H.—4o.

(c) Motor-vehicles licensed as at 31st March, 1936. The appended figures show the number of motor-vehicles licensed for the year 1935-36 as at 31st March, 1936 (the licensing year expires on 31st May each year) :—

Table No. 1 of the Appendix shows the number of motor-vehicles registered as at 31st December, 1935, grouped according to highway districts. The number of motor-vehicles licensed as at 31st March, 1936, classified according to postal districts, are set out in Table 2. Table No. 3 of the Appendix sets out the number of motor-vehicles licensed each year since 1925. Since the system of registration was instituted there have been several changes, both in definition and in method of classification. An additional complication has been introduced by the fact that whereas since 1932 the number of vehicles " licensed " has been recorded, previously the number of vehicles " registered " was recorded. It is necessary to appreciate the distinction between these terms. When a new vehicle arrives it is registered by the owner and simultaneously is licensed for one year or lesser period. If the license is not renewed the next year the vehicle is classified as a " dormant registration." After a registration has been dormant for two years it is cancelled. If the vehicle is subsequently relicensed it is registered afresh as a new vehicle. Prior to 1932 the number of vehicles licensed was obtained by subtracting from the total registrations the number of dormant registrations. This method was not sound, however, because the date upon which the dormant registrations were totalled did not coincide with that on which the total registrations were ascertained. It has been found necessary to endeavour to arrive at a common basis whereby the growth of the motor-vehicle in New Zealand might be measured from year to year. Table No. 3 shows the result of this effort, but attention is directed to the fact that, owing to the differences of definition and classification, the figures other than the yearly totals cannot be taken as strictly comparable. This table shows the figures as at 31st December each year. The figures for trailers have been excluded from the totals. The chief feature of the table is the steady growth in the numbers of motor-vehicles in this country, interrupted temporarily during the depression years. The number of " dormant " registrations — i.e., vehicles which although registered had not been licensed for the current year —as at 31st March, 1936, were as under :—

7

Type of Vehicle. North Island. South Island. New Zealand iotal. Cars .. .. .. .. .. .. 97,630 52,274 149,904 Light trucks (2 tons and under laden) .. .. 15,974 8,132 24,106 Heavy trucks (over 2 tons laden) .. .. .. 11,585 5,604 17,189 Passenger trucks .. .. .. .. .. 614 289 903 Omnibuses .. .. .. .. .. 408 149 557 Taxis .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,111 621 1,732 Service cars .. .. .. .. .. 430 269 699 Rental and private-hire cars .. .. .. 251 163 414 Dealers' cars .. .. .. .. .. 908 427 1,335 Local-authority road vehicles .. .. .. 1,010 636 1,646 Government vehicles .. .. .. .. 1,151 492 1,643 Trailers .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,043 1,977 4,020 Dealers' motor-cycles .. .. .. .. 93 45 138 Motor-cycles .. .. .. .. .. 14,771 9,190 23,961 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 147,979 80,268 228,247

T^e0fVehicIe - j Renter. | Register. | T °^ Cars .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,931 4,874 7,805 Light trucks (2 tons and under laden) .. .. 1,754 2,632 4,386 Heavy trucks (over 2 tons laden) .. .. .. 741 1,199 1,940 Service cars .. .. .. .. .. 42 37 79 Taxis .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 57 78 Rental and private-Lire cars .. .. .. 1 22 23 Contract vehicles .. .. .. .. .. .. 42 42 Omnibuses .. .. .. .. .. 15 21 36 Traction-engines .. .. .. ' .. . . 33 .. 33 Trailers .. .. .. .. .. .. 492 746 1,238 Tractors .. .. .. .. .. Ill .. Ill Motor-cycles .. .. .. .. .. 2,603 3,904 6,507 Other motor-vehicles .. .. .. .. 26 83 109 Totals .. .. .. .. 8,770 13,617 22,387