,204,053 3,912,233 3,697,615 3,015,275 2,930,166 All roads — Loan .. •• 2,249,450 2,590,139 1,930,977 572,359 688,850 Local rates .. .. .. 3,093,144 3,211,262 2,741,037 2,519,486 2,319,138 Unemployment-taxation .. .. .. 114,102 846,315 1,397,486 1,344,834 General taxation .. .. 1,017,908 1,046,334 1,108,580 1,024,926 1,075,092 Motor-taxation 2,290,105 1,985,734 1,958,329 1,563,790 1,417,286 Total .. ■■ .. 8,650,607 8,947,571 8,585,238 7,078,047 6,845,200

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(3) Unemployment Taxation. The amount shows a small decrease for 1933-34, but the expenditure from this source still represents 20 per cent, of the total expenditure. (4) General Taxation. The increase of £50,000 in this item is attributable to an increase in the road liability upon which loan charges are based at 31st March, 1934, as compared with the corresponding figure at 31st March, 1933. The amount shown for 1933-34 is approximately 16 per cent, of the total. * (5) Motor-taxation. It will be observed that there is a decrease in expenditure of money from this source amounting to £146,504 as compared with 1932-33. This is accounted for by the fact that the expenditure on the construction of main highways out of the Main Highways Account for 1933-34 was met entirely out of loan-money, while for the year 1932-33 this expenditure was met by a transfer from the Revenue Fund —i.e., out of motor-taxation. (c) Annual Charges per Mile on Roads, Streets, etc., 1929-34. The following table shows the annual expenditure for the five years ended 31st March, 1934, on the various classes of roads, &c., computed per mile of road and/or street: —

(d) Motor-taxation. Table No. 4 shows an analysis of the revenue received from the various taxes and fees levied in connection with motor-vehicles, together with comparative figures for the previous twelve years. The total amount for 1934-35 amounts to £3,868,400, the greatest figure yet recorded. The increase of £731,558 over the previous year is mainly a result of an increase of approximately £250,000 in motor-spirits tax and £400,000 in Customs duties on motor-vehicles and parts. 7. HEAVY MOTOR-VEHICLE REGULATIONS, 1932. (a) Allocation op Heavy-traffic Fees. Applications have been received by the Right Hon. the Minister for apportionment of fees in three heavy-traffic districts during the past year, the local authorities in the districts concerned being unable to agree upon the disposal of the fees. In each case that arises every endeavour is made by the Department to assist the local authorities to come to some mutually satisfactory compromise without having recourse to a hard-and-fast order of apportionment on the basis of road expenditure. In one of the cases referred to such an agreement was finally reached and the fees distributed accordingly, while in another instance negotiations are still in hand. In one district the local authorities failed to reach any agreement, and an order of the Minister was effected.

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Annual Charges per Mile of Road. . _ , Year ended Length of " Class of Road. 31st March, Formed Roads. Interest and T , , Maintenance. Loan oharge3 . Total. Miles. £ £ £ Main highways .. .. 1930 10,408 140 54 194 1931 10,420 127 57 184 1932 10,846 111 59 170 1933 10,878 79 57 136 1934 10,975 84 58 142 Urban roads and streets .. 1930 4,084 119 147 266 1931 4,055 143 152 295 1932 4,052 131 158 289 1933 4,106 111 156 267 1934 4,086 97 143 240 Other roads .. .. 1930 34,575 29 30 59 1931 35,103 32 32 64 1932 35,378 29 34 63 1933 35,909 21 32 53 1934 36,010 20 32 52 Total, all roads .. 1930 49,067 60 45 105 1931 49,578 61 47 108 1932 50,276 55 49 104 1933 50,893 41 47 88 1934 51,071 40 46 86

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The difficulty of obtaining relevant data from the local authorities concerned was stressed in last year's annual report, and investigations are now in hand with a view to amending if possible the regulations in order that the preparation of the expenditure figures may be simplified, thus effecting a considerable saving in expense to both the Government and the local authorities, and reducing the present unavoidable delay in finalizing an apportionment. (b) Limitation of Loads on Roads. With the exception of the few local authorities which have not yet classified their roads at all, generally speaking rural roads are now classified in accordance with the policy proposed by the Department, whereby the maximum classification on any rural road is Class 111, except in the case of areas adjacent to the larger centres and where the road is of a high type of construction. Alterations in classification have been effected during the year by various rural-road controlling authorities, and also in a number of instances by certain of the smaller boroughs and town districts where the treets are of light construction. The following tables show the existing position with regard to the classification of rural roads in general, and also of main highways in rural areas : —

(i) Classification of Rural Roads.

(ii) Classification of Main Highways.

Maps of each Island showing in colours the present classification of main highways are available to the public on application to the Transport Department. In order that the latest classification may be shown, the map is prepared when a request is received, the charge being ss. 8. TRAFFIC CENSUS. During the period under review the first traffic census of more than purely local interest ever taken in New Zealand was carried out, and, although this census did not include urban areas or rural roads other than main highways, yet the information obtained will prove invaluable in the study of roading and traffic problems. In the first annual report of the Department for the year ended 31st March, 1930, the need for a road census was stressed, and in Great Britain such a census has been taken at regular intervals since the year 1922. The following extract from the report on the traffic census of 1925 by the Ministry of Transport, G-reat Britain, summarizes the position : — " It will be recognized that the modern expansion of motor traction on the one hand and the instant demand for strict economy in public expenditure on the other impel road engineers and highway administrators to seek reliable information regarding the character, volume, and density of the traffic using the highways, as well as of the obstruction caused by such traffic. " For traffic-regulation data seem increasingly necessary both for public safety and the economical utilization of existing highways. Data on the movement of highway traffic are of increasing necessity to determine the relationship of highway transport to other transportation, and thus to make possible the most economical use of all available traffic agencies. Arrangements were made during the year under review whereby the Main Highways Board and the Unemployment Board, with the co-operation of the various road-controlling authorities, should finance and carry out a traffic census on the more important main highways in the country. It was also arranged that this Department should carry out the analysis of the data thus acquired. A census was taken of all traffic passing some 370 selected points, representing the greater part of the main-highway system of New Zealand. The traffic was tallied over a period of a week in August and a further week last January, it being considered that the two sets of results would provide a good indication of the average volume of traffic throughout the year.

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— Eo?d e s d ClassIL Class III. Class IV. Class V. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. North Island .. .. .. 25,736 349 4,394 8,113 3,111 15,967 South Island .. .. .. 21,735 821 4,059 2,292 312 7,484 Totals .. .. 47,471 ! , 1,170 8,453 10,405 3,423 23,451 I I

J Highways. : Glass IL ClaSS IIL ° laSS IV ' ° la38 V " Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. North Island .. .. .. 6,175 220 2,438 2,697 375 5,730 South Island .. .. . • 4,962 572 2,629 216 23 3,440 Totals .. .. 11,137 792 5,067 2,913 398 9,170

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The results of all the summer series have not yet come to hand from the various districts, and there remains a considerable amount of work before the data may be brought to a useful form. It is intended first to prepare maps showing the relative traffic density on the rural highways, and also to compile a series of tables setting out the character as well as volume of traffic, and to group the highway s according to their relative use by mo tor-vehicle traffic. In passing it may be mentioned that the average number of motor-vehicles per day ranged from over 2,600 on the No. 1 Main Highway south of Auckland to only eight on the Lake Pukaki-Hermitage Main Highway. 9. TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. A. PASSENGER-SERVICES. During the year under review the various Licensing Authorities considered applications for the renewal of licenses which had expired, as well as a number relating to new services, and a large number relating to temporary licenses for services running to race meetings, shows, and other similar events. In order to spread the peak of work which is involved in hearing applications, the continuous and seasonal applications in the North Island have been made to expire on 28th February, while those in the South Island expire on 31st August. (a) Continuous Passenger-service Licenses. Altogether 771 applications were received during the year for the renewal of this class of license and for a small number of new licenses. Of these applications 720 were granted, 16 refused, 30 withdrawn by the applicants, and 5 were deferred. In the previous year 759 applications were considered, and of these, 664 were granted, 51 were refused, 26 were withdrawn, and 18 were deferred. (b) Seasonal Passenger-service Licenses. Applications in respect of renewals of existing licenses and new licenses numbered 33 for the year, as compared with 33 for the previous year : 27 were granted, 2 were withdrawn, and 4 were deferred for further consideration. These figures compare with 25 granted, 2 refused, 3 withdrawn, and 3 deferred for the previous year. (c) Temporary Passenger-sebvice Licenses. Notwithstanding that arrangements were made for a number of operators who operated special services on a more or less regular basis to race meetings, &c., to procure continuous or seasonal licenses, thus obviating the necessity for them to procure large numbers of temporary licenses, the number of applications for temporary passenger-service licenses considered during the year under review numbered 2,548, against 1,783 for the previous year. Only 32 applications were refused, as compared with 27 for the previous year. The increase in the number of applications for temporary licenses was spread over the various districts as follows : Auckland Metropolitan District, 262 ; No. 1 District, 139 ; No. 2 District, 182 ; No. 4 District, 57 ; No. 5 District, 70 ; No. 6 District, 50 ; No. 7 District, 34 ; No. 8 District, 45. The Nos. 9 and 10 Districts showed decreases of 2 and 65 respectively. (d) Finances and Traffic Statistics. General. Operators applying for licenses were required to forward with their applications for licenses schedules setting out traffic statistics, revenue accounts, and capital investment. A considerable proportion of the applicants were unable to furnish reliable figures, but there were sufficient reasonably, correct returns received to enable a fairly accurate estimate of the state of the industry to be made. These original returns examined in conjunction with later and more accurate returns and data from other sources indicate that the chief figures immediately prior to the Act coming into operation were approximately as under :— Number of services .. . . . . . . 900 Vehicle mileage .. .. .. .. ..32,000,000 Passengers carried .. .. .. .. 17,000,000 Revenue .. .. .. .. .. £1,200,000 Expenditure .. .. .. .. .. £1,240,000 Loss .. .. .. .. .. .. £40,000 Capital employed .. .. .. .. £1,500,000 The standard of service rendered by the industry as a whole was relatively low. The greater proportion of the operators were centred around routes paralleling the railway, and competition was unregulated between the rail and the road operators and between the latter themselves. There was little incentive for an operator to improve the standard of his service. If he maintained a good time-table or endeavoured to keep his vehicles in first-class condition, he was invariably subjected to fresh competition ; it was quite a common occurrence for a new entrant into the field to obtain a vehicle under a " hire-purchase " arrangement, to cut the existing fares, and then " cream " the more heavily patronized trips. If he failed, he merely lost the vehicle, which in any case had usually had its serviceability impaired in the meantime, while the regular operator was usually either forced ofl the road or was financially embarrassed.

14

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When the Act came into force in 1932 the stream of fresh and usually unfinancial and unstable entrants was checked, and the positions of those already in the business were examined. With the elimination of some services at the hands of the Licensing Authorities, concurrently with the abandonment of other services as a result of unprofitable operation accentuated by the economic depression, the industry was reduced to something approaching reasonable proportions. Co-ordination of time-tables by the surviving operators, sometimes of their own volition, but usually at the instance of the Licensing Authorities, became effective. The net result was that at 31st March, 1933, after the Act had had its effect on the passenger industry, the number of services had been reduced by 310, and the annual vehicle mileage had been decreased by about 10,000,000 miles. Financially, the industry was in a relatively low state, as is evidenced by the fact that the to.tal profits exceeded the total losses by only £5,159. During the following year a number of overlapping services were eliminated, while at the same time a number of pioneer services were commenced in the rural areas. These factors were reflected in the figures for the year ended 31st March, 1934. During that year there was an increase in the, number of vehicle journeys and passengers carried, but a decrease in the vehicle mileage. The total revenue fell considerably, but this was more than offset by the mileage saved and by the drop in unit-operating costs ; largely as a result of some degree of unification of management, together with improvement of road conditions, elimination of competitive expenses and adherence to reasonable speed limits, operating-costs per mile fell from 9-22 d. to 8-87 d. This drop in unit costs was not effected at the expense of wages or drawings in lieu thereof, which had increased from 2-31 d. to 2-38 d. per mile —an equivalent of £186 per vehicle —nor was it due to any reduction in the size of the vehicles as a whole ; the average seating-capacity per vehicle had increased from 13-4 to 13-5. The year's operations resulted in a net profit of £38,246. Concurrently, there had been a considerable scaling-down of the over-capitalization of the industry. Before the Act came into force the total capital employed was estimated at £1,500,000. By March, 1933, this had been reduced to approximately £1,350,000, and by March, 1934, to £980,000. The profit for that year represented a return of 3-9 per cent, on the total capital employed. Of the £980,000, approximately £680,000 was represented by the proprietors' capital and reserves, and £300,000 by other liabilities. As interest on the outside liabilities was already provided for, a more appropriate figure would have been the return on the proprietors' capital and reserves, which was 5-6 per cent. During that year there were a number of fare reductions, but in most cases the Licensing Authorities did not consider it expedient to reduce very materially the fares which they had fixed at the previous hearings. The aggregate return on capital was hardly adequate, and it was considered that the public interests would be better served by ensuring financially healthy services. Year ended 31st March, 1935. —It has been found impossible to obtain and assemble the figures for the South Island during the year ended on 31st March, 1935. in time for inclusion in this report. The figures for the North Island are available, however, and these give a reasonably accurate picture of the state of the industry for the country as a whole. These figures are set out in detail in Tables Nos. 8 to 17 of the Appendix. In order to make the figures more informative they have been classified according to—(a) Fleets comprising vehicles having seats for more than nine passengers ; (b) fleets comprising vehicles having seats for nine or less than nine passengers ; and (c) fleets containing both classes of vehicles, and also fleets the operators of which run both passenger and goods services. During the year, practically all the accounts and records of passenger-service operators in the North Island were inspected by departmental officers. One of the purposes of this inspection was to ensure that the accounts and records kept were adequate in each case, and to assist in drawing up better systems where those in use were not considered satisfactory. The discrepancies disclosed by the inspection were not of sufficient magnitude to vitiate comparison between the figures for 1934-35 and previous years. (i) Traffic. There has been a slight all-round shrinkage of the traffic as compared with the previous year, the following figures showing the general tendency : —

Traffic Figures for North Island.

15

—— . —— —— 1933. 1934. 1935. Vehicle journeys .. .. Number 1,452,472 1,556,087 1,382,839 Vehicle-miles .. .. Miles 16,541,668 15,475,980 14,905,708 Empty trips .. .. •• Number 42,810 46,175 38,316 Percentage of empty to total journeys .. 2-95 2-97 2-77 Passengers carried .. .. Number 13,311,746 13,901,571 13,053,489 Passengers per journey .. .. Number 9-2 8-9 9-4 Passengers per 100 vehicle-miles .. Number 80-5 89-8 87-6 Average length of vehicle journey.. Miles .. 9-94 10-77

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The year 1934 saw the entry of a number of licensees in rural areas following on the reletting of many of the mail contracts in the North Island. These operators carry relatively few passengers. The swing-over to larger vehicles is still noticeable, as the following figures show : —

Percentages of Vehicles comprised in North Island Total.

The 1934 mean figure is probably influenced largely by the entry of a number of rural-mail-contract cars into the passenger field ; if these had also been included with the 1933 figures the mean for that year would probably have been less than thirteen. (ii) Revenue. The following table summarizes briefly the revenue figures during the last three years : —

North Island: Year ended 31st March.

This improvement of 1935 over 1934 has not been due to fare-increases. The majority of the fare schedules remained unchanged, except for a number of reductions. (iii) Expenditure. The following are the chief expenditure figures covering the last three years : —

North Island: Year ended 31st March.

The increase in running-costs per mile for 1935 as compared with 1934 is due partly to the amount written off as depreciation of the vehicles, which represented 10-9 per cent, of the purchase price, as compared with 10-5 per cent, during the previous year. The average mileage per vehicle remained at just over 20,000 miles. Vehicle standing charges per mile are practically the same as last year. Although the total amount of wages (including drawings in lieu thereof) have fallen, the amounts per mile and per vehicle have increased, showing a greater proportional return.

16

1933. 1934. 1935. More than nine seats ...... 36 45 46 Not more than nine seats .... 36 27 27 " Mixed" fleets ........ 28 28 27 100 100 100 Mean seating-capacity .. .. .. 13-4 13-5 14-3

1933. 1934. 1935. £ £ £ Passenger revenue .. .. .. 564,035 519,372 521,588 Other revenue .. .. .. .. 74,145 70,116 73,130 Total revenue .. .. .. 638,180 589,488 594,718 d. cl. d. Passenger revenue per passenger .. .. 10-17 8-97 9-59 Passenger revenue per mile .. .. 8-18 8-05 8-40 Other revenue per mile .. .. .. 1-08 1-09 1-18 Total revenue per mile .. .. 9-26 9-14 9-58

1933. J 1934. 1935. Vehicle-running costs (petrol, lubricants, tires, Aggregate: £ 339,625 305,385 298,475 repairs, maintenance, depreciation) Per mile d. 4-93 4-74 4-81 Vehicle standing charges (license fees, wages, Aggregate : £ 213,682 205,419 198,958 drawings in lieu of wages, insurance, garage fees) Per mile: d. 3-10 3-19 3-20 General overhead charges (management and office Aggregate: £ 81,452 59,619 60,923 expenses, interest, advertising, &c.) Per mile: d. 1-82 0-92 0-98 Total operating-costs .. .. .. Aggregate: £ 634,759 570,423 558,356 Per mile : d. 9-21 8-85 8-99

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The figures for the North Island for the year ended 31st March, 1935, are as follows : —

(iv) Financial Results of Operations, 1934-35. The total revenue has increased by £5,230, or 0-9 per cent., while the total expenditure has fallen by £] 2,067, or 2-1 per cent. The net profit for the North Island has increased from £19,069 to £36,262. The latter figure represents a return of 9'46 per cent, on the operators capital and reserves employed, as compared with 4-37 per cent, for the previous year. In view of the fact that operators licensed under the Act may now be regarded as sheltered the proportion of the percentage return on capital which should be reserved as compensation for risk undertaken must be regarded as very small. When that factor is considered in conjunction with the present ruling rates of interest the average return of 9-46 per cent, represents a reasonable return on the operators' capital. There are still a number of cases where a reduction of fares is being considered, and it is proposed to make a further examination of existing fare schedules during the current year. (v) Financial Condition of the Industry, 1934-3-5. The total assets of the industry in the North Island as at 31st March, .1935, was £566,596, as compared with £648,782 during the previous year. These figures are not completely comparative, however, because, when examining the schedules, in a number of cases a more strict apportionment was made of the assets concerned in the licensed service and those which, while necessary m order to set out the operator's true position, were not thus concerned. Nevertheless the figures are a reasonably reliable guide to the finances of the industry at present, and they also indicate the extent of the improvement during the year. (vi) Control of Fares. During the year the Department commenced an inspection of the accounts and records of all operators holding licenses. This was done as an adjunct to an examination of fare schedules to ensure that the monopoly powers conferred by the legislation were not being abused. It is considered that the operators have now been allowed sufficient time to rehabilitate and reconstruct their finances and to bring their services to an efficient stage, and that the time has now arrived for the Department to keep in close touch with the fares charged and the standard of service provided. A number of properly qualified officers make periodic inspections of the accounts, records, &c., of the licensed services, and the reports made are submitted for the consideration of the various Licensing The inspections to date have afforded the Department much information which will be invaluable in planning a more systematic and effective control, and several schemes are now under consideration which will assist considerably in this direction and place matters on a sounder basis. (vii) Net Result of Operation of the Act. The public benefits accruing from the operation of the Transport Licensing Act, 1931, as applied to passenger-services seem to present themselves in a more striking manner each year the annual review is made. These benefits may be summarized briefly as follows . (а) 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. (б) A saving of approximately just over £300,000 per annum in vehicle-operating 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 m other avenues of investment. (e) Improvement in regularity of services. (/) Improvement in standard of vehicles in use, with greater comfort and safety to the travelling public. (g) Reduced fares in numerous instances. (h) More healthy financial position of passenger-service operators. (e) Passenger-service-vbhicle Inspection. During the period Ist March, 1934, to 28th February, 1935, 1,969 applications for certificates of fitness or permits were received and dealt with. Of this number 22 vehicles were condemned as unfit for service, and 66 vehicles were withdrawn voluntarily. In March, 1934, provisions were made whereby passenger-service vehicles, which are licensed for the carriage of passengers for hire under the authority of a local-body by-law, were exempt from requirements as to a certificate of fitness when used as passenger-service vehicles under the authority of a temporary passenger-service license.

3—H. 40.

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1933. 1934. 1935. Wages, plus drawings by working proprietors in lieu of wages — Aggregate . .. •• * >«;«? 160 <« ♦!§ Per vehicle-mile .. •• . . d. 2 49 Per vehicle £ 196 209 211

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The removal of these vehicles from the control of this Department in so far as inspection is concerned is reflected in the reduced number of applications for certificates of fitness submitted, and the reduced number of service cars when compared with last year's figures. The total number of vehicles in the Dominion which were covered by certificates of fitness or permits during the period now under review is shown below :—

The inspection of passenger-service vehicles has been smoothly and efficiently carried out, and good maintenance of vehicles is reported. A general steady improvement is shown in the standard and comfort of vehicles now provided for the travelling public, and, in particular, service cars show a marked improvement. In such vehicles the dicky or folding seat is rapidly disappearing, and reconstructed or new service cars built in accordance with the Department's requirements are of pleasing design and give ample room and comfort for long journeys. Commercial chassis which may be adapted to suit the eight-to-twelve passenger-service car requirements are now available, and it is possible that a greater selection of models in this range will be on the market in the near future, therefore the need for alterations of large private-car chassis to meet the demand for medium-sized service cars is now practically non-existent. In the omnibus class also the trend is towards modern stream-lined bodies, and greater comfort combined with more pleasing interior decoration and fittings. Omnibus-body building in New Zealand has been brisk during the last twelve months, and the completed vehicles reveal a high standard of workmanship and design. A complete omnibus with an English.steel frame body was imported in December last, and this afforded an excellent practical comparison with New-Zealand-made omnibus bodies. Furthermore, English-manufactured steel fabrication for three omnibus bodies has arrived in the Dominion, and when the completed vehicles are on the road the manner in which the steel bodies withstand New Zealand service conditions will be closely watched. Interest in the progressive design of the compression-ignition engine in other countries and its application to road-transport vehicles has been manifest in New Zealand for some considerable time, and the importation this year, of a standard British compression-ignition-engine bus chassis was an important event for passenger-service operators. The vehicle has proved a complete success to date in actual service, and it is confidently anticipated that many more compression-ignition-engined passenger-vehicles will be operating in New Zealand in the near future. It is worthy of mention that eleven British firms now market an aggregate of thirty-five models of compression-ignition-engine passenger-chassis, the range of seating-capacities available being from twenty to seventy-two. In the goods chassis the range is larger, with twenty-three manufacturers offering models from 2-ton pay-load upwards. B. GOODS SERVICES. The continuous and seasonal goods-service licenses expire on 31st May of each year, midway between February and August, when the passenger-service licenses also expire. (a) Continuous Goods-service Licenses. No less than 2,146 applications for the renewal of existing licenses and a small number of new licenses were considered by the various Licensing Authorities during the year. Of these, 2,016 were granted, 91 were refused, 25 were withdrawn, and 14 were deferred. Corresponding figures for the preceding year were 2,146 applications, of which 1,898 were granted, 118 refused, 43 withdrawn, and 87 deferred. (b) Seasonal Goods-service Licenses. Applications for the renewal of existing licenses and a few new licenses numbered 108, compared with 99 for the preceding year. Eighty-nine of these applications were granted, 9 were refused, 7 were withdrawn, and 3 were deferred. For the previous year 88 were granted, 3 were refused, and 8 were withdrawn.

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District No. | Omnibuses. Service Cars.j 61 " Total. ! ! ' ' 1 .. .. 10 59 7 63 139 2 .. .. 204 157 20 21 402 4 .. .. 64 142 8 32 246 5 .. .. 17 89 2 26 ] 346 .. .. 115 136 7 19 277 7 .. .. 22 109 .. 36 167 8 .. .. 51* 44 9 12 116 9 .. .. 48 89 4 13 154 10 .. .. .. 22 74 3 8 107 Totals .. 553 899 60 230 1,742 * Includes eleven trackless trams.

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(c) Temporary Goods-service Licenses. During the year under review 773 applications for temporary licenses were dealt with directly by Licensing Authorities, while 6,626 licenses were issued by postmasters, making a total of 7,399. This is almost double that recorded for the year ended 31st March, 1934—viz., 3,793. Each postmaster operates under the jurisdiction of the Licensing Authority in whose district the post-office is situated. The substantial increase shown is probably due to an improvement in business conditions, and also to the fact that operators are now becoming more conversant with the requirements. Nevertheless the temporary goods-service license has a special limited purpose, and it is undesirable that it should bulk too largely in the scheme of licensing for goods transport. The Department is investigating the position with a view to reducing to a minimum the number of such licenses which are warranted by the conditions of transport and trade. (d) Finances and Statistics. The financial and statistical returns relating to the licensed goods-services are required to be submitted with the applications for the renewal of licenses. As these applications are not received until the month of May it has not been possible to include a review of the finances and traffic statistics for the past year in this report. Last year's report was prepared later in the year and included figures for the year ended 31st March, 1934. C. APPEALS FROM DECISIONS OF LICENSING AUTHORITIES. Full details of the appeals dealt with during the year ended 31st March, 1935, are contained in the annual report of the Transport Co-ordination Board, which acts as the Appeal Board under the Transport Licensing Act, 1931. 10. COMMERCIAL AIR TRANSPORT. The year 1934 witnessed the extension of the principle of the licensing of transport in the public interest to the latest entrant into the field of transport—viz., air transport. The Transport Licensing (Commercial Aircraft Services) Act, 1934, became law on 31st October, 1934, and provides a system of licensing for all aircraft services, the term aircraft service meaning " any service by aircraft for the carriage of passengers or goods for hire or reward in respect of any journey beginning and ending in New Zealand other than a service in which the aircraft used leaves from and returns to the same aerodrome without any intermediate stop." Two classes of license are provided —viz., continuous licenses, which have a maximum tenure of five years, and temporary licenses, which cover services to be carried on for a specified period of not more than seven days or any specified special occasions. The power to deal with'applications for licenses is vested in the Transport Co-ordination Board, which is required to take into account considerations which are similar in principle to those existing in connection with applications for motor-transport licenses. The Transport Licensing (Commercial Aircraft Services) Regulations, 1934, which contain the necessary machinery requirements to give effect to the provisions of the Act, were gazetted on 20th November, 1934. Details of the applications considered during the year under review are contained in the annual report of the Transport Co-ordination Board. 11. MOTOR ACCIDENTS. (a) Review op Statistics. During the year ended 31st March, 1935, motor accidents caused the death of 26 children under the age af fourteen years, 42 young persons between the ages of fourteen and twenty-four years, and 114 persons over twenty-four years, making a total of 182 human lives. This figure shows an increase of 47 over that for the previous year, which was the lowest figure recorded since the present system of statistics was instituted in 1930. Expressed in terms of potential earning-power of the persons who have lost) their lives, and of the estimated costs involved in physical disability in non-fatal accidents, as well as the estimated value of property damaged as a result of all accidents, it is estimated that the annual loss due to these accidents is not less than £1,000,000. This figure gives some idea of the magnitude of the motor-accident question from the purely monetary point of view, but it is generally recognized that there is also a staggering and unrecorded burden of human misery and distress. This aspect of the matter is mentioned in order to lay emphasis on the whole question and to ensure that the magnitude of the problem is realized. The deaths referred to in the preceding paragraph resulted from 174 accidents ; this figure is 49 greater than that for the previous year. It is true that there was a considerable increase in the volume of motor traffic on the roads last year, the benzine-consumption showing an increase of approximately 10 per cent., but there seems to be grounds for believing that the increase in fatal motor accidents has been considerably greater than that recorded for the volume of traffic. The data cover too short a period to enable definite conclusions to be arrived at, but they are sufficiently definite to make it impossible to shelter behind the increased volume of traffic as the sole cause of the increase in fatal accidents. Moreover, experience from overseas shows that in many other countries, particularly Great Britain, the numbers of motor accidents have increased at an alarming rate over recent years.

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An examination of Table No. 20 in the Appendix to this report, which shows comparative statistics relating to fatal motor accidents over a period of six years, directs attention to the following principal points : — (i) The number of accidents due to motor-vehicles colliding with pedestrians increased from 26 in .1933-34 to 46 in 1934-35. (ii) Collisions between motor-vehicles caused 36 fatal accidents in 1934-35, as against 21 in 1933-34. (iii) Collisions between motor-vehicles and bicycles increased from 15 to 23. (iv) The accidents showed a more even distribution over the different days of the week as compared with last year. (v) An increase in the number of young children killed as a result of motor accidents. (vi) Pedestrian fatalities show a sharp increase from 26 to 45, due mainly to an increase in the number of cases where the pedestrian was at fault. (vii) Motor-cycles figure in an increased number of accidents. (viii) Excessive speed under the heading " Exceeding thirty-five miles per hour " as a cause of accident increased by 2| times—from 8 to 20. (ix) Glaring headlights was the prime cause of accident in 10 instances this year, as compared with 2 last year. (x) Intoxication (mild or severe) figured in 18 fatal motor accidents this year, as compared with 4 last year. The above points emphasize the diversity of causes in motor accidents, which in turn points to the fact that there is no single simple remedy to eliminate them. Such causes as excessive speed, glaring headlights, and intoxication suggest more strict enforcement of the existing laws and salutary punishment for breaches ; the number of small children and pedestrians involved in accidents where the motorist was not at fault can only be reduced by proper education of both young and old regarding their conduct on roads used by motor-traffic ; the number of collisions between motorvehicle and. motor-vehicle and other vehicles calls for the exercise of judgment and care on behalf of those in control of the vehicles. In brief, the rising tide of motor accidents may be countered by — (a) Improvement of the machinery dealing with the enforcement of the traffic laws ; and (b) Provision of facilities for educating the pedestrians, the motorists, and the whole public in the practice of " safety first." The Ministry of Transport in Britain is now pursuing an active, policy under both those headings, and it would appear that the time has arrived when further efforts along those lines should be made in the Dominion. The Department is investigating the position with this object in view. 12. TRAFFIC CONTROL. (a) Transport Licensing Act, 1931. No alteration was made during the year in the machinery provided to ensure reasonable observance of the Transport Licensing Act, 1931, and the Department still has the co-operation ancl assistance of local-body traffic officers in this respect. These officers, however, carry out numerous and varied duties on behalf of their respective controlling authorities, and this Department can only rely on their assistance where it does not interfere with their other duties. However, in view of the fact that this legislation is comparatively recent, particularly as regards goods-services, the policy has been largely educational, and special care has been exercised to prevent anything in the nature of unnecessary prosecutions. Both passenger- and goods-service licensees have in general shown their appreciation of this policy by co-operating with the Department, and confirmation of this is found in the fact that only 53 prosecutions were taken throughout the Dominion, resulting in 49 convictions, with fines totalling £2-32 ss. (b) Motor-vehicles Act, 1924, and Amendments. Arising out of the meeting of traffic officers, mentioned in last year's report, a Dominion-wide check-up was made on all motor-vehicles for defective brakes and glaring headlights. Every facility was given drivers to have these two items of equipment adjusted to comply with the regulations before any attempt , was made to stop vehicles on the road. The response from local authorities, the automobile associations, and the motorists themselves was remarkable, and the press provided wide-spread publicity to the proposed check. In fact, as soon as they were aware of their responsibilities many thousands of motorists (wholly on their own initiative) had the brakes and lights on their vehicles overhauled and adjusted at garages. The final figures, however, revealed that 70 per cent, of the vehicles on the road could not comply with the very reasonable standard of efficiency required by the regulations, indicating clearly the necessity for the action taken ; the roads should now be definitely safer as a result from the check-up, which incidentally afforded an invaluable means of impressing upon each motorist his individual responsibility in respect of his own vehicle. Similar checks a,re to be made at regular intervals, and, by utilizing the experience already gained, these checks will be carried out with a minimum of inconvenience to drivers.

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(c) Traffic Offences. It is not generally realized that convictions for traffic offences now represent approximately 30 per cent, of the total convictions in the Magistrates' Courts. For the calendar year 1930 the number of convictions for traffic offences numbered 18,145, but this number steadily declined for various reasons to 14,136 in 1933. The following summary shows the comparisons of the principal offences for which convictions were recorded during the last five years for which figures are available.

These figures give some idea of the magnitude of the problem of traffic enforcement 111 the Dominion. They also indicate that the number of registration, &c., offences shows an increasing tendency, while most of the other main classes shown separately show decreases over the period covered. (d) Need foe Uniformity in Traffic Control. The development of motor traffic during recent years in the Dominion, and in every other country where the motor-vehicle has developed, has directed attention to the fact that local-body boundaries have lost their significance in so far as this traffic is concerned. The general improvements in both roads and vehicles have widened the scope of motor traffic so much that it may now be described as being national rather than local in its main characteristics. This change in character from local to national has brought with it several changes in the relationship between the General Government and local government and motor traffic. For example, the old system of registration and licensing by local authorities has been replaced by a central system operated by the General Government, and the old system whereby taxing-powers were vested m local authorities has been replaced by a uniform national system. . In the direction of by-laws dealing with the control of motor traffic and the control exercised over motor traffic, however, the Dominion still has what may be described as an essentially local system. That is to say, local authorities have independent powers to make by-laws dealing with traffic and have their own traffic officials. The chief disadvantages which this system causes are disturbances to the free flow of traffic, the confusion which arises when each motorist is required to become acquainted with hundreds of different rules and regulations, and the varying degrees of efficiency and severity or otherwise with which the laws are enforced. All these disadvantages point to the one central fact that motor traffic has long since outgrown a local system of traffic control. . At the Seventh Congress of the Permanent International Association of Koad Congresses held m 1934, at which countries throughout the world were represented, the question of traffic control occupied an important part. After full consideration the Conference adopted the following resolution : — " The most important condition precedent for the safety of traffic is the codification, on as definite lines as possible, of the traffic regulations, which must, be clear and simple. These regulations must be uniform throughout the whole country, and local deviations should only be allowed on a very restricted scale and only with the permission of the central authorities ; even then attention must be drawn to them by means of special signs." This resolution not only shows that the local system of traffic control is inadequate for modern motor traffic, but also suggests that adequate standards of safety can only be secured through a unified national system of all traffic regulations and traffic control. (e) Drivers' Hours. This has been the subject of much comment from time to time, and there has been agitation on the part of various bodies for regulation and control of 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— (а) 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 (б) The prevention of accidents.

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Calendar Year. Class of Offence. ~ 1929. 1930. 1931. 1932. 1933. Registration, &c., of vehicles .. •• 3,232 3,678 4,184 4,521 4,337 Lighting of vehicles .. •• •• 4,164 3,965 2,557 3,406 3,661 Negligent or dangerous driving .. .. 3,291 3,923 3,109 2,693 2,314 Excessive speed .. •• 1,609 2,120 2,084 2,052 Parking regulations .. .. •• 1,734 1,836 1,049 949 Other .. •• •• 2 .737 2,623 2,152 1,983 1,702 Tota l s 16,767 18,145 15,135 15,604 14,136

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This is fully 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 in the truck industry cannot be stated with absolute accuracy, the attached table, No. 19, gives a very fair idea of the situation. This shows that of the total number of truckowners 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 of the total number of trucks licensed— viz., 3,355 —about 2,000 are operated by owner-drivers. The Department is fully alive to its responsibilities in this direction, but, owing to the complex nature of the problem, realizes that great care must be taken and thorough investigations made before embarking upon control of this nature. 13. OVERSEA MECHANICAL TRANSPORT COUNCIL. A report has now been issued by the Oversea Mechanical Transport Directing Committee regarding the tests carried out in Australia with the second experimental motor-transport unit designed for the transport of heavy loads over unmetalled roads. This tractor-trailer unit carries a pay-load of 15 tons under average conditions, has a maximum speed of 28 miles per hour, and can climb a gradient of linB on a dry earth road. The tractor alone, with 3 tons pay-load, can negotiate a 1 in 2f grade. The tractor, with 130 brake horse-power com-pression-ignition engine driving on all four axles, draws two 8-wheeled trailers each of 6 tons pay-load capacity. The whole outfit is equipped with low-pressure tires, and the maximum axle weight is less than 3 tons. The test comprised almost 10,000 miles over surfaces varying from deep sand and plains covered with loose stone to heavy sandy creek crossings, black soil, and deep mud. The fuel-consumption averaged 3-15 miles per gallon (Diesel oil) and the speed 12-87 miles per hour. The operating-cost per net ton-mile, including depreciation, interest, wages,, repairs and maintenance, fuel, lubricants, tires, insurances, garage fees, license, and supervision amounted to 3-70 d. ; whereas the ruling-rate for carriage of goods in the Northern Territory where the tests were carried out ranges from 9d. to Is. 6d. per ton-mile. It is considered that with back-loading freights and better provisions for loading, a lower unit figure than 3-70 d. would be reached. The Directing Committee of the Oversea Mechanical Transport Council suggests that.a pay-load of more than 15 tons should be aimed at in order to attain the greatest economy of transport under the conditions for which this type of unit is designed. With this end in view a design has been prepared for a similar tractor-trailer unit with a maximum pay-load of 30 tons, motive-power being provided by two 130 brake horse-power Deisel engines. It is considered that with an axle load of 4| tons, and with the low-pressure tires used, and slower and more even [running, the unit will cause no more damage to the road surfaces than does the ordinary 3-ton lorry, and at the same time there would be a substantial reduction in the cost per ton-mile attained by the 15-ton unit. It is unfortunate that further experiments on the lines outlined above are rendered impossible at the present juncture owing to lack of funds. 14. CHANGES IN TRANSPORT LAWS AND REGULATIONS. A. LEGISLATION. Two acts under the jurisdiction of the Department were passed in the period under review :— (a) Transport Licensing (Commercial Aircraft Services) Act, 1934. This provides for commercial air services being brought under the licensing system, the Transport Co-ordination Board being the licensing authority. (b) Motor-vehicles Amendment Act, 1934-35. This amends the Motor-vehicles Act, 1924, and has two main purposes : — (1) It amends the definition of " public motor-car " by altering words " plying for hire " to " plying or is available for hire." This alteration was urgently required owing to the increasing number of private-hire vehicles which under the previous wording were exempt from liability for local-body plying-for-hire fees, and not under the same measure of control as ordinary taxis. (2) It provides relief and clarifies the legal position in the matter of taxation for a miscellaneous class of vehicles such as well-borers, agricultural apparatus, roadmaking machinery, saw-benches, log-haulers, &c. Prior to this alteration the position of this class of vehicle under the law was legally uncertain, but now they are, in appropriate cases, either totally exempted from taxation or subjected to the mileage-tax and exempted from license fees and 6d. per gallon of the motor-spirits tax.

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B. REGULATIONS. Various regulations or amendments to existing regulations were gazetted during the year ended 31st March, 1935. The number of these is an indication of the necessity for frequent amendment of the laws relating to motor-vehicle control, and the difficulty of meeting the constant changes in condition of the motor industry. When the licensing system for motor transport has been stabilized it is intended that a consolidation of the regulations will be arranged. 15. TRANSPORT LEGISLATION IN OTHER COUNTRIES. Transport legislation in other countries is full of interest, mainly as offering information upon the results of their experience in transport control and their steps to perfect their systems and secure the main objective of co-ordination of road, rail, and other forms of transport. Of recent legislation the most interesting, in so far as the Dominion is concerned, is that of Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland a most exhaustive examination and inquiry was made by leading transport authorities, and their recommendations have been largely adopted by the Northern Ireland Government. The following are the main points of the new policy : — (a) The formation of a Road Board to acquire any road motor services and operate them as a co-ordinated whole. (b) The Board will be self-supporting, and a distinct commercial enterprise. (c) The whole of the road services acquired will be carried out under conditions of large-scale operation and centralized control. (d) After actual operating-expenses (excluding overhead) have been paid the net revenue of both road and rail will be paid into a common fund and distributed on the basis of the mean railway net revenue for the years 1924-32 and the road net revenue for 1932. (e) A committee formed of representatives of the Road Board and railway companies will regulate the pooling of receipts and the effective co-ordination and division of activities. (f) Any interested body has the right of appeal to an independent tribunal against any action by the Board or railway companies. (g) The important principle is laid down that both road and rail will be under separate management and control, neither being subservient to the other. Finances and management are entirely separate, although every provision is made for permanent co-ordination and co-operation between the two bodies. (h) Provision is made for exemption of certain services—e.g., local carriers in Belfast and Londonderry, goods carried by a farmer for his neighbours—but save in those cases no person will be permitted to operate a road motor service for hire save with the consent of the Board. (i) An appeal tribunal is to be set up with wide powers for safeguarding the interests of the public, particularly in respect of withdrawal of public services or the needs for new or improved services. The scheme was the culmination of experience gained in other countries and from previous Acts. The basis now appears to be laid for practical and successful measures towards the solution of the road-rail problem.

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16. APPENDIX.

TABLE No. 1.—MOTOR-VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS, BY HIGHWAY DISTRICTS. Table showing the Number of each Type of Motor-vehicle registered in each Highway District, at 31st December, 1934.

TABLE No. 2.—MOTOR-VEHICLES LICENSED AS AT 31st MARCH, 1935. Table showing by Postal Districts the Number of Motor-vehicles licensed under the Motor-vehicles Act, 1924, as at the 31st March, 1935.

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H.—40. 24 16. APPENDIX. TABLE No. 1.—MOTOR-VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS, BY HIGHWAY DISTRICTS. Table showing the Number of each Type of Motor-vehicle registered in each Highway District, at 31st December, 1934. 2s. * 3 Sg ê I I I I 1 2 ti $$ 11« Highway District. j «*f | || f S | | | | | |g g| | -.1 Total. a I «ll IMS I H s> r 1 i North Island. Auckland North .. 1 4,510 21 4 59 54 9 82 713 681 85 51 60 917 5 7,251 Auckland South .. 2 29,643 240 81 413104198103 4,991 3,587 411 231 300 5,414 31 45,747 Tauranga .. .. 3 3,464 34 4 52 48 10 26 741 466 61 43 90 496 1 5,536 Gisborne .. .. 4 2,774 19 1 46 25 16 22 291 308 41 30 42 419 2 4,036 Hawke'sBay .. .. 5 8,123 63 1| 67 67 38 46 1,577 924 124 70 72 1,034 5 12,211 King-country .. .. 6 1,836 12 ..I 19 10 4 23 350 341 30 29 59 376 3 3,092 Taranaki .. .. 7 7,426 80 14 38 33 7 39 1,174 894 69 78 46 1,342 14 11,254 Wanganui .. .. 8 5,485 49 8 51 33 3 31 887 592 77 61 36 844 5 8,162 Wellington West ,. 9 16.723 186 31 268 26 94 30 2,287 1,932 311 123 330 2,763 15 25,119 Wellington East .. 10 4,463 39 2 20 39 7 21 767 445 123 84 8 496 2 6,516 Totals, North Island .. 184,447 743 1461,033 439 380423 13,77810,1701,332 8001,043 14,10183 128,924 South Island. Nelson .. ..11 4,257 34 8 58 67 8 21 778 493 87 43 49 874 5 6,782 West Coast .. ..12 1,982 11 14 39 27 10 25 375 358 67 52 55 461 .. 3,476 Canterbury North .. 13 1,110 2 6 2 22 .. 10 191 118 23 24 5 194 .. 1,707 Canterbury Central .. 14 14,848 124 34 160 26 35 38 1,813 1,261 535 99 167 3,258 16 22,414 Canterbury South .. 15 7,069 32 11 46 20 19 38 1,129 541 376 74 23 1,131 5 10,514 Otago Central .. .. 16 3,726 18 10 42 31 10 19 595 366 88 34 24 603 2 5,568 Otago South .. ..17 7,259 68 10 123 48 33 45 1,033 844 235 55 66 1,320 5 11,144 Southland .. ..18 6,658 52 22 70 30 21 37 1,1.12 792 168 52 53 971 10 1,048 Totals, South Island .. 46,909 341115 540271136233 7,026 4,7731,579 433 442 8,812 43 71,653 Grand totals.. .. 131,3561,084 261 1,573 710522 656 2Q,804 14,943 2,911 1,233 1,485 22,913 126 200,577 TABLE No. 2.—MOTOR-VEHICLES LICENSED AS AT 31st MARCH, 1935. Table showing by Postal Districts the Number of Motor-vehioles licensed under the Motor-vehicles Act, 1924, as at the 31st March, 1935. ________ _ _ __ _ , __________ ill !j I ! t s I i I ff. J I,- I I ph j rf w * a> H I North Island. Auckland .. .. .. 24,781 98 4,013 3,166 141 171 379 108 378 204 164 232 31 4,883 38,749 Thames .. .. .. 4,740 1 1,002 579 30 9 51 33 75 44 71 35 5 753 7,428 Hamilton .. .. ..10,741 9 2,157 1,485 77 42 115 75 235 71 114 226 7 1,895 17,249 Gisborne .. .. .. 3,492 1 405 391 31 17 50 28 58 24 35 42 2 497 5,073 Napier .. .. .. 7,105 3 1,425 829 49 37 63 60 135 56 56 64 4 915 10,801 New Plymouth .. .. 7,705 15 1,250 919 43 7 40 33 90 80 83 49 14 1,452 11,780 Wanganui.. .. .. 5,436 8 911 594 29 5 52 32 99 52 62 33 5 866 8,184 Palmerston North '.. .. 8,725 7 1,323 828 21 19 62 28 173 63 86 83 1.2 1,176 12,606 Wellington .. .. 14,869 28 2,193 1,814 §1 85 241 48 337 184 140 297 6 2,538 22 83.1 Totals, North Island .. 87,594 170 14,679 10,605 472 392 1,053 445 1,580 778 811 1,061 86 14,975 134,701 South Island. Nelson .. .. .. 2,962 13 566 39.1 14 9 40 54 48 23 23 38 5 651 4,837 Blenheim .. .. .. 1,624 .. 332 163 8 .. 22 13 56 12 25 9 .. 346 2,610 Westport . . .. . . 492 1 122 105 9 .. 8 8 22 4 17 3 . . 108 899 Greymouth .. .. 1,540 12 271 273 19 9 30 21 53 9 36 52 1 391 2,717 Christchurch .. .. 18,499 45 2,441 1,676 75 37 164 51 775 134 132 178 18 3,958 28,183 Timaru .. .. .. 4,898 5 812 398 21 18 37 20 231 25 53 20 3 893 7,434 Oamaru .. .. .. 2,010 3 289 197 4 8 14 16 69 12 14 15 I 319 2,971 Dunedin .. .. .. 9,269 19 1,395 1,063 58 35 156 59 280 75 74 81 6 1,683 14,253 Invercargill .. .. 7,121 23 1,199 857 42 19 73 39 191 53 58 56 10 1,116 10,857 Totals, South Island ,. 48,415 121 7,427 5,123 250 135 544 281 1,725 347 432 452 44 9,465 74,761 Grand totals .. 136,009 291 22,106 15,728 722 527 1,597 726 3,305 1,125 1,243 1,513 130 24,440 209,462

H.—40. 24 16. APPENDIX. TABLE No. 1.—MOTOR-VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS, BY HIGHWAY DISTRICTS. Table showing the Number of each Type of Motor-vehicle registered in each Highway District, at 31st December, 1934. 2s. * 3 Sg ê I I I I 1 2 ti $$ 11« Highway District. j «*f | || f S | | | | | |g g| | -.1 Total. a I «ll IMS I H s> r 1 i North Island. Auckland North .. 1 4,510 21 4 59 54 9 82 713 681 85 51 60 917 5 7,251 Auckland South .. 2 29,643 240 81 413104198103 4,991 3,587 411 231 300 5,414 31 45,747 Tauranga .. .. 3 3,464 34 4 52 48 10 26 741 466 61 43 90 496 1 5,536 Gisborne .. .. 4 2,774 19 1 46 25 16 22 291 308 41 30 42 419 2 4,036 Hawke'sBay .. .. 5 8,123 63 1| 67 67 38 46 1,577 924 124 70 72 1,034 5 12,211 King-country .. .. 6 1,836 12 ..I 19 10 4 23 350 341 30 29 59 376 3 3,092 Taranaki .. .. 7 7,426 80 14 38 33 7 39 1,174 894 69 78 46 1,342 14 11,254 Wanganui .. .. 8 5,485 49 8 51 33 3 31 887 592 77 61 36 844 5 8,162 Wellington West ,. 9 16.723 186 31 268 26 94 30 2,287 1,932 311 123 330 2,763 15 25,119 Wellington East .. 10 4,463 39 2 20 39 7 21 767 445 123 84 8 496 2 6,516 Totals, North Island .. 184,447 743 1461,033 439 380423 13,77810,1701,332 8001,043 14,10183 128,924 South Island. Nelson .. ..11 4,257 34 8 58 67 8 21 778 493 87 43 49 874 5 6,782 West Coast .. ..12 1,982 11 14 39 27 10 25 375 358 67 52 55 461 .. 3,476 Canterbury North .. 13 1,110 2 6 2 22 .. 10 191 118 23 24 5 194 .. 1,707 Canterbury Central .. 14 14,848 124 34 160 26 35 38 1,813 1,261 535 99 167 3,258 16 22,414 Canterbury South .. 15 7,069 32 11 46 20 19 38 1,129 541 376 74 23 1,131 5 10,514 Otago Central .. .. 16 3,726 18 10 42 31 10 19 595 366 88 34 24 603 2 5,568 Otago South .. ..17 7,259 68 10 123 48 33 45 1,033 844 235 55 66 1,320 5 11,144 Southland .. ..18 6,658 52 22 70 30 21 37 1,1.12 792 168 52 53 971 10 1,048 Totals, South Island .. 46,909 341115 540271136233 7,026 4,7731,579 433 442 8,812 43 71,653 Grand totals.. .. 131,3561,084 261 1,573 710522 656 2Q,804 14,943 2,911 1,233 1,485 22,913 126 200,577 TABLE No. 2.—MOTOR-VEHICLES LICENSED AS AT 31st MARCH, 1935. Table showing by Postal Districts the Number of Motor-vehioles licensed under the Motor-vehicles Act, 1924, as at the 31st March, 1935. ________ _ _ __ _ , __________ ill !j I ! t s I i I ff. J I,- I I ph j rf w * a> H I North Island. Auckland .. .. .. 24,781 98 4,013 3,166 141 171 379 108 378 204 164 232 31 4,883 38,749 Thames .. .. .. 4,740 1 1,002 579 30 9 51 33 75 44 71 35 5 753 7,428 Hamilton .. .. ..10,741 9 2,157 1,485 77 42 115 75 235 71 114 226 7 1,895 17,249 Gisborne .. .. .. 3,492 1 405 391 31 17 50 28 58 24 35 42 2 497 5,073 Napier .. .. .. 7,105 3 1,425 829 49 37 63 60 135 56 56 64 4 915 10,801 New Plymouth .. .. 7,705 15 1,250 919 43 7 40 33 90 80 83 49 14 1,452 11,780 Wanganui.. .. .. 5,436 8 911 594 29 5 52 32 99 52 62 33 5 866 8,184 Palmerston North '.. .. 8,725 7 1,323 828 21 19 62 28 173 63 86 83 1.2 1,176 12,606 Wellington .. .. 14,869 28 2,193 1,814 §1 85 241 48 337 184 140 297 6 2,538 22 83.1 Totals, North Island .. 87,594 170 14,679 10,605 472 392 1,053 445 1,580 778 811 1,061 86 14,975 134,701 South Island. Nelson .. .. .. 2,962 13 566 39.1 14 9 40 54 48 23 23 38 5 651 4,837 Blenheim .. .. .. 1,624 .. 332 163 8 .. 22 13 56 12 25 9 .. 346 2,610 Westport . . .. . . 492 1 122 105 9 .. 8 8 22 4 17 3 . . 108 899 Greymouth .. .. 1,540 12 271 273 19 9 30 21 53 9 36 52 1 391 2,717 Christchurch .. .. 18,499 45 2,441 1,676 75 37 164 51 775 134 132 178 18 3,958 28,183 Timaru .. .. .. 4,898 5 812 398 21 18 37 20 231 25 53 20 3 893 7,434 Oamaru .. .. .. 2,010 3 289 197 4 8 14 16 69 12 14 15 I 319 2,971 Dunedin .. .. .. 9,269 19 1,395 1,063 58 35 156 59 280 75 74 81 6 1,683 14,253 Invercargill .. .. 7,121 23 1,199 857 42 19 73 39 191 53 58 56 10 1,116 10,857 Totals, South Island ,. 48,415 121 7,427 5,123 250 135 544 281 1,725 347 432 452 44 9,465 74,761 Grand totals .. 136,009 291 22,106 15,728 722 527 1,597 726 3,305 1,125 1,243 1,513 130 24,440 209,462

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TABLE No. 3. —PETROL-TAX ALLOCATION TO BOROUGHS WITH 6,000 OR MORE POPULATION. Table showing the Distribution of the Petrol-tax to Boroughs with a Population of 6,000 and over.

TABLE No. 4.—TAXATION OF MOTOR-VEHICLES, 1923-1935. Table showing the Annual Yield for the Years ended 31st March, 1923 to 1935, in respect of (a) Customs Duties on Motor-vehicles and Parts; (b) Tire-tax; (c) Motorspirits Tax; (d) Fees, etc., under the Motor-vehicles Act, 1924; (e) Heavy-traffic Fees; (f) Drivers' Licenses; and (g) Mileage Tax, etc., under Finance Act, 1932-33, No. 2, Section 19.

4—H. 40.

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Year ended 31st March, 1935. Total since Inception of Boroughs. Amount of Tax, Quarter ended Petrol-tax up to 31st March, 1935. June. September. December. j March. Total. j £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Wellington City .. 4,177 0 6 4,052 12 10 5,202 13 1 4,869 7 9 18,301 14 2 106,266 16 3 Auckland City .. 3,940 18 0 3,823 11 0 4,907 1 0 4,592 14 5 17,264 4 5 101,168 12 7 Christchurch City.. 3,373 9 5 3,273 0 4 4,197 11 11 3,928 14 3 14,772 15 11 86,475 7 3 DunedinCity .. 2,558 18 8 2,482 14 8 3,183 8 9 2,979 10 6 11,204 12 7 65,799 6 7 WanganuiCity .. 909 14 5 882 12 7 1,132 7 11 1,059 17 2 3,984 12 1 24,005 15 8 PalmerstonNth. City 803 11 1 779 12 7 1,002 15 8 938 11 0 3,524 10 4 20,060 6 2 Mount Albert .. 776 2 0 752 19 9 966 8 0 904 9 11 3,399 19 8 19,724 13 6 Inveroargill City .. 776 2 0 752 19 9 966 8 0 904 9 11 3,399 19 8 19,663 14 1 Mount Eden .. 746 16 3 724 11 6 930 0 5 870 8 11 3,271 17 1 19,212 7 6 Timaru .. .. 638 16 4 619 15 11 798 2 8 747 0 2 2,803 15 1 16,218 0 5 New Plymouth .. 605 17 5 587 16 7 754 18 7 706 11 5 2,655 4 0 15,254 15 0 Napier .. .. 600 7 7 582 10 0 750 7 7 702 6 4 2,635 11 6 15,601 13 4 Hamilton .. 576 11 8 559 8 3 718 10 11 672 10 5 2,527 1 3 14,741 9 11 Lower Hutt .. 536 6 3 520 6 11 670 15 11 627 16 7 2,355 5 8 12,907 6 5 Gisborne .. 532 13 1 516 15 10 663 19 6 621 8 10 2,334 17 3 13,612 19 6 Hastings .. 453 18 11 440 8 6 568 9 5 532 1 2 1,994 18 0 11,185 0 3 Onehunga .. 412 11 6 400 5 10 513 18 0 480 19 7 1,807 14 11 10,749 3 0 Nelson City .. 410 0 4 397 16 1 511 12 6 478 17 0 1,798 5 11 10,435 2 6 Petone .. .. 409 13 0 397 9 0 509 7 0 476 14 6 1,793 3 6 10,500 13 4 Devonport .. 383 5 10 371 17 7 477 10 4 446 18 7 1,679 12 4 9,977 6 1 Masterton .. 323 5 1 313 12 7 402 9 7 376 13 11 1,416 1 2 8,306 19 0 St. Kilda .. 306 8 3 297 5 9 382 0 3 357 10 10 1,343 5 1 7,939 2 7 One Tree Hill .. 299 9 2 290 10 10 375 3 10 351 3 2 1,316 7 0 5,876 7 4 Whangarei .. 288 9 6 279 17 8 361 10 11 338 7 9 1,268 5 10 7,231 13 9 Greymouth .. 234 5 11 227 6 4 352 9 1 329 17 6 1,143 18 10 5,380 11 4 Oamaru .. 281 3 1 272 15 7 350 3 7 327 14 11 1,231 17 2 7,289 15 11 Takapuna .. 259 11 1 251 16 6 325 3 4 304 6 9 1,140 17 8 6,709 3 2 Totals .. 25,615 6 4 24,852 10 9 31,975 7 9 29,927 3 3 112,370 8 1 652,294 2 5

Customs Duties Motor. Fees ' &C- ' Heavv- . Mileage Year ended j in respect of Tirp.ta-r und er Motor- tra «jc Drivers' Tax, Fi- Total 31st March, Motor-vehicles * £ vehicles Act, n Licenses, nance Act, and Parts.* j ±ax * 1924. * eeS * 1932-33. 1923 .. 221,679 121,092 .. .. .. .. .. 342,771 1924 .. 621,470 123,568 .. .. .. .. .. 745,038 1925 .. 802,903 152,303 .. 257,500 .. .. 1,212,706 1926 .. 1,007,641 228,711 .. 86,681f 114,009 33,162 .. 1,470,204 1927 .. 1,074,052 190,575 .. 395,797 220,616 50,650 .. 1,931,690 1928 .. 856,556 227,451 143,516 345,510 157,651 52,495 .. 1,783,179 1929 .. 1,045,635 196,747 802,232 244,598 190,789 36,830 .. 2,516,831 1930 .. 1,432,412 155,910 961,907 391,368 183,486 56,578 .. 3,181,661 1931 .. 828,878 130,4081,314,450 393,798 194,557 59,462 .. 2,921,553 1932 .. 272,992 85,4381,677,520 370,126 179,105 58,860 .. 2,644,041 1933 .. 145,059 64,1771,865,762 352,561 178,183 57,132 .. 2,662,874 1934 .. 125,590 62,979 2,368,147 346,249 171,503 60,358 2,016 3,136,842 1935 .. 539,951 92,587 2,610,607 391,661 172,000} 60,000$ 1,594 3,868,400 Totals up to 8,974,818 1,831,94611,744,1413,575,849 1,761,899 525,527 3,610 28,417,790 31st March, 1935 * Calendar year ending on previous 31st December. Includes primage and surtax on vehicles and parts; also on all tires and tire-tax on tires attached to vehicles or parts. f Alteration in licensing period. % Estimated.

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TABLE No. 5.—LENGTH OF ROADS, STREETS, AND BRIDGES. Table showing the Lengths of the various Classes of Roads, Streets, and Bridges in the Dominion at 31st March in the Years 1922 to 1934.

TABLE No. 6.—LENGTH OF BRIDGES. Table showing the Lengths of the various Kinds of Bridges in the Dominion at 31st March in the Years 1923 to 1934.

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tO GG •> t-l Roads and Streets formed to not less than "£ ° Dray-width, and paved or surfaced o •. -T f-t Q >. W1 > —, . ' - a Total r > ■Unformed Total Year. ° 8 Formed Legal of all Bitu- Other g P o Reads. traoks - Roads. Roads, minous or Bitumen Metal or and Un- „ fl & Cement or Tar. ; Gravel. I specified 9 •§ Concrete. [ ! Material, o 3 Ph I Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. v. J 1922 .. 26,787f* 17,456£ 44,244 5,095! 13,631J 62,971 1923 .. 27,8151* 17,7911 45,607 5,3771 13,613 64,597! 1924 .. 28,553|* 17,222f 45,776 5,2181 13,6301 64,624f A 1925 .. 58| 639 28,243| 458| 16,748 46,147f 5,1811 15,676f 67,006 1926 .. 97f 836 28,981! 3401 16,521f 46,7771 5,009f 15,7921 67,579! 1927 .. 133 1,012 29,726! 373! 16,1071 47,352| 5,093 15,795 68,2401 1928 .. 217 1,2621 30,669f 1291 15,381J 47,659f 5,040! 15,6691 68,369! 1929 .. 254 1,472 31,334 125| 15,1351 48,321 5,399f 15,197! 68,9181 1930 .. 306 l,724f 32,352! 83 14,6001 49,066! 5,375 16,5061 70,947f 1931 .. 339! 1,892| 32,855! 116 14,374! 49,578f 5,642-1 16,923! 72 > 144 1932 .. 336§ 2,118! 33,536! 88! 14,195f 50,276 5,808 16,418 72,502 1933 .. 344 2,320" 34,848~ 80! 13,300! 50,893 5,876J 17,474 74,2431 1934 .. 368 2,544! 35,9521 79 | 12,698! 51,642| 5,878-f 17,708f 75,230j Note. —Figures for earlier years, particularly in regard to unformed legal roads, are not claimed to be entirely accurate.

Bridges, 25 ft. and over in Length, constructed with —- T rj, , Australian or AT .. Other and Totals. Iron Stone and ,, Native TT , Year. and Steel . Concrete. Hardwood. Timbers. Material. , I , T Total i xt i Total AT Total i , T Total AT „ Total AT Total No - ; Length. ! No - ! Length. No " , Length, j No " Length. | X °' Length. No " Length. , . , ( ! ; Ft. Ft. Ft. Ft. Ft. Ft. 1923 ..**** * * * * * * 2,955f 328,766f 1924 ._**** * * * * * * 3,2971362,034+ 1925 .. 131 20,315 408 36,840 1,466 180,529 2,035 167,557 74 8,601 4,114 413,842 1926 .. 175 26,227 431 39,127 1,665 197,735 2,029 161,084 83 8,656 4,383 432,829 1927 .. 193 26,144 4-89 42,804 1,850 217,600 1,959 148,427 156 14,041 4,647 449,016 1928 .. 171 24,779 545 47,833 2,013 229,208 1,994 153,078 111 12,844 4,834 467,742 1929 .. 206 29,089 608 52,761 2,137 242,474 2,181 165,525 118 9,590 5,250 499,439 1930 .. 232 32,330 671 57,739 2,285 245,867 2,164 168,120 38 5,447 5,390 509,503 1931 .. 272 34,819 751 66,292 2,396 253,057 2,164 164,940 23 4,176 5,606 523,284 1932+ 552 43,878 2,277 240,622 2,277 163,543 698 79,657 5,804 527,700 1933' 574 46,774 2,233 230,380 2,316 164,999 865 92,380 5,988 534,533 1934 590 48,957 2,191 227,035 2,365 167,129 969 99,883 6,115 543,004 * Detailed figures not available. f 30 ft. and over in length. J Classification altered 1932.

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TABLE No. 7.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Table showing Details regarding Applications for Passenger-service Licenses during Year ended 31st March, 1935.

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Number of Applications at,. n f Number of Applica- Number of Decisions Number of Licenses i 1 i i i » 11 Xi uiiiUvi ox decisions wi vgh» , • ■. i j -■ p -* • i to be dealt with. ° tions withdrawn. deferred. issued. | Granted. Refused. » j Licensing Authority. : j j ' I" . if 1 1 . if i . % 1 . if i . if i- . if O — 5 O r— < O i—ic$ O i— i c3 O ,— icō O r-n cj S eg j-i 2 eō s-i fl cō J-i fl eô i fl cā f-< fl eô cj fl o . a fl o . flflo.rtejo. ricjo.Scj o •So P-I —H -a O cu r-5 .{2 g • cl _3 .H o Ph o ft •-? n Oj — I fl eō w +? P eô fl -§ fl ■+-> o © © o o . © © o o©®oo©®o o©®Oo© © o Ogq H EH Q ! EH H OGQHHOGOHHiOGQEHEHOCG H EH Auckland Metropolitan District .. 38 .. 420 458 36 . . 420 456 1 .. . . 1 1 .. .. 1 35 .. 420 455 Wellington Metropolitan District 12 2 14 12 1 13 .... 1 1 12 1 13 Christchurch Metropolitan District 9 1 1 11 9 1 1 11 9 1 1 11 Dunedin Metropolitan District 20 1 6 27 20 1 6 27 20 1 6 27 Central Licensing Authority 40 1 . . 41 37 1 .. 38 3 ... . 3 .... 37 1 .. 38 No. 1 Licensing Authority 51 1 189 241 46 1 187 234 1 .. 2 3 4 .. .. 4 44 .. 187 231 No. 2 Licensing Authority .. 118 1 408 527 111 1 404 516 1 .. 4 5 4 .. .. 4 2 .. .. 2 110 1 404 515 No. 4 Licensing Authority ..117 5 228 350 111 1 228 340 1 .. .. 1 4 .. .. 4 1 4 .. 5 111 1 228 340 No. 5 Licensing Authority .. 53 4 193 250 45 3 188 236 .... 4 4 8 1 .. 9 .. .. 1 1 46 3 188 237 No. 6 Licensing Authority .. 91 5 289 385 89 5 275 369 1 .. 14 15 1 .. .. 1 89 5 275 369 No. 7 Licensing Authority .. 66 3 214 283 58 3 212 273 4 .. 2 6 4 .. .. 4 56 3 212 271 No. 8 Licensing Authority .. 48 .. 151 199 46 . . 146 192 1 .. 5 6 1 .. .. 1 46 .. 146 192 No. 9 Licensing Authority .. 60 10 155 225 53 9 155 217 3 .. .. 3 4 1 .. 5 53 9 155 217 No. 10 Licensing Authority .. 48 1 292 341 47 1 292 340 1 . . . . 1 47 1 292 340 Totals .. .. 1934-35 771 33 2,548 3,352 720 27 2,515 3,262 16 .. 32 48 30 2 .. 32 5 4 1 10 715 26 2,515 3,256 .. 1933-34 759 33 1,783 2,675 664 25 1,755 2,444 51 2 27 80 26 3 1 30 18 3 .. 21 628 22 1,755 2,405

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TABLE No. 8.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Traffic and Financial Statistics of Licensed Passenger-services (North Island), by Transport Districts, for Year ended 31st March, 1935. —(a) Fleets comprising Vehicles having Seats for more than Nine Passengers.

TABLE No. 9.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Traffic and Financial Statistics of Licensed Passenger-services (North Island), by Transport Districts, for Year ended 31st March, 1935. —(b) Fleets comprising Vehicles having Seats for not more than Nine Passengers.

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I _ I North Island Total, for Year ended North 31st March, Item. Island No. 1. No. 2. No. 4. I No. 5. No. 6. Central. i 1935. 1934. 1933. Traffic statistics — Vehicle journeys .. Number .. 57,529 611,367 230,056 66,594 234,663 1,200,209 1,304.778 1,192,509 Vehicle-miles .. Miles .. 327,464 3,356,551 1,173,824 318,1661,898,713 7,074,718 7,402,489 7,741,764 Empty trips .. Number .. 2,593 7,341 9,431 1,016 3,349 23,730 23,346 21,697 Passengers .. .. Number .. 434,9215,933,429 2,006,439 527,407 3,404,86512,307,061 12,692,10812,328,645 Operating-expenses—• £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Vehicle - running costs (petrol, .. 6,946 74,528 25,686 6,506 51,418 165,084 169,449 184,605 lubricants, tires, repairs, maintenance, depreciation) Vehicle standing charges (license .. 5,793 59,866 16,870 5,409 31,422 119,360 123,453 125,363 fees, wages and drawings in lieu of wages, insurance, garage fees) General overhead charges (man- .. 1,487 10,846 5,523 749 10,742 29,347 28,234 35,668 agement and office expenses, interest, advertising, &c.) Totals, Operating-expenses .. 14,226 145,240 48,079 12,664 93,582 313,791 321,136 345,636 Revenue— £££££ £ £ £ Passenger revenue .. .. .. 12,995 145,761 48,185 11,478 98,232 316,651 311,827 329,997 Mail-contract revenue .. .. 1,121 1,015 275 763 861 4,035 4,431 3,471 Newspaper revenue .. .. .. 273 635 202 168 198 1,476 1,161 1^215 Goods and parcels revenue .. .. 931 1,549 1,328 676 1,161] 6,295 5,383 6*392 Other revenue .. .. .. 52 2,628 343 1,012 2,330 6,365 5,772 6'983 Totals, Revenue .. .. 15,372 151,588 50,333 14,097 103,432 334,822 328,574 348,058 £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Profits .. .. .. .. 1,464 6,606 2,903 1,528 10,427 22,928 13,829 Losses.. .. .. .. .. 318 258 649 95 577 1,897 6,386 Net profits 1,146 6,348 2,254 1,433 9,850 21,031 7,443 2,422

j I North Island Total, for Year ended North 31st March, Item. Island No. 1. No. 2. No. 4. i No. 6. No. 6. Central. j j 1935. 1934. 1933. Traffic statistics— Vehicle journeys .. Number 8,017 7,482 13,738 46,395 8,313 27,138 111,083 160,212 188,137 Vehicle-miles .. Miles 1,116,937 216,613 401,7801,429,034 222,5151,016,364 4,403,243 4,484,673 6,313^641 Empty trips .. Number 331 523 1,181 3,057 773 4,418 10,283 15,426 15,382 Passengers .. .. Number 39,509 19,057 46,844 127,824 81,593 94,569 409,396! 731,160 666,110 Operating-expenses— ££££££ ££ Vehicle - running costs (petrol, 16,774 3,738 6,393 22,818 2,973 15,568 68,264 66,822 100,248 lubricants, tires, repairs, maintenance, depreciation) Vehicle standing charges (license 6,986 2,137 3,535 11,264 1,835 9,197 34,954 37,561 57,830 fees, wages, drawings in lieu of wages, insurance, garage fees) General overhead charges (man- 6,508 233 402 5,272 129 2,844 15,388 13,230 29,003 agement and office expenses, interest, advertising, &c.) Totals, Operating-expenses 30,268 6,108 10,330 39,354 4,937 27,609 118,606 117,613 187,081 Revenue— ££££££ £ £ £ Passenger revenue .. .. 26,034 5,110 7,619 36,981 3,603 17,223 96,570 91,522 152,521 Mail-contract revenue .. 241 420 1,358 2,610 1,212 2,960 8,801 11,629 12^979 Newspaper revenue .. .. 3,001 235 845 444 219 3,477 8,221 6,165 6,747 Goods and parcels revenue .. 2,089 936 1,168 3,350 761 6,008 14,312 12,117 13'812 Other revenue .. .. 86 3 66 189 203 547 1,917 2^416 Totals, Revenue .. 31,451 6,704 11,056 43,574 5,795 29,871 128,451 123,350 188,475 ££££££ £ £ £ Profits .. .. .. 1,432 807 782 4,220 858 2,473 10,572 8,086 Losses.. .. .. .. 249 211 56 .. 211 727 2,350 Net profits 1,183 596 726 4,220 858 2,262 9,845 5,736 1,394

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TABLE No. 10.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Traffic and Financial Statistics of Licensed Passenger-services (North Island) by Transport Districts, for Year ended 31st March, 1935.—(c) Fleets comprising both Vehicles having Seats for more than and also less than Nine Passengers, and Fleets containing Vehicles carrying both Goods and Passengers.

TABLE No. 11.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Traffic and Financial Statistics of Licensed Passenger-services (North Island), by Transport Districts, for Year ended 31st March, 1935.—(d) Total for all Fleets.

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North Island Total, for Year ended North I 31st March, Item. Island No. 1. No. 2. No. 4. No. 5. No. 6. Central. 1935. 1934. 1933. Traffic statistics — Vehicle journeys .. Number 11,797 4,160 15,251 24,870 13,347 2,122 71,547 91,097 71,826 Vehicle-miles .. Miles 1,001,152 286,817 872,47) 682,230 504,961 80,116 3,427,747 3,588,818 2,486,263 Empty trips .. Number 323 104 150 2,723 721 282 4,303 7,403 5,731 Passengers.. .. Number 72,050 18,780 101,759 119,737 81,593 3,187 397,106 478,303 384,991 Operating-expenses— ££££££ £ £ £ Vehicle - running costs (petrol, 17,788 5,019 17,752 13,478 9,757 1,333 65,127 69,114 54,772 lubricants, tires, repairs, maintenance, depreciation) Vehicle standing charges (license 14,016 2,806 9,172 10,687 6,927 1,036 44,644 44,405 30,489 fees, wages, drawings in lieu of wages, insurance, garage fees) General overhead charges (man- 5,367 1,142 3,351 3,661 2,633 34 16,188 18,155 16,781 agement and office expenses, interest, advertising, &c.) Totals, Operating-expenses 37,171 8,967 30,275 27,826 19,317 2,403 125,959 131,674 102,042 Revenue — £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Passenger revenue .. .. 33,311 7,594 27,799 26,400 11,819 1,444 108,367 116,023 81,517 Mail-contract revenue .. .. 319 978 809 377 4,014 397 6,894 5,521 4,401 Newspaper revenue .. .. 137 202 809 238 328 38 1,752 2,058 936 Goods and parcels revenue .. 1,695 741 2,696 1,750 2,854 706 10,442 8,398 6,454 Other revenue .. .. 444 1,072 617 750 1,107 .. 3,990 5,564 8,339 Totals, Revenue .. 35,906 10,587 32,730 29,515 20,122 2,585 131,445 137,564 101,647 ££££££ £ £ £ Profits .. .. .. 826 1,620 2,558 1,730 1,403 182 8,319 6,784 Losses .. .. .. 2,091 .. 103 41 598 .. 2,833 894 Net profits .. .. .. 1,620 2,455 1,689 805 182 5,486 5,890 Net losss .. 1,265 .. .. .. . ■ . . . ■ . ■ 395

North Island Total, lor Year ended North 31st March, Item. Island No. 1. No. 2. No. 4. No. 5. No. 6. ' Central. 1935. 1934. 1933. Traffic statistics — Vehicle journeys .. Number 19,814 69,171 640,356 301,321 88,254 263,923 1,382,839 1,556,087 1,452,472 Vehicle-miles .. Miles 2.118,089 830,8944,630,8023,285,0881,045,6422,995,193 14,905,70815,475,98016,541,668 Empty trips .. Number 654 3,220 8,672 15,211 2,510 8,049 38,316 46,175 42,810 Passengers.. .. Number 111,559 472,758 6,082,032 2,254,000 630,519 3,502,62113,053,48913,901,57113,311,746 Operating-expenses— ££££££ £ £ £ Vehicle - running costs (petrol, 34,562 15,703 98,673 61,982 19,236 68,319 298,475 305,385 339,625 lubricants, tires, repairs, maintenance, depreciation) Vehicle standing charges (license 21,002 10,736 72,573 38,821 14,171 41,655 198,958 205,419 213,682 fees, wages, drawings in lieu of wages, insurance, garage fees) General overhead charges (man- 11,875 2,862 14,599 14,456 3,511 13,620 60,923 59,619 81,452 agement and office expenses, interest, advertising, &c.) Totals, Operating-expenses 67,439 29,301 185,845 115,259 36,918 123,594 558,356 570,423 634,759 Revenue — ££££££ £ £ £ Passenger revenue .. .. 59,345 25,699 181,179 111,566 26,900 116,899 521,588 519,372 564,035 Mail-contract revenue .. 560 2,519 3,182 3,262 5,989 4,218 19,730 21,581 20,851 Newspaper revenue .. .. 3,138 710 2,289 884 715 3,713 11,449 9,384 8,898 Goods and parcels revenue .. 3,784 2,608 5,413 6,428 4,291 8,525 31,049 25,898 26,658 Other revenue .. .. 530 1,127 3,311 1,282 2,119 2,533 10,902 13,253 17,738 Totals, Revenue .. 67,357 32,663 195,374 123,422 40,014 135,888 594,718 589,488 636,180 ££££££ £ £ £ Profits .. .. .. 2,258 3,891 9,946 8,853 3,789 13,082 41,819 28,699 Losses .. .. .. 2,340 529 417 690 693 788 5,457 9,630 Net profits .. .. .. 3,362 9,529 8,163 3,096 12,294 36,362 19,069 3,421 Net losses .. .. 82 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

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TABLE No. 12.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Average Operating-expenses and Revenue of Licensed Passenger-services by Transport Districts (North Island) in Pence per Vehicle-mile, for Year ended 31st March, 1935. —(a) Fleets comprising Vehicles having Seats for more than Nine Passengers.

TABLE No. 13.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Average Operating-expenses and Revenue of Licensed Passenger-services, by Transport Districts (North Island), in Pence per Vehicle-mile, for Year ended 31st March, 1935. —(b) Fleets comprising Vehicles having Seats for not more than Nine Passengers.

30

North Island Average for Year North ended 31st March, Item. Island No. 1. No. 2. No. 4. No. 5. No. 6. Central. 1935. 1934. 1933. Operating-expenses— d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Vehicle-running costs (petrol, lubri- .. 5-09 5-33 5-25 4-91 6-50 5-60 5*49 5-72 cants, tires, repairs, maintenance, depreciation) Vehicle standing charges (license fees, .. 4*25 4-28 3-45 4-08 3-97 4-05 4-00 3-89 wages, drawings in lien of wages, insurance, garage fees) General overhead charges (manage- .. 1*09 0-78 1-13 0-56 1-36 1-00 0-92 1-11 ment and office expenses, interest, advertising, &c.) Totals, Operating-expenses .. .. 10-43 10-39 9 -83 9 -55 11-83 10-65 10-41 10-72 Revenue — d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Passenger revenue .. .. .. 9-52 10-42 9-85 8-66 12-42 10-74 10 -11 10-23 Mail-contract revenue .. .. .. 0-82 0-07 0-06 0-51 0-10 0-14 0-14 0-11 Newspaper revenue .. .. .. 0-20 0-05 0-04 0-13 0-03 0-04 0-04 0-04 Goods and parcels revenue .. .. 0-68 0-11 0-27 0-51 0-23 0-22 0-17 0-20 Other revenue .. .. .. .. 0-04 0-19 0-07 0-76 0-29 0-22 0-19 0-21 Totals, Revenue .. .. .. 11-26 10-84 10-29 10-63 13-07 11-36 10-65 10-79 d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Net profits .. .. .. .. 0-83 0-45 0-46 1-08 1-24 0-71 0-24 0-07

I North Island Average for Year North ! ended 31st March, Item. Island No. 1. No. 2. No. 4. No. 5. No. 6. Central. I 1935. 1934. 1933. Operating-expenses— d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Vehicle-running costs (petrol, lubri- 3-60 4-14 3-82 3-83 3-21 3-68 3-72 3-58 3-81 cants, tires, repairs, maintenance, depreciation) Vehicle standing charges (license fees, 1-50 2-37 2*11 1-89 1-98 2-17 1-91 2-01 2-20 wages, drawings in lieu of wages, insurance, garage fees) General overhead charges (manage- 1-40 0-26 0*24 0-89 0-14 0-67 0-84 0-70 1-10 ment and office expenses, interest, advertising, &c.) Totals, Operating-expenses .. 6-50 6-77 6-17 6-61 5-33 6-52 6-47 6-29 7-11 Revenue — d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Passenger revenue .. .. 5-60 5-66 4-55 6-21 3-89 4-07 5-26 4 -90 5-80 Mail-contract revenue .. .. 0-05 0-47 0-81 0-44 1-31 0-70 0-48 0-62 0-49 Newspaper revenue .. .. 0-64 0 -26 0-50 0-07 0-23 0-82 0-46 0-33 0-26 Goods and parcels revenue .. 0-45 1-04 0-70 0-56 0-82 1-42 0-77 0-65 0-52 Other revenue .. .. .. 0-02 .. 0-04 0-04 .. 0-04 0-03 0-10 0-09 Totals, Revenue .. .. 6-76 7-43 6-60 7-32 6-25 7-05 6-90 6-60 7-16 d. d. d. d. d. d. d. . ... d. d. Net profits .. .. .. 0-26 0-66 0-43 0-71 0-92 0-53 0-53 0-31 0-05

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TABLE No. 14.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Average Operating-expenses and Revenue of Licensed Passenger-services, by Transport Districts (North Island), in Pence per Vehicle-mile, for Year ended 31st March, 1935.—(c) Fleets comprising both Vehicles having Seats for more than and also less than Nine Passengers, and Fleets containing Vehicles carrying both Passengers and Goods.

TABLE No. 15.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Average Operating-expenses and Revenue of Licensed Passenger-services, by Transport Districts (North Island), in Pence per Vehicle-mile, for Year ended 31st March, 1935. —(d) Total for all Fleets.

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North Island Average for Year ]5T or th ended 31st March, Item Island No. 1. No. 2. No. 4. No. 5. No. 6. Centlal - 1935. | 1934. I 1933. Operating-expenses — d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Vehicle-running costs (petrol, lubri- 4-26 4-20 4-53 4-74 4-64 4-00 4-56 4-6-j 5-29 cants, tires, repairs, maintenance, Vehicle standing charges (license fees, 3-36 2-35 2-34 3-76 3-29 3 '10 3-13 2'97 - 94 wages, drawings in lieu of wages, insurance, garage fees) _ General overhead charges (manage- 1-29 0-95 0-85 1-29 1-25 0-10 1-13 1-21 1-62 ment and office expenses, interest, advertising, &c.) Totals, Operating-expenses .. 8-91 7-50 7-72 9-79 9-18 7-20 8-82 8 '80 9-85 Revenue — d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Passenger revenue .. •• 7-99 6-35 7-09 9-29 5-62 4-33 7-59 /-76 7-87 Mail-contract revenue .. .. 0-08 0-82 0-21 0-13 1-91 1-19 0-48 0-37 0- 3 Newspaper revenue .. .. 0-03 0-17 0-21 0-08 0-16 0 11 0-1-. 0-14 0-09 Goods and parcels revenue .. 0-41 0-62 0-68 0-62 1-35 2-11 0-73 0-56 0- - Other revenue 0-10 0-90 0-16 0-52 ■■ 0-28 0-37 0-80 Totals, Revenue .. .. 8-86 8-35 10-38 9-56 7-74 9-20 9-20 9-81 d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Netprofits 1-36 0-63 0-59 0-38 0-54 0-38 0-40 Net losses .. •• 0-30

North Island Average for Year North ended 31st March, Item. Island No. 1. No. 2. No. 4. No. 6. No. 6. Central. - 1034 ig33 Operating : expenses — d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Vehicle-running costs (petrol, lnbri- 3 -92 4-54 5'04 4 53 4-42 o-47 4-81 4-74 cants, tires, repairs, maintenance, depreciation) , , Vehicle, standing charges (license fees, 2-38 3-10 3-71 2-84 3-25 3-34 3-20 3-19 wages, drawings in lieu of wages, insurance, garage fees) ' General overhead charges (manage- I '34 0-82 0-74 1-05 0'80 1-09 0-98 ment and office expenses, interest, advertising, &c.) Totals, Operating-expenses .. 7-64 8-46 9-49 8-42 8-47 9-90 8-99 8-85 9-21 Revenue— d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Passenger revenue .. .. 6-72 7-42 9-25 8-15 6-17 9-37 8-40 8-0o 8-18 Mail-contract revenue .. .. 0-0(5 0-73 0-16 0-23 1-37 0-34 0-32 0-33 0-.S0 Newspaper revenue .. .. 0-36 0-20 0-12 0-06 0-16 0-30 0-18 0-15 0-13 Goods and parcels revenue .. 0-43 0-75 0-28 0-48 0-99 0-68 2 n'«? n'o« Other revenue 0-06 0-33 0-17 0-09 0-49 0-20 0-18 0-21 0-26 Totals, Revenue .. .. 7-63 9-43 9-98 9-01 9-18 10-89 9-58 9-14 9-26 d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Net profits .. .. .. 0-97 0-49 0-59 0-71 0-99 0-59 0-29 0-05 Net losses .. .. •• 0-01

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TABLE No. 16.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Statement of Assets and Liabilities of Licensed Passenger-services, by Transport Districts (North Island) as at 31st March, 1935.

TABLE No. 17.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Details of Depreciation on Passenger-service Vehicles, by Transport Districts, as at 31st March, 1935 (North Island).

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North Island Total as at North 31st March, * Item. Island No. 1. No. 2. No. 4. No. 5. No. 0. Contra 1. 1935. 1934. 1933. (a) Liabilities. £ £ £ £ £ £ ! £ £ £ Capital .. .. .. .. 20,641 31,240 127,090 72,878 28,897 87,739 368,485 418,383 593,504 Reserves.. .. .. .. 122 2,490 5,573 3,353 .. 3,170 14,708 17,648 40,996 Other liabilities .. .. .. 7,870 8,392 50,003 74,969 14,564 27,605 183,403 212,751 291,237 Total .. .. .. 28,633 42,122 182,666 151,200 43,461 118,514 566,596 648,782 925,737 (b) Assets. £££££££££ vehicles .. .. 16,283 17,481 72,607 63,490 23,364 44,939 238,164 267,140 356,907 Other vehicles .. .. .. 1,356 2,275 6,589 8,107 2,339 3,086 23,752 23,779 27,907 Stocks on hand .. .. .. 1,496 2,453 12,201 3,482 2,203 1,655 23,490 29,098 34,736 Plant and machinery .. .. 920 1,653 6,734 4,859 1,472 2,998 18,636 22,277 33,692 Land and buildings' .. .. 297 6,939 47,871 42,236 4,040 11,104 112,487 131,638 145,110 Sundry debtors .. .. .. 3,842 3,973 6,711 14,057 3,103 6,164 37,850 54,543 60,373 Cash on hand and at bank .. .. 662 3,199 17,640 8,497 4,422 39,973 74,393 44,421 87,011 Other assets .. .. .. 3,777 4,149 12,313 6,472 2,518 8,595 37,824 75,886 180,001 Total .. .. .. 28,633 42,122 182,666 151,200 43,461 118,514 566,596 648,782 925,737

North Island Total as at North 31st March, Item. Island No. 1. No. 2. No. 4. No. 5. No. 6. Central. 1935. 1934. 1933. Number of vehicles .. .. 68 56 218 183 85 133 743 770 833 £££££££££ Original purchase price .. .. 30,854 34,670 187,224 135,858 52,639 144,203 585,448 589,668 675,993 Book value at commencement of year 19,629 20,774 97,809 76,944 27,540 58,990 301,686 329,262 432,012 Depreciation written off during year .. 3,346 3,293 25,202 13,454 4,176 14,051 63,522 62,122 75,105 Present book value .. .. 16,283 17,481 72,607 63,490 23,364 44,939 238,164 267,140 356,907 Unpaid purchase-money .. .. 1,147 1,869 5,965 6,054 1,013 1,852 17,900 27,431 40,744 Percentage of depreciation written off for year— PerCent. PerCent. PerCent. PerCent. PerCent. PerCent. PerCent. PerCent. PerCent. (a) Based on original purchase price 10-8 9-5 13-5 9-9 7-9 9-7 10-9 10-5 11-1 ( b) Based on reducing value .. 17-0 15-9 25-8 17-5 15-2 23-8 21-1 18-9 17-4

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TABLE No. 18.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Table showing the Position with respect to Applications for Goods-service Licenses for Year ended 31st March, 1935.

5 —H. 40.

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I , T , „ . ! Number of Applica- Number of Decisions 1 Number of Licenses ! NU 1 b ?detft S Number of Decisions given. ! ""ithdraL. deferred. issued. ! I Granted. Refused. Licensing Authority. j . -j"" Ī I T » 7] g £ g _ £ g ! . b ! O pj £ ! o 1 . o3 § ! § S § 'eô Ê § i I Is 3 I lis i 1 i 1 1i i ! I 1 i i I 1 1 1 , 1 1 1 6 JH EH iÔ B H O CO H H | / O ■ | M H EH No. 1 Licensing Authority .. 265 2 .. 267 250 2 .. 252 10 .... 10 5 .. .. 5 ...... .. 250 2 .. 252 No. 2 Licensing Authority . . 449 6 244 699 412 4 239 655 32 1 0 38 0 . . •. _ No. 4 Licensing Authority .. 279 28 259 566 265 23 259 547 9 2 . . 11 •• •• •• No. 5 Licensing Authority .. 268 17 16 301 250 11 15 276 10 2 1 13 5 4 .. 9 3 .... 3 250 11 15 276 No. 6 Licensing Authority .. 234 16 .. 250 223 13 .. 236 9 1 .. 10 2 .. 2 2 .. .. 2 223 13 236 No. 7 Licensing Authority .. 137 10 60 207 131 10 60 201 2 .... 2 3 .... No. 8 Licensing Authority .. 215 16 78 309 207 13 75 295 5 3 too n iik 260 No. 9 Licensing Authority .. 151 7 115 273 138 7 115 260 11 .... H 2 .. .. 2 ■ 7 U ° f?' J No. 10 Licensing Authority . . 148 6 1 155 140 6 1 147 3 3 . - o Post-offices .. .. • • ■ • • ■ 6,626 6,626 .. . . 6,626 6,626 • • ' Totals, 1934-35 .. .. 2,146 108 7,399 9,653 2,016 89 7,390 9,495 91 9 9 109 25 7 .. 32 14 3 .. 17 2,016 89 7,390 9,495 Totals, 1933-34 .. .. 12,146 99 3,800 6,045 1,898 88 3,793 5,779 118 3 7 128 43 8 .. 51 87 .. ..87 1,879 88 3,793 5,760

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TABLE No. 19.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Table showing the Numbers and Percentages of Goods-service Operators licensed at 31st May, 1935, classified according to the Number of Trucks owned.

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Number of operators owning District No. __ Total. One I Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten „ ™ r Truck. Trucks. Trucks. Trucks. Trucks. Trucks. Trucks. Trucks. Trucks. Trucks. T ™ c ™ g (a) Numbers of Operators. 1 .. .. 166 45 9 4 4 1 1 1 .. 1 1 233 2 .. .. 284 86 20 12 4 3 3 1 3 416 4 .. .. 173 67 16 10 7 2 3 1 1 .. .. 280 5 .. .. 161 57 21 8 5 4 3 259 6 .. .. 148 53 14 7 4 3 2 231 7 .. 78 33 15 3 6 1 136 8 .. .. 152 44 14 5 2 1 1 2 1 .. 1 223 9 .. 89 35 9 7 1 141 10 .. .. 123 16 3 1 1 1 145 Totals .. 1,374 436 121 57 33 16 11 5 3 1 7 i 2,064 (b) Percentages. 1 .. .. 71-24 19-31 3-86 1-72 1-72 0-43 0-43 | 0-43 .. 0-43 0-43 100 2 .. .. 68-27 20-67 4-81 2-88 0-96 -0-72 0-72 .. 0-25 .. 0-72 100 4 .. .. 61-78 23-93 5-71 3-57 2-50 0-72 1-07 0-36 0-36 .. .. 100 5 .. .. 62-16 22-01 8-11 3-09 1-93 1-54 1-16 100 6 .. .. 64-07 22-94 6-06 3-03 1-73 1-30 0-87 100 7 .. .. 57-35 24-26 11-03 2-21 4-41 0-74 100 8 .. .. 68-16 19-73 6-28 2-24 0-90 0-45 0-45 0-89 0-45 .. 0-45 100 9 .. .. 63-12 24-82 6-39 4-96 0-71 100 10 .. .. 84-83 11-03 2-07 0-69 0-69 0-69 I .. .. 100 I Totals .. 66-57 21-12 5-86 2-76 1-60 0-78 j 0-53 0-23 0-15 0-05 0-35 100 * i

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TABLE No. 20.—FATAL MOTOR ACCIDENTS. Table showing Analyses of various Data relating to Fatal Motor Accidents in the Dominion during the Years ended 31st March, 1930 to 1935.

Approximate Cost oj Paper,—Preparation, not given; printing (1,040 copies), £52 10s.

Price Is.] By Authority : G. H. Loney, Government Printer, Wellington. 1935.

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Year ended 31st March, 1930.1931.1932.1933. 1934.1935. — - ( 1. Number of Accidents. (a) Classified according to Main Causes. Collisions — Motor-vehicle with pedestrian .. 52 55 30 45 26 46 Motor-vehicle with motor-vehicle 40 75 29 39 21 36 Motor-vehicle with train .. 7 11 8 3 9 10 Motor-vehicle with tram .. 1 1 1 1 . . 2 Motor-vehicle with bicycle .. 12 7 11 16 15 23 Motor-vehicle with horse-vehicle 4 116 4 3 or horse under control Motor-vehicle with fixed object .. 6 8 15 5 6 7 Motor-vehicle with straying stock 1 1 1 2 2 No collisions — Went over bank .. 27 29 22 9 18 22 Otherwise .. •. 22 33 31 15 24 23 Total accidents .. 172 221 148 140 125 174 (b) Classified according to Hour of Accident. Midnight to 1 a.m. .. .... 4 4 2 4 4 1 to 6 a.m. .. .. ..7 835 5 8 6 to 7 a.m. .. .. .. 1 1 2 3 7 to 8 a.m. .. .. .. 175433 8 to 9 a.m. .. .. ..651 238 9 to 10 a.m. .. .. ..444269 10 to 11 a.m. .. .. 5 10 6 11 8 3 11 to noon . . . • 11 15 8 9 10 5 12tolp.ni 4 5 9 7 5 11 1 to 2 p.m. .. .. .. 10 49845 2 to 3 p.m. .. .. 8 13 8 4 6 14 3 to 4 p.m. .. .. 2 16 8 9 8 8 4 to 5 p.m. .. .. .. 24 18 14 12 10 14 5 to 6 p.m. .. .. .. 23 20 17 15 17 22 6 to 7 p.m. .. .. 23 24 18 16 8 20 7 to 8 p.m. .. .. .. 11 16 9 15 14 10 8 to 9 p.m. .. .. 12 20 4 8 4 8 9 to 10 p.m. .. .. ..579327 10 to 11 p.m. .. .. .. 8 14 6 4 4 5 11 to 12 midnight .. .. 7 10 6 2 4 7 Total accidents .. 172 221 148 |l40 125 174 (<■) Classified _ according to Day of Week. Sunday .. • ■ .. 26 33 24 22 17 24 Monday .. .. .. 23 28 21 13 23 27 Tuesday .. .. 17 24 14 17 11 22 Wednesday .. .. 28 25 10 17 10 17 Thursday .. .. .. 21 23 13 20 15 21 Friday .. .. 22 33 27 19 13 26 Saturday .. .. .. 35 55 39 32 36 37 Total accidents .. 172 221 148 140 125 174 (d) Classified according to (Condition of Light. Daylight 86 89 93 80 72 91 Dusk .. .. •• .. 19 34 13 4 12 23 Artificial lighting .. 22 20 12 3 12 14 Darkness or moonlight .. 45 78 30 53 29 46 Total accidents .. .. 172 221 148 140 125 j 174 (e) Classified according to Nature of Thoroughfare. Intersection .. .. .. 19 18 17 20 19 28 Railway-crossing .. 7 9 7 3 9 10 Nature or condition of road (bad 48 51 27 12 18 32 surface or bend, &c., contributed to accident) Road conditions not a factor .. 98 143 97 105 79 104 Total accidents .. 172 221 148 140 125 174 If) Classified according to Geographical Location. (a) North Island — Auckland City and environs.. 29 25 28 33 19 27 Wellington City and environs 16 19 15 8 13 14 Other towns .. 20 31 14 7 10 19 Country .. .. .. 57 88 48 40 44 48 (b) South Island— Christchurch City and environs 13 14 9 16 10 15 Dunedin City and environs .. 4 8 4 2 6 7 Other towns .. .. 8 11 11 14 7 9 Country .. .. 25 25 19 20 16 35 Total accidents . . .. 1172 221 148 140 125 1174

Year ended 31st March, 1930. 1931. 1932.1933. 1934. 1935.. i 2. Number of Persons killed in Motor Accidents. (a) Classified according to Age of Ihe Person killed. 0-4 years .. . . 10 7 4 5 9 7 5-9 years .. .. .. 8 9 811 411 10-14 years .. .. ..255448 15-19 years .. .. .. 17 24 18 17 13 27 20-24 years .. .. .. 30 45 15 15 18 15 25-54 years .. .. .. 83 100 81 60 56 88 55 years and over .. 36 57 26 31 31 26 Total deaths .. ..186 247 157 143 135 182 (b ) Classified according to the Location of the Person killed. Pedestrians .. .. .. 53 55 28 45 26 45 On motor-cycles .. 51 58 47 39 27 48 On other motor-vehicles .. ..68 119 72 38 64 66 On other vehicles or horses .. 14 15 10 21 18 23 Total deaths .. ..186 247 157 143 135 182 3. Types of Vehicle involved. Motor-cycle .. .. 59 64 51 48 27 55 Private motor-car .. .. 105 132 75 73 67 97 Taxi-cab .. .. .. 2 411 5 5 5 Service-car .. .. ..5 5 1 3 2 1 Motor-omnibus .. .. 3 5 4.. 1 2 Motor lorry or van . . 39 46 29 44 38 45 Bicycle .. .. ..12 7 11 20 17 22 Tram .. .. .. 2 111.. 2 Horse-drawn .. .. 4 .... 5 4 2 Train .. .. .. 7 9 7 3 9 10 Other vehicles .. . . .. 1 1 1 Total vehicles .. .. 239 273 191 202 170 242 4. Breaches of Law, and other Causes of Fatal Motor Accidents. Breaches of law — Excessive speed in circumstances — (a) But not exceeding 20 miles 33 6 5 6 1 5 p<»r hour (b) Exceeding 20 but not exceed- 35 25 19 16 15 21 ing 35 miles per hour (c) Exceeding 35 miles per hour 18 32 13 9 8 2(f On wrong side of road .. .. 24 38 19 22 13 16 Did not comply with" offside" rule 7 7 7 11 8 14 Passing standing tram .. .. 3 Other passing breaches .. 9 4 2 1 4 4 Failure of driver to signal — Motor-vehicles .. . . 3 2 .... 3 Other vehicles .. .. 2 . . . . 1 Breaches of law relating to railway- 7 11 7 3 8 10 intersections Vehicle without rear reflector or 2 2 1 1 3 with inefficient one Faulty brakes . . ..8 9 6 7 2 6 No ligh ts or inefficient lights (includ- 22 17 9 14 15 11 ing horse vehicles and bicycles) Glaring headlights . . . . 4 10 2 4 2 10 Faulty steering-gear .. . . 3 4 3 2 2 4 Faulty tires or wheels .. .. 4 8 4 1 2 Driver's mild intoxication a factor 12 26 7 6 2 12 in accident Driver's severe intoxication a factor 3 7 4 4 2 6 in accident Driver unlicensed or inexperienced 5 2 7 2 3 6 Straying stock . . ..111122 Other breaches of law .. 5 2 112 3 8 Other causes— Bad weather conditions .. 19 4 3 1 9 11 Vehicle being reversed . . .. 3 2 5 6 5 Obstruction to view by parked 4 5 .. 1 motor-vehicle Sun-dazzle .. .. .. 2 Driver's physical defect a direct 4 1 2 1 2 cause Motorist and pedestrian— Motorist at fault .. ..17 9 1 13 5 7 Pedestrian (not intoxicated) cross- 17 30 12 19 9 17 ing or on road without care or becoming confused Pedestrian intoxicated .. 5 5 3 2 6 4 Children on streets .. .. 2 7 7 6 210 Infant (under six) not under proper 9 115 3 3 control Other causes of pedestrian accidents 6 1 4 1 5 Causes not included under the above 4 22 34 17 13 16 headings ; Total causes .. .. 302 297 185 193 146 1243