H.—4o.

Competition with Railways. The following figures illustrate the extent to which the organized freight services are operated on routes that parallel the railway and on routes unserved by the railway : —

It is of interest that the number of vehicles and the vehicle mileage in respect of services running oil routes that parallel the railways showed gains of 2 and 7 per cent, respectively over the figures for the previous year, while the same figures for the services oil routes that do not parallel rail routes showed decreases. The figures relating to the volume of jreights and the revenue point to intensified competition with the railways. The volume of freights and revenue for services running alongside the railways fell away to the extent of 13 and 3 per cent, respectively, while the services running where there is no railway showed decreases of 35 and 22 per cent, respectively. Expenditure on Roads, Streets, and Bridges, 1930-31. The total expenditure on the construction, maintenance, and interest and sinking-fund charges in respect of the roads, streets, bridges, and footways amounted to £9,179,390 for the year ended 31st March, 1931, against £8,701,075 for the previous year. The following table summarises the data given in Table No. 10 of the Appendix Expenditure on Roads, Streets, Footways, and Bridges.

A. ABSOLUTE FIGURES.

B. PERCENTAGES.

23

Year ended 31st March, Percentage. 1930. 1931. 1932. Increase. | Decrease. (a) Motor Freight Routes that substantially parallel Rail Routes. Vehicles ., .. Number 359 424 434 2 Vehicle mileage .. Miles ; 4,300,000 5,400,000 5,800,000 7 Freight .. .. Tons! 326,000 354,000 308,000 13 Revenue .. .. . £ 276,000 292,000 j 284,000 .. 3 (b) Motor Freight Routes that do not parallel Rail Routes. Vehicles .. .. Number : 606 736 683 i 7 Vehicle mileage .. Miles | 5,500,000 | 6,300,000 5,900,000 i .. j 6 Freight .. .. Tons 550,000 684,000 442,000 ! .. 1 35 Revenue .. .. £ 377,000 416,000 | 324,000 j .. 1 22

Item. County Roads. \ Main Highways. Urban Roads. Totals. (a) Nature of Expenditure. j £ j £ £ £ Maintenance .. .. .. 1,040,828 1,247,393 1,192,377 3,480,598 Construction .. .. .. 1,627,164 977,902 512,386 3,117,452 Capital charges .. .. .. 1,253,899 j 685,956 641,485 2,581,340 Totals .. .. .. 3,921,891 j 2,911,251 2,346,248 9,179,390 (b) Source of Moneys. Local rates .. .. .. .. 1,097,382 403,813 1,638,296 3,139,491 General taxation .. .. .. 1,003,502 323,551 .. 1,327,053 Motor taxation .. .. .. 201,064 1,514,588 219,965 1,935^617 Loan •• ■■ •• 1,619,943 669,299 487,987 2,777,229 Totals •• •• •• 3,921,891 2,911,251 | 2,346,248 9,179,390

I ■ — ■ ——p— —— Source of Money. County Roads, i Main Highways. Urban Roads. Totals. (a) Nature of Expenditure. Per Gent. Per Gent. ! Per Cent. i Per Cent. Maintenance .. .. .. 26-54 42-85 50-82 37-92' Construction .. .. .. 41-49 33-59 21-84 33-96 Capital charges .. .. .. 31-97 23-56 27-34 28-12 Totals .. .. .. 100-00 { 100-00 j 100-00 100-00 (b) Source of Moneys. Local rates.. .. .. .. 27-98 i 13-87 69-82 34-20 General taxation .. .. .. 25-59 11-11 .. J4-46 Motor taxation .. .. .. 5-13 j 52-03 i 9-38 21-09 Loan .. .. .. .. 41-30 ! 22-99 i 20-80 30-25 Totals .. .. i 100-00 i 100-00 ' 100-00 100-00