H.—4o

A survey of the passenger-service-vehicle register shows that the 1,738 vehicles, comprising • seventy-seven different makes, are in the following classes :— Omnibuses (including 7 trackless trams) .. .. .. .. 531 Service coaches .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 Service cars .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,055 Passenger trucks .. .. .. .. .... .. 102 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,738 An analysis of the " Omnibus " group shows that the distribution of the 401 vehicles is:— 1. Auckland (No. 2 District Area) .. .. .. .. .. 140 2. Wellington (No. 6 District Area) .. .. .. .. 71 3. Napier-Hastings (No. 4 District Area) .. .. .. 57 4. Dunedin (No. 9 District Area) .. .. .. .. 43 5. Christchurch (No. 8 District Area) .. .. .. .. 34* 6. Invercargill (No. 10 District Area) .. .. .. .. 21 7. Nelson-Greymouth (No. 7 District Area) .. .. .. 15 8. Whangarei (No. 1 District Area) .. .. .. .. 14 9. Stratford - New Plymouth - Wanganui (No. 5 District Area) .. .. 6 Total .. .. .. .. .. ..401 * Includes 7 trackless trams. The total capacity is 8,817 passenger-seats, or an average of 22 passenger-seats per omnibus. The actual range in size being from 12 to 39 seats, while the average weight of the omnibus-body on a " per passenger-seat " basis is 169 lb., the lowest average weight being 148 lb. (in No. 5 District) and the highest being 200 lb. (in No. 10 District), while the average body-weight for No. 2 (Auckland) and No. 6 (Wellington) Districts is respectively 161 lb. and 174 lb. per passenger-seat. It is perhaps safe to say that the average weight of the bodies of omnibuses constructed in keeping with the up-to-date plans of local body-builders would be not more than 130 lb. per passenger-seat for vehicles of 20 or more seats. Regulations relating to the constructional requirements of passenger-service vehicles have been under consideration for some time and have been the subject of discussion with representatives of all parties directly concerned. Certain amendments suggested at these discussions have been made and the regulations are now under final review and will be submitted to the Minister at an early date. By the practical application of the requirements of the Transport Licensing Act to the vehicle itself, a higher degree oi safety and comfort for passengers and greater regularity and dependability of service are assured. Reasonable safeguards against overloading are also provided for in the proposed regulations. B. GOODS-SERVICES. (k) Control. The Act defines a goods-service as any service by motor-vehicle for the carriage or haulage of goods for hire or reward unless the service is such that it is carried on entirely within the boundaries of a single borough or town district; and provided, inter alia, that the provisions of Part II of the Act might, by Order in Council, be applied to the control of goods-services. The Department devoted considerable time during the year to formulating modified proposals for application to the goods-services. Every opportunity was taken to consult the various branches of industry, trade, and transport affected, and a series of conferences were held to discuss the various proposals. The Order in Council invoking the modified provisions to apply to the carriage of goods as from Ist June, 1933, was gazetted on 23rd March, 1933. Broadly speaking, the same licensing machinery was applied to the goods-services as had been used in connection with the passenger-services ; the same licensing authorities exercised jurisdiction over the same districts with the exception that the four main centres do not represent Metropolitan Licensing Districts under the, regulations dealing with the control of goods-services. The investigations carried out soon disclosed that if all the services coming within the definition of the term goods-service, as used in the Act, were brought under control there would lie approximately 7,500 vehicles engaged in various classes of haulage work covered, from the regular motor-service plying regularly over a long route to the local carrier who, in the normal course of his business, runs in and around the boundaries of some borough or town district. It became apparent, as the investigations proceeded, that the control should in the initial stages cover a manageable minimum of services, and should cover at least the services principally involved in road and rail and shipping competition. The attainment of this objective was achieved by limiting the control to the carriage of goods for hire or reward for at least five miles along a main or secondary highway, with definite protection against any traffic being thrown upon the roads other than highways and with special areas of exemption in the environs of the four main centres, and Hamilton Borough.

16