H.—4o.

been counted in with the borrowed money. Excess of revenue over expenditure for the year amounted to £77,749, representing a return of 11-11 per cent, on the capital invested. 2. Revenue. —The total revenue for the year was recorded as £898,572, of which passenger fares counted for £834,435, or 92-86 per cent. ; mail contracts for £28,340, or 3-15 per cent. ; and the carriage of goods and parcels for £35,797, or 3-99 per cent. The average fare paid per passenger was 15-26 d., and the average number of passengers carried per vehicle-mile was 1-63. 3. Operating Costs. —The following represents a summary of the total operating costs : —

Operating Costs, Year ended 31st March, 1931.

The relatively large proportion of the total operating costs accounted for by the running costs directs attention to an important principle in connection with the operating costs of motor-vehicles, and gives some idea of the savings which can be effected by eliminating unnecessary vehicle mileage. Operating Costs and Revenue Averages per Vehicle Mile. —The following table shows the average operating costs and the average revenue per vehicle-mile for all the services in the various districts : —

Table showing Revenue and Operating Costs per Vehicle-mile.

It will be observed that, while in the majority of districts the revenue and operating costs are more or less constant and call for little or no comment, the corresponding figures in Nos. 2 and 8 Districts are relatively high, while, conversely, Nos. 4 and 7 Districts show figures below the average. The higher revenue and operating costs in the aforementioned districts would appear to be due to the use of a greater proportion of heavy vehicles of high carrying-capacity, with correspondingly high operating costs.

14

T . . , Percentage of Item. Amount. Total Running costs — £ Petrol and lubricants .. .. .. .. .. 230,603 28-09 Tires 37,104 4-52 Maintenance and repairs .. .. .. 91,685 11-18 Depreciation .. .. .. .. . . 95,507 11-63 Total .. .. .. .. .. 454,899 55-42 Standing charges— License fees .. .. .. . ■ •• •• 29,189 3-56 Wages (including drawings of proprietors) .. .. 216,207 26-34 Insurance .. •• •• •• •• 24,410 2-97 Garage fees .. . • • • . • • • • • 7,830 0 ■ 95 Total .. .. .. .. .. 277,636 33-82 General overhead and management expenses, &c. .. .. 88,288 10-76 Grand total .. .. .. .. 820,823 100-00

Revenue per Vehicle-mile. Operating Cost per Vehicle-mile. District. j 4 ~ Passen- , Goodg _ Running Standing 0verhead , Total . gers. I Costs. Charges. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. N I Central .. 9"173 0*139 0*303 9*615 4*876 2*711 1*478 9*065 SI Central .. 9*783 0*287 0*451 10*521 5*342 2*419 0*949 8*710 No 1 .. 8*626 0*914 0*718 10*258 5*067 2*974 0*352 8*393 No 2 .. 16*045 0*099 0*117 16*261 7*877 5*775 1*117 14*769 No 3 .. 9*634 0*255 0*370 10*259 5*410 3*458 0*971 9*839 No 4 .. 6*592 0*324 0*366 7*282 3*963 2*300 0*910 7*173 No 5 8*811 0*742 0*434 9*987 4*854 3*489 1*096 9*439 No 6 .. 9*980 0*627 0*885 11*492 5*962 3*753 0*740 10*455 No 7 .. 6*602 0*224 0*323 7*149 3*433 2*209 0*699 6*341 No 8 .. 10*569 0*599 0*475 11*643 5*842 4*185 0*980 11*007 No 9 .. 8*234 1*072 0*935 10*241 4*537 2*886 0*311 7*734 No. 10 .. .. 8*283 0*252 0*945 9*480 5*220 2*373 0*542 8*135 Totals .. 9*356 0*318 0*401 10*075 5*100 3*113 0*990 9*203