H.—4o.

The total capital invested in the industry was estimated at £6,250,000, of which vehicles account for over £2,250,000. The capital put into transport by the operators themselves approximated £4,500,000. . . The return to the industry by way of net profit represented a return on the total capital invested of 11-6 per cent. Each vehicle used is estimated to have averaged a mileage of 13,555 miles to earn a total gross revenue of £823 and return by way of net profit to the proprietor a sum of £83. (3) Taxi Services. As the majority of the taxi operators came under license late in 1939 the summarized figures mainly reflect the experience of the industry prior to licensing. _ ... It is estimated that the taxis employed in the industry covered 29,000,000 vehicle-miles m the year under review for a total gross revenue of £877,000 and aggregate profits of just, over £17,000. Wages paid, together with drawings in lieu of wages by working proprietors, totalled £356,000, or 41 per cent, of the total expenses incurred. In brief, the total operating costs of taxis are estimated as follows : Percentage £ of Total. Running expenses (benzine, oil,.tires, repairs) .. ■■ 291,000 34 Depreciation of vehicles .. .. • • • ■ ■ • 108,000 13 Wages and drawings in lieu of wages .. .. •• 356,000 41 License fees, insurance, garaging .. .. . • • • 44, 000 5 Levy and sundry charges .. •• •• 61,000 7 Total 860,000 100 F. APPEALS. Appeals lodged during the year totalled 174, of which 151 related to goods services, including ancillary users, and 23 to passenger services. The number of appeals shown as being under action in the last report did not include appeals by or against ancillary users but these are now taken into account. The following details are given regarding the appeals in respect of passenger and goods services, including appeals brought forward from the previous year : —

7. COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICES. The main statistics for the commercial aircraft services are given in Table No. 9. Once again there has been a falling off in the number of passengers and mail carried for 1940 as compared with 1939 The total mileage flown has fallen from 1,950,000 in 1939 to 762,000 miles in 1940. 8. CHANGES IN TRANSPORT LAW IN NEW ZEALAND. The following were the principal enactments passed during the year under consideration : — A. STATUTES. Statutes Amendment Act, 1940. —Sections 40—41 extend to the 30th June the dates of expiry of the license years for motor-vehicles and motor-drivers; the alteration effective in the 1941-42 license year.

11

Carried For- Lodged Licensing ward from during Appeals Authority's Decision 'Decision Referred Under District. Previous Current withdrawn. Decision modified. | reversed. back. Action. Report. Year. upheld. Goods-services. No. 1 .. .. 11 67 6 32 5 11 5 19 No 2 .. 52 25 25 15 13 1 1 22 No. 3.. .. 9 35 3 11 2 4 11 13 No. 4 35 24 7 23 5 1 1 22 Totals .. 107 151 41 81 25 17 18 76 Passenger-services. No. 1 .. • • 5 7 .. 8 .. 1 • • 3 No. 2 .. .. 3 2 .. 4 .. .. .. 1 No. 3 7 1 •• 1 ■■ 5 " No. 4.. .. 3 4 .. 2 1 1 .. 3 Metropolitan .. 4 3 2 5 Totals 15 23 3 19 2 2 5 7