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(b) Goods-service Vehicles. —Of all goods-service vehicles inspected 24-9 per -cent, were found to be free from defects when checked by departmental Vehicle Inspectors, (c) Private Cars, &c.—From returns furnished by municipal testing stations it was found that 57-5 per cent, of the vehicles tested were free from defects when presented for examination. Analysis of Defects.—Tables 18 to 20 in the Appendix set out an analysis of the defects found when the various types of vehicles were examined. From these figures it will be seen that the main defects are in respect of steeringgear, lights, and brakes. The item " steering-gear " embraces the many component parts of the steering mechanism, and an adjustment, while not necessarily affecting the safety of the vehicle, has been recorded in the examination as a " defect." In regard to brakes it may be stated that as the equipment slowly deteriorates with use it is not surprising to find this item among the three most common defects, particularly as the brake efficiency required to pass the test for a Certificate of Fitness is of a high standardThe number of defects recorded at the six-monthly inspection periods in respect of motor-vehicle-lighting equipment indicates that not only do a large number of electrical failures develop during a period of six months, but also the headlamps themselves are very prone to get out of adjustment. The electrical defects are, no doubt, associated with the age of the vehicles, but the matter of headlamp adjustment seems to be a question of design. If is hoped that the modern tendency to " flare-in " the headlamps will do much to overcome the latter problem. Headlights play an important part in road safety, as the accident hazard at night is almost five times as great as that during the hours of daylight. In addition to the inspection at six-monthly intervals, the Department's enforcement staff adopts the policy of checking vehicles on the road for lighting defects, particularly during the winter months. Vehicles Condemned. —During the year a total of 2,573 passenger and goodsservice vehicles were voluntarily withdrawn from service, compared with 85 which it had been found necessary to condemn. These figures show that operators take advantage of the adequate warning given by departmental Vehicle Inspectors when vehicles are nearing the end of their economic lives, and in this way the flow of goods and passengers through the public road transport system can be maintained at a high level as no dislocation results from the withdrawal of a vehicle from service when adequate time is given in which to effect a replacement:—

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Vehicle Group. Vehicles Condemned. Vehicles Voluntarily Withdrawn. Total Number of Vehicles Withdrawn from Service. Omnibuses Trolley buses Service cars .. .. • Service coaches Passenger-trucks School buses .. .. School vehicles Taxis .. .. Rental cars Ambulances Goods-service vehicles | 7 ..\ 7 1 3 8 1 12 10 36 42 61 6 107 47 65 354 270 10 1,611 49 "68 7 110 55 66 366 280 10 1,647 Total 85 2,573 2,658