P.—l

129

No. 14 Highway District— M. ch. Darfield-Rakaia (via Glentunnel) .. .. . . .. 26 0 No. 16 Highway District—• Alexandra-Clyde .. .. .. .. .. 7 50 No. 17 Highway District— Balclutha-Owaka .. .. .. .. .. 23 0 Balclutha - Tuapeka Mouth .. .. .. .. 20 40 Dunedin-Invercargill (extension) .. .. .. .. 2 31 Tapanui Railway-station Road .. .. .. ..18 No. 18 Highway District— Invercargill-Fortrose .. .. .. .. .. 25 14 Gore-Winton .. .. .. .. .. 37 26 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 187 75 The declaration of the Omahu - Tukituki River Bridge via Hastings and Ilavelock Main Highway, and the Farndon-Hastings Main Highway, in the No. 5 Highway District, involved a change of routes only, the declarations as originally made being simultaneously revoked. This was also the case with the Gore-Winton Main Highway, in the No. 18 Highway District, which was gazetted in lieu of the previously declared route, Mataura-Winton. Declaration of New Government Roads. During the year a number of new Government roads were declared, involving a length of 73 miles 72 chains. The total length of highways declared to be Government roads at the 31st March, 1927, less the mileage revoked, was 1,562 miles 65 chains. The following are the Government road declarations for the year : — No. 1 Highway District— M. ch. Wayby-Maungaturoto .. .. .. .. 5 20 No. 2 Highway District — Great South Road .. .. .. .. .. 9 58 No. 6 Highway District—• Kawhia to Auckland-Wellington via Kawa .. .. .. 2 40 Stratford-Taumarunui .. .. .. .. 7 60 No. 8 Highway District— Auckland-Wellington via Taranaki .. .. .. ..90 No. 9 Highway District — Auckland-Wellington via Taranaki .. .. .. .. 2 24 No. 10 Highway District— Wellington-Napier via Wairarapa .. .. .. .. 1 40 No. 11 Highway District—• Richmond-Collingwood .. .. .. .. 0 20 No. 12 Highway District— Loopline Road .. .. .. .. .. ..90 No. 16 Highway District— - Palmerston-Queenstown via Beck's .. .. .. .. 6 10 No. 17 Highway District— Balclutha - Tuapeka Mouth .. .. .. .. .. 20 40 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 73 72 The declaration of the following section of Government road was revoked : No. 16 Highway District —Palmerston-Queenstown, via Beck's, 6 miles 10 chains. Finance. The actual contributions to the Board's Revenue Fund from external sources for the year 1926-27 amounted to £507,413. The following tabulation shows how this total is made up, together with the comparative figures for the year 1925-26 : — 1926-27. 1925-26. £ £ Transfer from Consolidated Fund .. .. .. .. 35,000 35,000 Proceeds of tax on tires and tubes, collected through the Customs Department .. .. .. .. .. .. 188,450 223,699 Registration aud license fees of motor-vehicles .. .. 283,963 78,038 £507,413 £336,737 The extraordinary difference between the figures showing the revenue from registration and license fees of motor-vehicles in each year is explained by the fact that there was considerable delay in 1926 in the issue of number-plates for motor-vehicles, with a corresponding lag in the payment of the fees by motor-vehicle owners. The total revenue for the two years from the sources referred to amounted to £844,150, or an average of £422,075.

17—D. 1.