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(id) Twenty-eight per cent, of the combined area and route authorities were defined by two counties, followed by 27 per cent, for three, 16 per cent, for one, 12 per cent, for four, 11 per oent. for six or more, and 4 per cent, for five counties. (e) Where route authorities alone were granted, 31 per cent, ran through one county, 31 per cent, ran through two, followed by 12 per cent, for three, 10 per cent, for four, 9 per cent, for six or more, and 7 per cent, for five counties. (/) Of the total authorities (whether area, combined route and area, or route alone), approximately 30 per cent, were for one county or less, 25 per cent, for two, 17 per cent, for three, 12 per cent, for six or more, 10 per cent, for four, and the remaining 6 per cent, for five counties. (iv) Temporary Goods-service Licenses. It was anticipated that the demand for temporary goods-service licenses would be heavy. It was also realized that special conditions operated which made the speedy issue of temporary licenses imperative, and it was therefore essential to devise some means whereby such licenses could be obtained with a minimum of delay. Arrangements were therefore made with the Licensing Authorities and Post and Telegraph Department whereby temporary licenses are issued on behalf and under direction of authorities by those Postmasters who are also Deputy Registrars of Motor-vehicles. The extent to which temporary licenses were availed of is disclosed by Table No. 27 in the Appendix. An examination of this table reveals the following main points : — (a) Of the total number of temporary licenses issued, 928 (pr 24-5 per cent.) were in the Number Two District, followed by 676 (or 17-8 per cent.) in the Number Eight District, and then by 501 (or 13-2 per cent.) in the Number Six District. (b) The majority of the temporary licenses, 2,160 (or 57 per cent.), were issued in the North Island. (c) The fact that the table discloses many operators having received as many as over ten licenses does not in itself indicate that they are abusing the system, as an examination of such cases indicates generally that the respective licenses are obtained for different purposes. In this connection it is interesting to note that an analysis of the licenses discloses that— (1) Thirty-five per cent, of the licenses were issued for the removal of mixed and unspecified loads : (2) Approximately 21 per cent, of the total licenses issued were for the purpose of removing furniture and household effects : (3) The removal of live-stock accounted for approximately 14 per cent, of the licenses, while those issued for the removal of timber and wool amounted to approximately 5 per cent, each : (4) The removal of farm-produce accounted for approximately 22 per cent., and farm supplies —i.e., manure, machinery, &c.—amounted to 11 per cent. (d) Generally, it may be stated that the table indicates that the system for issuing temporary licenses is operating satisfactorily in view of the difficulties encountered. (3) Traffic and Financial Statistics. Goods-service operators were required by law to submit figures regarding traffic and finance during the year ended the 31st March, 1934. These returns will become integral parts of the whole licensing system, as, without the information contained in them, it would not be possible to ensure that the administration of the Act was being directed to the public welfare. It was found that a number of operators were unable to submit figures of value for this purpose from one or other of the following- causes : — (a) Insufficient records and accounts. (b) Impracticability in some cases of separating transport figures from those relating to other businesses run in conjunction with carrying-work. Nevertheless, a relatively large number of operators supplied reasonably reliable information, which has been tabulated. Care has been taken during the year to acquaint the operators with the requirements in this respect, and every reasonable assistance has been freely extended to them by the Department. It is of interest to note that approximately 2,900 trucks are licensed under the Transport Licensing Act. The total number of trucks in the Dominion is approximately 29,000, so that somewhere in the vicinity of 26,000 trucks do not require to be licensed under the Act. In the Appendix will be found the following tables relating to goods-service financial and statistical data :— (a) Table No. 29, showing the amount of assets and liabilities of goods-services, by transport districts, as at 31st March, 1934. (b) Table No. 28, showing principal revenue and expenditure statistics of licensed goodsservices, by transport districts, as at 31st March, 1934. (c) Table No. 30, showing depreciation on goods-service vehicles, by transport districts, as at 31st March, 1934. (d) Table No. 31, showing principal traffic statistics of goods-services, by transport districts, for the year ending 31st March, 1934.

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