H. 40.

The increase in the number of licensed motor-vehicles (all groups) compared with those at the 31st March, 1939, was 9,595, or 3-12 per cent. The number of motor-vehicles licensed as at 31st March, 1940, classified according to postal districts, are set out in Table No. 1. Table No. 2 of the Appendix sets out the number of motor-vehicles licensed each year since' 1932. The number of " dormant " registrations—i.e., vehicles which although registered had not been licensed for the current year —as at 31st March, 1940, were as under :—

Section 10 of the Motor-vehicles Amendment Act, 1927, provides that after a registration has remained " dormant " for two complete years it is to be cancelled. The following sets out the 1936-37 registrations cancelled on Ist June, 1939, in accordance with this section: —

D. MOTOR-VEHICLE REGISTRATION-PLATES. The following classes of number-plates were assigned during the licensing year 1939-40 : - (1) For private cars, plates without initial letter from 2001 onwards, the highest number manufactured being 228,000. (2) For " private-hire " cars plates without initial letters 1—499 inclusive. (3) Rental cars without initial letter 500-1600 inclusive. (4) Special plates for issuance to cycles. (5) Plates with initial letter " D " (both car and cycle) for dealers' vehicles. (6) Plates with initial letter " " for vehicles exempted from payment of annual license fees. (7) Plates with the prefix " Govt." for vehicles owned by Government Departments. (8) Plates with initial letter " H " for heavy tracks. (9) Plates with initial letter " L " for light trucks. (10) Plates with initial letter " P " for omnibuses. (11) Plates with initial letter " R " for trailers. (12) Plates with initial letter " S " for service cars. (13) Plates with initial letter " T " for taxis. (14) Plates with initial letter " V " for passenger-trucks and " contract " motor-vehicles.

5

Type °f Vehicle. j £££ £££ Total. Cars .. .. .. .. .. .. 5-296 9,981 15,277 Light trucks (2 tons and under laden) .. .. 2,792 3,688 6,480 Heavy trucks (over 2 tons laden) .. .. .. 1,357 1,686 3,043 Service cars .. .. .. . . .. 29 41 70 Taxis .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 36 53 Rental and private-hire cars . . . - . . 13 40 53 Contract vehicles and passenger-trucks .... 55 34 89 Omnibuses .. .. .. .. .. 21 38 59 Local-body and exempt vehicles .. . . .. 264 467 731 Trailers .. .. .. .. .. .. 824 2,038 2,862 Government vehicles .. .. .. . . 62 .. 62 Motor-cycles .. .. .. .. .. 4,034 4,774 8,808 Other motor-vehicles .. . . . . .. .. 163 163 Totals .. .. .. .. 14.764 22,986 37 ..750

Type of Vehicle. Number. Cars .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,624 Light trucks .. .. .. .. .. 4,106 Heavy trucks .. .. .. .. .. 1,608 Service cars .. .. .. .. .. 44 Taxis .. .. .. .. .. .. 19 Passenger-trucks .. .. .. .. .. 51 Rental and private-hire cars .. .. .. 20 Motor-buses .. .. .. .. .. 19 Traction-engines .. .. .. .. .. 67 Trailers .. .. .. .. .. .. 703 Tractors .. . . . . . . . . . . 199 Motor-cycles .. .. .. .. .. 4,111 Other vehicles .. .. .. .. .. 57 Total.. .. .. .. .. 16,628