H,— 4o.

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.

10

— 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