F.—l

20

The following figures show the number of motor-vehicle registrations (including dormant registrations) as at the 31st March, 1930 :— North Island. Cars .. .. .. .. .. 91,376 Commercial vehicles .. .. .. 22,668 Cycles .. .. .. .. .. 22,686 139,730 South Island. Cars .. .. .. .. .. 53,711 Commercial vehicles .. .. .. 10,477 Cycles .. .. .. .. .. 15,681 79,872 Total .. .. .. 219,602 The above figures do not include vehicles for which 3,150 demonstration plates were issued to dealers during the year. The number of registrations cancelled between the coming into operation of the Motor-vehicles Act, 1921, and the 31st March, 1930, is shown hereunder : — North Island. Cars .. .. .. .. .. 5,616 Commercial vehicles .. .. .. 2,484 Cycles .. .. .. .. .. 4,965 13,065 South Island. Cars .. .. .. .. .. 3,273 Commercial vehicles.. .. .. .. 1,132 Cycles .. .. .. .. .. 3,867 8,272 Total .. .. .. 21,337 The total number of vehicles registered during the period Ist January, 1925, to 31st March, 1930, was 240,939. The Precision Engineering Co., of Wellington, holds a contract for the manufacture of numberplates for vehicles for the three years ending on the 31st May, 1932. The plates to be supplied for use during the year ending on the 31st May, 1931, will have white numerals on a black background. MOTOR-VEHICLES INSURANCE (THIRD-PARTY RISKS). The Motor-vehicles Insurance (Third-party Risks) Act, 1928, which prescribes that Deputy Registrars (Postmasters) are to collect the appropriate premiums, came into operation with the relicensing of motor-vehicles for the year which commenced on the Ist June, 1929. The premiums, which vary according to the class of vehicle, require to be paid before an owner can obtain the relicensing plates without which a vehicle may not lawfully be used on a public road or street. Forty-two insurance companies—practically the whole of the companies carrying on accident-insurance business in New Zealand —are underwriting insurance in terms of the Act. The owner of the vehicle must nominate one of these companies to insure him against liability to pay third-party personal-risk damages caused through the use of his motor-vehicle in the Dominion. These nominations are forwarded through the usual accounting channel to the General Post Office, where they are assembled and despatched to the various insurance companies, together with the premiums collected, less the Post Office commission of 6d. per transaction. REFUND OF DUTY ON MOTOR-SPIRITS. The Registrar of Motor-vehicles (the Secretary, Post and Telegraph Department) is authorized under the Motor-spirits Taxation Act, 1927, to arrange refunds of duty on motor-spirits consumed for purposes other than as fuel for motor-vehicles in respect of which annual license fees are payable under the Motor-vehicles Act, 1924. The requirements of the Act are now more generally known, and the system of arranging refunds is working smoothly. The undermentioned figures show the number of claims dealt with and the amount of duty refunded during the year ended on the 31st December, 1929 :— at i. i rti ■ Amount refunded. .Number 01 OlftimSi £ s d March quarter .. .. .. .. 5,698 16,645 11 5 June quarter .. ... .. .. .. 4,078 14,689 3 9 September quarter .. .. ... .. 4,748 14,670 16 2 December quarter .. .. .. .. 6,461 20,483 16 9 20,985 £66,489 8 1