H.—4o,

Section 10 of the Motor-vehicles Amendment Act, 1927, provides that after a registration has remained " dormant " for two complete } 7 ears it is to be cancelled. The following sets out the 1933-34 registrations cancelled on Ist June, 1936, in accordance with this section

(d) Motor-vehicle Registration Plates. The following classes of number-plates were assigned during the licensing year 1936-37 : — (1) For private cars, plates without initial letter from 1001 onwards, the highest number manufactured being 185,000. (2) For " private-hire " and " rental " cars, plates without letter 1-999, inclusive. (3) Special plates for issuance to cycles. (4) Plates with initial letter " D " (both car and cycle) for dealers' vehicles. (5) Plates with initial letter " E " for vehicles exempted from payment of annual license fees. (6) Plates with the prefix " Govt." for vehicles owned by Government Departments. (7) Plates with initial letter " H " for heavy trucks. (8) Plates with initial letter " L " for light trucks. (9) Plates with initial letter " P " for omnibuses. (10) Plates with initial letter " R " for trailers. (11) Plates with initial letter " S " for service cars. (12) Plates with initial letter " T " for taxis. (13) Plates with initial letter " V " for passenger trucks and " contract " motor-vehicles. (e) Vehicles actually on the Road. The number of vehicles licensed on the register kept in accord with the provisions of the Motorvehicles Act, 1924, may be taken as a reasonable indication of the number of vehicles actually on the road. The number of vehicles licensed have been estimated from month to month, and the averages for the years ending on the 31st March, 1934, to the 31st March, 1937, are given hereunder : -

2—lt. 40,

9

Type of Vehicle. Number. Cars .. .. . • • • • • • ■ 2,808 Light trucks .. .. • • • • • • 1 > 700 Heavy trucks .. .. .. • • • • 715 Service cars .. .. • • • • • • 42 Taxis .. .. .. • • • • • • 21 Passenger trucks Rental and private-hire cars .. .. .. 1 Motor-buses .. . • • • • • • • 15 Traction-engines .. .. . • • • • • 33 Trailers .. .. . • , • • • • • • 472 Tractors .. .. .. • • • • • • HO Motor-cycles .. .. • • • • • • 2,523 Other vehicles .. .. . • • • • • 26 Total 8,466

Averages. Class of Vehicle. ~ ; 1934. 1935. 1936. 1937. Number. Number. Number. Number. Cars .. .. •• •• •• 117,867 124,204 135,220 152,819 Trucks, light, up to 2 tons laden .. .. 17,643 19,840 21,281 23,499 Trucks, heavy, over 2 tons laden .. .. 13,708 14,394 15,539 17,310 Omnibus .. .. • • • • • • 518 511 531 575 Taxis .. .. •• •• •• 1,493 1,518 1,627 1,659 Rental cars .. • • • • • • 131 215 333 474 Service cars .. .. • • • • 965 735 670 656 Dealers'cars .. •• 853 1,003 1,221 1,475 Local-body road vehicles .. .. .. 1,147 1,198- 1,430 1,762 Government vehicles .. .. •• 1,378 1,444 1,546 1,806 Dealers' motor-cycles .. .. • • 127 123 128 133 Motor-cycles 21,113 21,063 20,602 20,631 Trailers 2,400 2,107 2,894 3,796 Passenger trucks .. .. . ■ ■ • * 628 795 977 Totals .. •• •• 179,343 188,983 203,817 227,572 ■ 1 I * Included under other headings for 1933-34.