H.—4o.

(4) Total Road Bill. The following table, showing the percentages of the total expenditure spent on (a) maintenance, (b) qonstruction, and (c) interest and loan charges, is of interest: —

As interest and loan charges are relatively fixed, they show an increasing proportion of the total, concomitant with the decline in maintenance and construction expenditure. (6) Sources of Money expended on Road Bill, 1930-34. The Department has also analysed the expenditure on roads during the five years ended 31st March, 1934, 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, (b) urban roads, (c) other roads, and (d) all types of roads : —

The principal points emerging from the 1933-34 figures above as compared with the previous years are as follows : — (1) Loan-money. This item shows an increase over the previous year of more than £100,000. Loan-money comprised approximately 10 per cent, of the total money available for 1933-34. (2) Local Rates. Local rates show a falling-ofl of £200,000 but were still the chief source of money for expenditure on roads. The amount expended from this source is approximately one-third of the total road bill for 1933-34.

11

. I „ , ! Interest and Loan Maintenance. Construction. j Charges Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. 1929-30 .... 34 41 25 1930-31 .... 34 40 26 1931-32 .... 32 39 29 1932-33 .... 29 37 34 1933-3 30 36 34

" ———— ______ _________ 1929-30. 1930-31. 1931-32. 1932-33. \ 1933-34. Main highways— £ £ £ £ £ Loan 430,441 530,574 455,296 37,472 237,469 Local rates .. .. .. 589,986 591,618 | 494,341 428,998 431,262 Unemployment-taxation.. .. •• •• ' 55,073 60,259 53,032 General taxation .. .. 210,218 146,274 | 141,823 124,176 147,342 Motor-taxation .. .. 1,975,476 1,492,228 j 1,232,581 1,091,402 958,611 Total 3,206,121 2,760,694 ! 2,379,114 1,742,307 1,827,716 Urbftii roads Loan .. 649,396 450,885 330,114 122,417 70,291 Local rates .. .. .. 1,379,797 1,497,721 1,405,383 1,291,683 1,153,032 Unemployment-taxation .. .. •• 75,000 510,000 660,000 616,278 General taxation Motor-taxation .. .. •• 211,240 251,038 263,012 246,365 247,717 Total .. .. 2,240,433 2,274,644 2,508,509 2,320,465 2,087,318 Other roads — Loan .. •• 1,169,613 1,608,680 1,145,567 412,470 381,090 Local rates 1,123,361 1,121,923 841,313 798,805 734,844 Unemployment-taxation .. .. .. 39,102 281,242 677,227 675,524 General taxation .. .. 807,690 900,060 966,757 900,750 927,750 Motor-taxation .. .. .. 103,389 242,468 462,736 226,023 210,958 Total .. .. .. 3,204,053 3,912,233 3,697,615 3,015,275 2,930,166 All roads — Loan .. •• 2,249,450 2,590,139 1,930,977 572,359 688,850 Local rates .. .. .. 3,093,144 3,211,262 2,741,037 2,519,486 2,319,138 Unemployment-taxation .. .. .. 114,102 846,315 1,397,486 1,344,834 General taxation .. .. 1,017,908 1,046,334 1,108,580 1,024,926 1,075,092 Motor-taxation 2,290,105 1,985,734 1,958,329 1,563,790 1,417,286 Total .. ■■ .. 8,650,607 8,947,571 8,585,238 7,078,047 6,845,200