H.—4o.

(/) Petrol Consumption. The following table shows a classification of the manner in which petrol was consumed in the Dominion during the last eight calendar years : — '

The total gallons are calculated from the quantity of motor-spirits on which motor-spirit tax was paid. In April, 1935, an arrangement was concluded between the Treasury and the Customs Department and the principal motor-spirit importers whereby the spirit might be taken from bond on condition that the tax would be paid within one month. This necessitated the figure for December, 1935, being estimated, with the result that the 1935 total figure is not exact, although it is considered sufficiently reliable for purposes of comparison. It will be observed that, although there was an increase of some 5,000,000 gallons consumed by motor-vehicles as compared with last year's figures, the peak year figures of 1930 have not yet quite been regained. 4. MOTOR-SPIRITS TAXATION ACT, 1927. The following data show the yield from and distribution of the petrol-tax for the year ended 31st March, 1936. The figures regarding the net yield for previous years are given for comparative purposes : — (a) Yield. £ Gross yield .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,087,682 Deductions — Refunds and cost of making same .. .. .. 169,023 Net yield .. .. .. .. .. £2,918,659 Net Yield (i.e., Gross Yield less Refunds), Year ended 31st March. £ 1928 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 143,516* 1929 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 802,232 1930 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 961,907 1931 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,314,450f 1932 1,677,520$ 1933 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,865,762§ 1934 .. .. .. .. ..' .. .. .. 2,368,147 1935 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,610,607 1936 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,918,659 Total since inception of tax .. .. .. . . £14,662,800 * Part year only. f Increase from 4d. to 6d. per gallon as from 22nd July, 1930. % Increase from 6d. to Bd. per gallon as from 7th October, 1931. § Increase from Bd. to 10d. per gallon as from 9th February, 1933. (b) Distribution. The distribution of the net yield of the petrol-tax for the last five years ended 31st March was as follows :—

2—H. 40.

9

Consumption of Petrol. Calendar Year. By Motor-vehicles Other-i.e Engines,, j (i.e., Petrol on which Ae,op an f {V , etlo f l Total, all Duty was paid). °" w ' lleh Refunds of J r Duty were made). Gallons. Gallons. Gallons. 1928 .. .. .. .. 41,457,150* 2,057,940* 43,515,090* 1929 .. .. .. .. 56,575,840 3,650,040 60,225,880 1930 .. .. .. .. 62,821,479 3,907,900 66,729,379 1931 .. .. .. .. 55,203,252 5,286,000 60,489,252 1932 .. .. .. .. 49,861,449 5,495,479 55,356,928 1933 .. .. .. .. 51,262,371 5,400,000f 56,662,371 1934 .. .. .. .. 55,914,450 6,100,000f 62,014,450 1935 .. .. .. .. 61,744,902 6,483,600f 68,228,502f * Excludes an unknown amount of petrol on which duty was not paid. f Estimated.

—— 1932. 1933. 1934. 1935. 1936. £ ! £ £ £ £ Main Highways Board .. .. .. 1,231,202 644,126 669,868 970,506 1,449,125 Boroughs (population of 6,000 and over) .. 107,061 99,489 101,728 L12,370 126,011 Consolidated Fund .. .. .. 321,685 1,105,182 1,579,965 1,511,499 1,326,261 Commission on collection .. .. 17,572 16,965 16,586 16,232 17,262 Totals .. ■■ ■■ jl,677,520 1,865,762 2,368,147 2,610,607 2,918,65,9