11.—40.

Construction. (a) Main Highways. —Main Highways Board expenditure on construction and renewals of main highways has increased by £817,000, which accounts for the majority of the increase of £940,000 in this item for 1937-38. (b) Other Roads.—An increase in expenditure from the Public Works Fund of £268,000 and a decrease in county expenditure of £130,000 largely accounts for the advance in this item of £162,000. Total Road Bill. The following table, showing the percentages of the total expenditure spent on maintenance, construction, and interest and loan charges, is of interest

Sources of Money expended on Road Bill, 1933-34 to 1937-38. The Department has also analysed the expenditure on roads during the five years ended 31st March, 1938, in order to ascertain the sources from which the money expended has been derived. The following table shows, under five main headings, the sources of revenue expended on (a) main highways, (6) urban roads, (c) other roads, and (d) all types of roads:—

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,, . , n ... Interest and Loan Maintenance. Construction. | Charges Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. 1933-34 29-3 37-3 33-4 1934-35 .. .. .. .. 37-0 33-1 29-9 1935-36 .. .. .. .. 38-8 32-6 28-6 1936-37 .. .. .. .. 30-8 44-5 24-7 1937-38 .. .. .. .. 29-5 48-2 22-3

1933-34. 1934-35. 1935-36. 1936-37. 1937-38. Main highways — £ £ , £ £ £ Loan .. •• •• 237,469 360,118 549,546 892,274 1,708,635 Local rates .. .. .. 431,262 471,851 502,408 517,507 448,949 Unemployment taxation .. 89,612 280,751 45,638 5,662 97,864 General taxation .. .. 157,257 151,229 157,403 169,239 213,299 Motor-taxation .. .. 958,611 1,277,791 1,607,804 1,958,919 2,222,301 Total .. .. 1,874,211 2,541,740 2,862,799 3,543,601 4,691,048 Urban roads — Loan .. .. •• 70,291 71,307 118,745 199,783 203,827 Local rates .. .. • • 1,153,032 1,072,108 1,080,048 1,059,920 1,097,237 Unemployment taxation .. 616,278 475,306 384,050 330,156 336,140 General taxation Motor-taxation .. .. 247,717 271,946 308,829 346,457 389,110 Total .. .. 2,087,318 1,890,667 1,891,672 1,936,316 2,026,314 Other roads — Loan .. •• .. 381,090 398,371 466,152 939,714 1,169,128 Local rates .. .. .. 734,844 781,010 863,458 916,181 1,027,709 Unemployment taxation .. 797,086 714,887 580,000 357,220 276,695 General taxation .. .. 971,955 985,081 1,010,496 1,017,082 1,101,369 Motor-taxation .. .. 210,958 385,689 403,398 298,586 330,835 Total .. .. 3,095,933 3,265,038 3,323,504 3,528,783 3,905,736 All roads — Loan .. .. .. 688,850 829,796 1,134,443 2,031,771 3,081,590 Local rates .. .. .. 2,319,138 2,324,969 2,445,914 2,493,608 2,573,895 Unemployment taxation .. 1,502,976 1,470,944 1,009,688 693,038 710,699 General taxation .. .. 1,129,212 1,136,310 1,167,899 1,186,321 1,314,668 Motor-taxation .. .. 1,417,286 1,935,426 2,320,031 2,603,962 2,942,246 Total .. .. 7,057,462 7,697,445 8,077,975 9,008,700 10,623,098