H.—4o.

(c) Urban Roads and Streets. i Particulars regarding the expenditure during the year ended 31st March, 1932, on urban roads and streets are given hereunder : —

The principal points emerging from the above figures are : — 1. Approximately one-third of the money spent on construction of urban roads and streets and footways was derived from loans, while two-thirds was derived from the revenue from local rates. This is vastly different from the position in respect of main highways and rural roads, where the construction work is financed principally from loans. 2. Maintenance expenditure, amounting to £784,532, was derived from local rates, £467,406, or 59-58 per cent., and motor-taxation, £317,126, or 40-42 per cent. 3. The whole burden of loan charges, amounting to £583,295, fell on the shoulders of the local ratepayer. 4. The maintenance expenditure and the interest and loan charges together make up £1,367,827. The. motorist finds £317,126, or 23-18 per cent., of this figure ; the local ratepayer £1,050,701, or 76-82 per cent. 5. The annual cost of urban roads and streets (£1,367,827) represents 24-37 per cent, of the total and annual cost of all roads, streets, and bridges. (d) Other Eoads and Bridges. The following table shows the various analyses of the expenditure on roads and streets other than main highways and urban roads and streets for the year ended 31st March, 1932 :—

The principal points emerging from the above figures are : — 1. Practically the whole of the expenditure on construction work on roads other than urban roads and streets and main highways is found from borrowed money. 2. The expenditure on maintenance amounted to £990,703 for the year ended 31st March, 1932. The local ratepayer found £666,554, or 67-28 per cent., and the motorist £324,149, or 32-72 per cent., of this amount. 3. The interest and loan charges amounted to £1,233,762. The general taxpayer found £1,022,531, and the local ratepayer £211,231 of this figure. 4. Maintenance and interest and loan charges combined amounted to £2,224,465. The general taxpayer found £1,022,531, or 45-97 per cent. ; the local ratepayer £877,785, or 3946 per cent. ; and the motorist £324,149, or 14-57 per cent., of this figure. 5. The total annual charges on rural roads for the year ended 31st March, 1932, represents £12 per motor-vehicle of the average monthly " live " registrations for the year ended 31st March, 1932.

10

Source of Money. Nature of Expenditure. t t i t> i General Motor- T^-1 Loan. J Local Rates. Taxation , taxation . Total. £ £ £ £ £ Construction 330,114 701,960 .. .. 1,032,074 Maintenance 467,406 .. 317,126 784,532 Loan charges 583,295 .. .. 583,295 Totals 330,114 1,752,661 .. 317,126 2,399,901 Totals, maintenance and loan charges .. ; 1,050,701 .. 317,126 1,367,827

Source of Money. Nature of Expenditure. j T Local General Motor- rp nf _i Loan - Rates. Taxation. taxation. lotal - £ £ £ £ £ Construction 1,145,567 .. .. 45,133 1,190,700 Maintenance .. .. : 666,554 .. 324,149 990,703 Loan charges 211,231 1,022,531 .. 1,233,762 T,,t ; ,!s 1,145,567 877,785 j 1,022,531 369,282 3,415,165 Totals, maintenance and loan .. 877,785 j 1,022,531 324,149 2,224,465 charges _^__^___^__^^^___^__^_^^__^_^^^-^_^^