H—4o.

The principal points emerging from the foregoing are as follows : — 1. Expenditure on construction amounted to £2,716,829, or 32-61 per cent., of the total expenditure on roads (£8,329,836) during the year. Loan-moneys contributed 71-07 per cent, of this total ; local rates, 25-83 per cent. ; general taxation, 10-52 per cent. ; and motor-taxation, 2-58 per cent. 2. Expenditure on maintenance amounted to £2,981,797, and was divided between the local ratepayer, who contributed £1,378,433, or 46-22 per cent., and the motorist, who contributed £1,603,364, or 53-78 per cent. 3. The interest and loan charges, amounting to £2,631,210, were contributed to in the following proportions : Local ratepayers, 38-23 per cent.; general taxpayer, 51-81 per cent.; and the motorist, 9-96 per cent. 4. The total annual charges (maintenance plus interest and loan charges) amounted to £5,613,007. The local ratepayer contributed £2,384,189, or 42-48 per cent,; the motorist, £1,865,443, or 33-23 per cent. ; and the general taxpayer, £1,363,375, or 24-29 per cent. 5. The total annual charges on all roads (£5,613,007) represent £30 per motor-vehicle of the average monthly " live " registrations for the year ended 31st March, 1932. 6. The total motor-taxation, including Customs duties on vehicles and parts for the year ended 31st March, 1932, amounted to £14 per motor-vehicle of the average monthly " live " registrations for the year ended 31st March, 1932. 7. Altogether £3,086,149, representing revenue from local rates, was expended on roads, streets, and bridges during the year ended 31st March, 1932. Expenditure from this amount on interest and loan charges amounted to £1,005,756, or 32-59 per cent. ; maintenance, £1,378,433, or 44-67 per cent. ; and construction, £701,960, or 22-74 per cent. 8. Of £1,377,278, which represents the total contribution from general taxation, £1,363,375, or 98-99 per cent., was spent in meeting interest and loan charges ; and £13,903, or 1-01 per cent., on construction. 9. The total contribution from motor-taxation which was expended on roads, streets, and bridges amounted to £1,935,432 ; the great bulk of this amount (£1,603,364, or 82-84 per cent.) was spent on maintenance ; £262,079, or 13-54 per cent., on interest and loan charges ; and £69,989, or 3-62 per cent., on construction. (b) Main and Secondary Highways and Bridges. The following table shows various analyses of the expenditure on main and secondary highways during the year ended 31st March, 1932 : —

The principal points emerging from the above figures are as follows :— 1. Almost the whole of the new construction work on main highways during the year under review was financed by loan-moneys. It is of interest to note that up to the 31st March, 1932, £1,400,000 had been transferred from the proceeds of motor-taxation to the Construction Fund of the Main Highways Account and expended on construction work. 2. During the year ended 31st March, 1932, £1,206,562 was spent on the maintenance of main highways. Of this amount, £244,473, or 20-26 per cent., was derived from local rates, while £962,089, or 79-74 per cent., was obtained from motor-taxation. 3. The estimated interest and sinking-fund charges on the estimated proportion of the total road liability chargeable against main highways amounted to £814,153 during the year. The biggest contributor to this charge was the general taxpayer, who contributed £340,844, or 41-87 per cent., the motorist coming next with £262,079, or 32-19 per cent., and the local ratepayer with the smallest contribution of £211,230, or 25-94 per cent. 4. The annual cost (maintenance and interest and loan charges) of main highways for the year ended 31st March, 1932, amounted to £2,020,715. Motor-taxation revenue provided £1,224,168, or 60-58 per cent, of this figure ; the general taxpayer, £340,844, or 16-87 per cent. ; and the local ratepayer, £455,703, or 22-55 per cent. 5. The maintenance expenditure on main highways represents 40-33 per cent, of the total maintenance expenditure on all roads. The interest and loan charges on main highways represent 30-94 per cent, of the total interest and loan charges for all classes of roads. 6. The total annual cost of main highways for the year ended 31st March, 1932, represents £11 per motor-vehicle of the average monthly " live " registrations for the year ended 31st March, 1932.

2—H. 40.

9

Source of Money. Nature of Expenditure. T Local General Motor- T . , Loan - Rates. Taxation. taxation. 1Ota ' - £ £ £ £ £ Construction 455,296 .. 13,903 24,856 494,055 Maintenance 244,473 .. 962,089 1,206,562 Loan charges .. 211,230 340,844 262,079 814,153 Totals 455,296 455,703 354,747 1,249,024 2,514,770 Totals, maintenance, interest, and loan .. 455,703 340,844 1,224,168 2,020,715 charges