19

F.--1

Commercial Vehicles.

DEPARTMENTAL MOTOR-VEHICLES. At the 31st March, 1928, there were in use in the Department 108 motor-cars ; 387 motor lorries, trucks, and vans ; and 60 motor-cycles—a total of 555 vehicles. During the year 1.30 now vehicles were purchased, and 115 vehicles were withdrawn from service for disposal at auction. The costs per mile of running the various types of vehicles are shown hereunder. (Note. —The number of vehicles of each type is shown in parentheses). d. Light cars (90) .. . . .. .. .. 4-6 Heavy cars (18) .. .. .. .. .. 8-42 Clearance vans (25) .. .. .. .. .. 4-66 Parcel-vans (25) .. .. .. .. .. 5-68 Utility trucks (156) .. .. .. .. .. 4-44 1-ton trucks (102) .. .. .. .. .. 6-12 1 l-ton trucks (30) .. .. .. .. .. 9-74 2-ton trucks (26) .. .. .. .. ..11-87 3- and 4-ton trucks (23) .. .. .. .. 13-57 Motor-cycles (60) .. .. .. .. .. 3-01 WORKSHOPS. The repair and upkeep of the Department's equipment, which, has become more extensive and varied, was successfully dealt with in the departmental workshops at Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Napier, Palmerston North, Wanganui, and Wellington. The total value of the work done in the shops was £111,247, of which £8,444 represented the value of work performed for other Departments. The principal work was in connection with the repairing of the Department's motor fleet, telegraph, telephone, and wireless apparatus, postal equipment, and office appliances. Included under the heading " Office appliances " is such work as is required to be done in maintaining cashregisters, Burroughs adding-machines, comptometers, and typewriters. The extension of the automatic telephone system released a largo quantity of manual-telephone apparatus, which was renovated and taken into stock. The principal manufactures consisted of rural-delivery boxes, parcel-post boxes and hampers, automatic slot-telephone instruments, public-telephone cabinets, telegraph-pole arms, arm-combiners, and pole-seats. In addition, all motor-vehicle bodies required by the Post and Telegraph and other Departments were built. A large quantity of office furniture and fittings was manufactured ; and rubber stamps were produced to meet the requirements of the whole Public Service. Generally, the workshops arc engaged on maintenance-work of a type not done elsewhere in the Dominion. Much of the Department's apparatus is made outside the Dominion, but it has to be kept in repair by workmen specially trained by the Department. STORES BRANCH. The following figures indicate the value of stores received and issued in the Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington Storekeeping Districts during the year ended the 31st March, 1928, and the value of stocks held at that date. For the purposes of comparison the values of receipts and issues for the previous year are shown also : —

Auckland ''hristohurcli Dunedin rVellington 1928. Receipts. Issues. £ £ 201,514 209,992 163,338 166,310 108,977 11.1,294 507,394 542,047 Stock in hand, -r, • , 31st March, 1928. Kecel P ts - £ £ 126,71(5 176,047 75,760 89,186 59,997 71,975 336,583 599,047* 1927. Issues. £ 201,175 117,960 96,7.15 593,994* * Excluding sub-stores of dis met.