H,— 4o

(3) Unemployment Taxation. The amount shows a small decrease for 1933-34, but the expenditure from this source still represents 20 per cent, of the total expenditure. (4) General Taxation. The increase of £50,000 in this item is attributable to an increase in the road liability upon which loan charges are based at 31st March, 1934, as compared with the corresponding figure at 31st March, 1933. The amount shown for 1933-34 is approximately 16 per cent, of the total. * (5) Motor-taxation. It will be observed that there is a decrease in expenditure of money from this source amounting to £146,504 as compared with 1932-33. This is accounted for by the fact that the expenditure on the construction of main highways out of the Main Highways Account for 1933-34 was met entirely out of loan-money, while for the year 1932-33 this expenditure was met by a transfer from the Revenue Fund —i.e., out of motor-taxation. (c) Annual Charges per Mile on Roads, Streets, etc., 1929-34. The following table shows the annual expenditure for the five years ended 31st March, 1934, on the various classes of roads, &c., computed per mile of road and/or street: —

(d) Motor-taxation. Table No. 4 shows an analysis of the revenue received from the various taxes and fees levied in connection with motor-vehicles, together with comparative figures for the previous twelve years. The total amount for 1934-35 amounts to £3,868,400, the greatest figure yet recorded. The increase of £731,558 over the previous year is mainly a result of an increase of approximately £250,000 in motor-spirits tax and £400,000 in Customs duties on motor-vehicles and parts. 7. HEAVY MOTOR-VEHICLE REGULATIONS, 1932. (a) Allocation op Heavy-traffic Fees. Applications have been received by the Right Hon. the Minister for apportionment of fees in three heavy-traffic districts during the past year, the local authorities in the districts concerned being unable to agree upon the disposal of the fees. In each case that arises every endeavour is made by the Department to assist the local authorities to come to some mutually satisfactory compromise without having recourse to a hard-and-fast order of apportionment on the basis of road expenditure. In one of the cases referred to such an agreement was finally reached and the fees distributed accordingly, while in another instance negotiations are still in hand. In one district the local authorities failed to reach any agreement, and an order of the Minister was effected.

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Annual Charges per Mile of Road. . _ , Year ended Length of " Class of Road. 31st March, Formed Roads. Interest and T , , Maintenance. Loan oharge3 . Total. Miles. £ £ £ Main highways .. .. 1930 10,408 140 54 194 1931 10,420 127 57 184 1932 10,846 111 59 170 1933 10,878 79 57 136 1934 10,975 84 58 142 Urban roads and streets .. 1930 4,084 119 147 266 1931 4,055 143 152 295 1932 4,052 131 158 289 1933 4,106 111 156 267 1934 4,086 97 143 240 Other roads .. .. 1930 34,575 29 30 59 1931 35,103 32 32 64 1932 35,378 29 34 63 1933 35,909 21 32 53 1934 36,010 20 32 52 Total, all roads .. 1930 49,067 60 45 105 1931 49,578 61 47 108 1932 50,276 55 49 104 1933 50,893 41 47 88 1934 51,071 40 46 86