H,— 4o

There has been an increase in the number of all classes of motor-vehicles on the road excepting motor-cycles and service cars, which have remained practically stationary. Motor-cars on the road show a 13-per-cent. increase on 1935-36, while trucks have increased by 11 per cent. It is interesting to note that the total number of vehicles in use has increased by 27 per cent, since 1933-34. (/) Petrol Consumption. The following table shows a classification of the manner in which petrol was consumed in the Dominion during the last nine calendar years : —

The total gallons are calculated from the quantity of motor-spirits on which petrol-tax was paid. A tremendous increase in motor-vehicle petrol-consumption took place in 1936 as compared with 1935, and the previous peak year 1930. The figures show a 9,300,000-gallon increase on the previous year. 4. MOTOR-SPIRITS TAXATION ACT, 1927. The following data show the yield from and distribution of petrol-tax plus surtax on foreign petrol imports since the inception of the tax in 1928.

(a) Yield.

10

Consumption of Petrol. Calendar Year. B Motor-vehicles Other-i.e Engines, (i.e., Petrol on which Aeroplanes &c. (Petrol all Duty was paid). onwh lc h Refunds of r JJuty were made). Gallons. Gallons. Gallons. 1928 .. .. .. .. 41,457,150 2,057,940* 43,515,090* 1929 .. .. .. .. 56,575,840 3,650,040 60,225,880 1930 .. .. .. .. 62,821,479 3,907,900 66,729,379 1931 .. .. .. .. 55,202,983 5,286,000 60,488,983 1932 .. .. .. .. 49,861,976 5,495,479 55,357,455 1933 .. .. .. .. 51,293,572 5,400,000t 56,693,572 1934 .. .. .. .. 55,991,831 6,100,000f 62,091,831 1935 .. .. .. .. 62,807,535 6,483,6001 69,291,135 1936 .. .. .. .. 72,107,051 6,685,600f 78,792,651 * Excludes an unknown amount of petrol on which duty was not paid. f Estimated.

Expenses of Year ended 31st March, Gross Yield. Refunds. Net Yield. Collection -r, and Refund. ' Glance. £ £ £ £ £ 1928 148,202 ' 32 148,170 1,710 146,460* 1929 .. .. .. 867,794 49,105 818,689 8,303 810,386 1930 .. .. .. 1,063,811 67,296 996,515 12.633 983,882 1931 1,480,517 100,978 1,379,539 16,335 l,363,204f 1932 1,817,893 137,585 1,680,308 20,360 1,659,948} 1933 .. .. .. 2,018,449 132,421 1,886,028 20,266 1,865,762§ 1934 2,520,825 148,984 2,371,841 20,283 2,351,558 1935 .. .. .. 2,773,372 159,978 2,613,394 20,180 2,593,214 1936 .. .. .. 3,082,862 165,389 2,917,473 21,271 2,896,202 1937 .. .. .. 3,557,070 166,426 3,390,644 20,596 3,370,048 Total up to 31st March, 19,330,795 1,128,194 18,202,60] 161,937 18,040,664 1937 * Part year only. f increase from 4d. to 6d. per gallon as from 22nd July, 1930. J Increase from 6d. to 8d. per gallon as from 7th October, 1931. § Increase from 8d. to lOd. per gallon as from 9th February, 1933.