H.—4oa.

which will be sufficient to increase the amount paid to County Councils under the heading of heavy motor-vehicle fees to at least £250,000 be allocated out of motor-taxation to this purpose. This would bring their share up to approximately £7 per mile instead of the £243 which they get at present. In putting forward this recommendation 1 do not in any way suggest any increase in the present scale of motor-taxation, but merely that such an amount of the present taxation be set aside each year for that purpose. The following figures will serve to demonstrate how such sum should, in my opinion, be arrived at, the extra amount required for the road fund varying from year to year in sympathy with the variation in the return from the heavy motor-vehicle fees : — Year ending 31st March, 1933 — £ Per Cent. Boroughs and town districts received .. .. .. 92,288 51 *8 Counties and road districts received .. .. .. 85,895 48 • 2 £178,183 100-0 If counties' share is to be made up to £250,000 the amounts required would be— £ Boroughs and town districts .. . . • ■ ■ ■ 92, 288 Counties and road districts. . . . . . • ■ • • • 250,000 £342,000 (approx.) The amount expected from heavy-traffic fees, if the new scale is £ adopted, is approximately .. .. .. .. 132,000 Required for Road Furid .. .. .. .. .. 210,105 £342,000 (approx.) (Signed) Harry Bell S. Johnstone.

Appendix.—Heavy Motor-vehicle Regulations: Annual License Fees.

27

Two-axled Vehicle. Multi-axled Vehicle. Class of Gross Weight i f Vehicle. in Tons. Present. I Proposed. Present. Proposed. Pneumatic Tires on all Wheels, £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. cl. A . .. 2 to 2i 5 2 0 .. 5 2 0 B .. .. 2-| to 3 7 13 0 .. 7 13 0 C 3 to 34 10 4 0 7 10 0 10 4 0 5 0 0 I) .. .. 3* to i" 13 12 0 11 5 0 13 12 0 7 10 0 E i to 4| 17 0 0 15 0 0 17 0 0 10 0 0 F .. 4-J- to 5 20 8 0 18 15 0 20 8 0 12 10 0 G . .. 5" to 5| 23 16 0 22 10 0 23 16 0 15 0 0 H 5-1 to 6" 27 4 0 26 5 0 27 4 0 17 10 0 I .. 6" to 6| 30 12 0 30 0 0 30 12 0 20 0 0 J . . 61 to 7" 34 0 0 35 0 0 34 0 0 23 6 8 K . . 7" to 74 38 5 0 40 0 0 38 5 0 26 13 4 L . . 74 to 8" 42 10 0 45 0 0 42 10 0 30 0 0 M .. 8" to 84- 46 15 0 50 0 0 46 15 0 33 (i 8 N 84 to 9~ 51 0 0 55 0 0 51 0 0 36 13 4 0 .. 9" to 94 55 5 0 60 0 0 55 5 0 40 0 0 p .. 91 to IO" 63 15 0 65 0 0 63 15 0 43 H 8 Q .. 10 to 15 63 15 0 65 0 0 63 15 0 43 6 8 Solid Tires on any Wheels. A .. .. i 2 to 24 i 6 0 0 .. I 6 0 0 B .. . . 2f to 3 9 0 0 . . I 9 0 0 C .. .. 3 to 34 12 0 0 12 0 0 12 0 0 8 . 0 0 D .. 34 to 4 i 16 0 0 16 0 0 16 0 0 10 13 4 E .. .. 4 to 44 20 0 0 20 0 0 20 0 0 13 6 8 F .. 44 to 5 24 0 0 24 0 0 24 0 0 16 0 0 Q 5 to 5|- 28 0 0 28 0 0 28 0 0 18 13 4 If 54 to 6 32 0 0 32 0 0 32 0 0 21 6 8 1 .. 6 to 64 36 0 0 36 0 0 36 0 0 24 0 0 J .. 64 to 7" 40 0 0 40 0 0 40 0 0 26 13 4 K' .. .. 7" to 74 45 0 0 45 0 0 45 0 0 30 0 0 L .. 74 to 8 50 0 0 50 0 0 50 0 0 33 6 8 M .. .. 8" to 84 55 0 0 55 0 0 55 0 0 36 13 4 N .. 8| to 9" 60 0 0 60 0 0 60 0 0 40 0 0 0 .. 9" to 94 65 0 0 65 0 0 65 0 0 43 6 8 P .. 94 to 10 75 0 0 75 0 0 75 0 0 50 0 0 Q .. .. 10 to 15 75 0 0 75 0 0 75 0 0 50 0 0