H.—4o,

(6) General. The following table indicates the approximate percentages of the various sources of revenue comprised in the total expenditure on roads during the three years ended 31st March, 1936 : —

(c) Annual Charges per Mile on Roads, Streets, etc., 1934-36. The following table shows the annual expenditure for the three years ended 31st March, 1936, on the various classes of roads, &c., computed per mile of road and/or street: —

Tables Nos. 5 and 6 of the Appendix show the lengths of various classes of roads, streets, and bridges during the years from 1922 to 1936 inclusive. (d) MOTOR - TAXATION. Table No. 7 shows an analysis of the revenue received from the various taxes and fees levied in connection with motor-vehicles, together with comparative figures for the previous eleven years. The total amount for 1936-37 was £5,348,019, the highest figure yet recorded. There has been an increase in every class of revenue, and the increase of £895,568 over the previous year is made up as follows : Customs duties on motor-vehicles and parts, £263,415 ; motor-spirits tax, £473,846 ; tire-tax, £52,585 ; fees and fines under the Motor-vehicles Act, £61,730 ; and other fees and taxes, £43,992. 7. HEAVY MOTOR-VEHICLE REGULATIONS, 1932. (a) Speeds of Heavy Motoe-vehio'les. During the year a conference was called by the Department inviting representatives of roadcontrolling authorities and users of heavy motor-vehicles to discuss proposals for increases in maximum allowable speeds for the various classes of passenger and goods vehicles. It was felt that due to recent improvements in vehicle design, particularly the trend towards general use of low-pressure tyres, roads generally would sustain no greater damage at somewhat higher speeds than was the case when the regulations were formulated in 1932. The higher speeds would also permit of more economic vehicle operation as the speed-limits in existence were in each case much lower than the average speeds for which the modern vehicles are designed.

15

Item. 1933-34. 1934-35. 1935-36. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Loan 9-8 10-8 14-0 Local rates .. .. 32-9 30-2 30-3 Unemployment taxation .. 21-3 19-1 12-5 General taxation .. .. 16-0 14-8 14-5 Motor-taxation .. .. 20-0 25-1 28-7 Total .. .. 100-0 100-0 100-0

Annual Charges per Mile of Road. ,,, . , Year ended Length of ; Class of Road. 31st March, Formed Roads. > , , , , Maintenance, i TotaL Miles. £ £ £ Main highways .. .. 1934 10,975 87 58 145 1935 11,176 134 55 189 1936 11,649 140 52 192 Urban roads and streets .. 1934 4,086 97 143 240 1935 4,035 97 137 234 1936 4,059 100 ' 143 243 Other roads .. .. 1934 36,010 20 32 52 1935 36,947 26 31 57 1936 36,350 30 31 61 Total, all roads .. 1934 51,071 41 46 87 1935 52,158 55 44 99 1936 52,058 60 44 104