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1940. NEW ZEALAND.

TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT (ANNUAL REPORT OF).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Leave.

The Hon. R. Semple, Minister of Transport, Wellington. Sir, — Transport Department, Ist June, 1940. Herewith I have the honour to submit the annual report of the Transport Department for the year ended 31st March, 1940. 1 have, &c., Gr. L. Laurenson, Commissioner of Transport.

INDEX TO CONTENTS.

PAGE X. Introduction .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. 3 2. Development of Motor Transport— A. Registration of Motor-vehielcs, by Types of Vehicles .. . . .. . . . . . . 4 B. Registration of Motor-vehicles, by Country of Manufacture .. .. . . .. . . 4 C. Motor-vehicles licensed as at 31st March, 1940 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 D. Motor-vehicle Registration-plates .. .. .. .. .. ~ . . .. 5 E. Vehicles actually on the Road .. .. .. .. . . ~ .. 6 P. Petrol-consumption.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 3. Roads— A. Limitation of Loads on Roads .. .. .. .. . . .. .. . . 6 B. Traffic Census .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . .. 7 C. Road Finance — (1) Dominion's Road Bill, 1937-39 .. .. .. .. . . .. .. 8 (2) Annual Charges per Mile on Roads and Streets, 1937-39 .. . . .. 9 4. Road Safety— A. Conduct and Safety of Children .. . . .. .. .. .. .. 9 B. Publicity, Propaganda, and Adult Education .. .. .. . . .. . . 10 C. New Zealand Road Safety Council .. .. .. .. . . . .. ..11 D. Road Accident Statistics— (1) The Number of Accidents .. .. .. .. .. .. ..11 (2) Fatal Accidents during the Past Six Years .. .. .. .. .. .. 11 (3) Details of Fatal Accidents during the Past Three Years .. .. .. ..11 (4) Particulars of Accidents reported (i.e., Fatal and Non-fatal) . . . . .. 12 E. Enforcement of Traffic Laws.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..17 F. Inspection of Motor-vehicles— (1) Passenger-vehicles .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. 18 (2) Goods-vehicles .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. 18 (3) Other Vehicles . . .. . . .. .. . . .. . . 18 5. Motor-vehicles (Third-party Risks) Act, 1928— A. Statistics .. .. . . .. .. .. . . . . . . .. 19 B. Annual Review of Premium Rates .. .. . . . . . , . . 19 C. Hit-and-Run Drivers .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 19

I—H. 40.

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INDEX TO CONTENTS—continued. 6. War Measures : Road Transport— A. Meeting direct Enemy Action— page (i) National .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 (ii) Local .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. 20 B. Organization of Road Transport Industry to eliminate Waste, promote Efficiency, and conserve Petrol 20 (1) Machinery to secure Co-ordination and reduce Waste .. .. .. .. .. 20 (2) Extension of Transport Act to Town Carriers and Taxis .. .. .. .. 20 (3) Amalgamations, mergers, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 (4) Review of Road Services paralleling Railways for Thirty Miles or more .. .. 20 (5) Review of Freight Charges .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 (6) Compulsory Membership of Association .. .. .. .. . . 20 7. Regulation of Commercial Road Transport— A. Passenger Services— (1) Applications for Licenses .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 (2) Number of Licenses in Force .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 (3) Review of Licenses .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 (4) Inspection of Accounts a.nd Records .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 (5) Finances and Statistics, 1938-39 .. . . .. .. .. . . 21 B. Goods Services — |S (1) Applications dealt with .. .. .. .. .. . . . 21' (2) Number of Licenses in Force .. .. .. . . .. . . . . 22 (3) Inspection of Operators' Accounts and Records . . . . .. . . 22 (4) Reviews of Licenses .. .. .. .. . . . . . . ' .22 (5) Rates-fixation .. .. .. . . . . . . . . 22 (6) Goods-services Finances and Statistics, 1938-39 .. .. .. . . ... 22 C. Taxi-cab and Rental-car Services .. .. . . .. .. . . 22 D. Appeals .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . 23 8. Changes in Transport Law in New Zealand— A. Statutes .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. . . .. 23 B. Regulations . . .. .. .. . . .. .. .. 23 9. Regulations relating to Oil-fuel Control .. .. .. .. .. .. . . 24 10. Overseas Legislation .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 11. Commercial Air Services .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 12. Appendix: Statistical Returns— Table No. I.—Motor-vehicles licensed at 31st March, 1940 .. . . .. .. .. 25 Table No. 2. —Comparative Table showing Number of Motor-vehicles licensed as at 31st December, 1932 to 1939 inclusive .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 Table No. 3.—Traffic Offences Bureau .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26 Table No. 4. —Prosecutions by Traffic Inspectors of Transport Department .. .. .. 27 Table No. 5. —Traffic Data, Operating-expenses, Revenue, and Profit for Licensed Passenger Services, 1935 to 1939 inclusive .. .. .. .. .. . . .. 28 Table No. 6. —Statement of Assets and Liabilities of Licensed Passenger Services, 1935 to 1939 inclusive .. 28 Table No. 7. —Traffic, Revenue, Expenditure, and Capital Statistics of Licensed Goods Services, 1935 to 1939 inclusive .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 29 Table No. 8. —Table showing Principal Operating Data for Licensed Commercial Aircraft Services, 1934 to 1939 inclusive .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 29

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REPORT:

1. INTRODUCTION. The following summary outlines the main facts recorded in this report:— (1) The quantity of petrol consumed in the calendar year 1939 was just under 100,000,000 gallons, or approximately 3,000,000 gallons more than in 1938. (2) The volume of motor traffic on the national roading system up till the introduction of petrol-rationing in September, 1939, was approximately 8 per cent, above the level for 1937-38. (3) New registrations of cars, commercial vehicles, and motor-cycles decreased by 37-4 per cent., 9-3 per cent., and 18-8 per cent., respectively, in 1939-40 as compared with 1938-39. (4) The total expenditure on roads, streets, and bridges in 1938-39 amounted to £12,900,000, or £2,300,000 more than that (£10,600,000) in 1937-38. (5) There were 227 fatal motor accidents in 1939-40 involving the loss of 248 lives, and 3,920 other accidents causing injuries to 5,341 people. (6) The deaths as a result of road accidents per 10,000 motor-vehicles declined from 8-85 in 1938-39 to 8-37 in 1939-40. (7) Daylight accidents decreased in 1939-40, while night accidents increased; the number of cyclists killed increased. (8) Reduction in number of road accidents involving school-children. (9) Further valuable work done by the Road Safety Council. (10) Valuable road-safety educational work was carried out in the Department's pavilion at the Centennial Exhibition by means of films and driver-testing machines. (11) Further progress in road-safety education in the schools. (12) The traffic force of the Department issued warnings or traffic offence notices for over 62,000 breaches of the regulations, compared with just over 50,000 in the previous year. Prosecutions authorized fell from 7,700 in 1938-39 to 7,244 in 1939-40. (13) A further improvement in the standard of mechanical fitness of motor-vehicles. Where at the first inspection for warrants of fitness in September, 1937, only 21 per cent, of vehicles inspected passed the standard tests, at the latest inspection in March, 1940, nearly 60 per cent, were found to be correct in every detail. (14) The claims paid and estimated liability under the Motor-vehicles Insurance (Third-party Risks) Act, 1928, were again much in excess of the total premiums collected for the year ended 31st May, 1939. (15) Special steps were taken, as part of the Dominion's war effort, for the purpose of eliminating waste, promoting efficiency, and conserving petrol in all public road transport services. (16) At the 31st March, 1940, there were 897 passenger services, 4,654 goods services, 1,050 taxi services, and 125 rental-car services licensed under the Transport Licensing Act, covering in all nearly 12,700 vehicles. (17) Considerable increase in the volume of business done by licensed motor transport.

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2. DEVELOPMENT OF MOTOR TRANSPORT. A. REGISTRATIONS OF MOTOR-VEHICLES, BY TYPES OF VEHICLE. Under the Motor-vehicles Act a new vehicle is registered and simultaneously licensed for the ensuing year or part thereof. The license is renewable each year. If a license is not renewed, the registration is classed as " dormant," and after remaining " dormant " for two complete years is cancelled, the assumption being that the vehicle in question is permanently off the road. If, however, the vehicle is again brought into use after its registration has thus been cancelled, it is treated as a new registration. The registration figures set out hereunder, therefore, are nob an exact record of the number of new vehicles introduced into our traffic system ; they include an unknown but probably small number of vehicles which have been out of commission for more than two years. The following table sets out the annual registrations since 1938 :—

In comparison with the year 1938-39, new motor-car registrations for 1939-40 have fallen off by 37-4 per cent., commercial vehicles by 9-3 per cent., and motor-cycles by 18-8 per cent. B. REGISTRATIONS OF MOTOR-VEHICLES. BY COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE. The following table shows the country of manufacture and the number of motor-vehicles registered during the years ended 31st March, 1938 to 1940, inclusive :—

The proportion of car imports of American or Canadian origin to the total new car registrations has fallen from 41 per oent. in 1938 39 to 37 per cent, in 1939-40, while the proportion of cars of English origin has increased from 57 per cent, to 60 per cent. Omitting the imports of commercial vehicles from " Other countries," 4,004 of the 4,110 vehicles were trailers, imports from America' or Canada account for 75 per cent, of the new registrations, against 73 per oent. in the previous year. C. MOTOR-VEHICLES LICENSED AS AT 31st MARCH, 1940. The appended figures show the number of motor-vehicles licensed for the year 1939-40 as at 31st March, 1940 (the licensing year expires on 31st May each year) : —

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Year ended 31st March, J Cars. Commercial Vehicles. | Cycles. | Total Registrations. 1938 .. .. .. 29,837 10,413 3,018 43,268 1939 .. .. .. 28,937 10,862 2,233 42,032 191° • • 18,107 9,849 1,814 29,770

United States of Year ended 31st March, Great Britain. America or Other Countries. „ l otal . Canada. Registrations. M.olor-cars. 1938 .. .. 16,610 12,919 308 29,837 1939 .. .. 16,452 11,884 601 28,937 1940 .. .. 10,936 6,735 436 18,107 Commercial Vehicles. 1938 .. .. 2,032 5,697 2,684 10,413 1939 .. .. 1,961 5,419 3,482 10,862 1940 .. .. 1,394 4,345 4,110 9,849 Motor-cycles. 1938 .. .. 2,714 302 I 2 3,018 1939 .. .. 2,005 226 ! 2 2.233 194-0 .. .. 1,587 223 j 4 1,814

Type of Vehicle. North Island. South Island. I Zealand Total. Cars •• •• •• •• •• 146,475 j 73,463 219,938 Light trucks (2 tons and under laden) .. .. 18,332 I 9,307 27,639 Heavy trucks (over 2 tons laden) . . .. .. 14,818 i 6,741 21' 559 Passenger trucks .. .. .. .. .. 1,121 'g64 l '785 Omnibuses .. .. .. .. .. 551 203 754 Taxis .. .. .. .. .. .. 1J21 467 1,588 Service cars .. .. .. .. .. 369 253 622 Rental and private-hire cars .. .. .. j 441 j 312 753 Dealers'cars .. .. .. .. .. 1,285 576 1,861 Local-authority road vehicles .. .. .. 2,780 3 093 5' 873 Government vehicles .. .. .. .. 2,971 1 319 4 290 Trailers .. .. .. .. .. .. 6,931 ll'sis Dealers' motor-cycles .. .. .. .. 97 4g Motor-cycles .. .. .. .. .. 12,118 7,083 19,201 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 209,410 108,116 317,526

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.

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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

H.—4o.

E. VEHICLES ACTUALLY ON THE ROAD. The number of vehicles licensed on the register kept in accord with the provisions of the Motorvehicles Act, 1924, may be taken as a reasonable indication of the number of vehicles actually on the road. The number of vehicles licensed have been estimated from month to month, and the averages for the years ending on the 31st March, 1938, to the 31st March, 1940, are given hereunder : —

There has again been an increase in the average number of vehicles on the road, there being 18,081, or 6-5 per cent., more vehicles in use on the average than in 1938-39. Cars once more show a large increase of 14,500, or 7-5 per cent., more than the average number on the road for 1938-39. F. PETROL CONSUMPTION. The following table shows a classification of the manner in which petrol was consumed in the Dominion during the last three calendar years:—

3. ROADS. A. LIMITATION OF LOADS ON ROADS. It is now a generally accepted principle that the damaging effect of heavy vehicles on the road surface is dependent upon the axle weight of the vehicle rather than upon its gross weight. Until some two years ago there has been in this country a gross-weight restriction and also an axle-weight restriction in respect of all heavy motor-vehicles under the various road classifications. In December, 1937, the gross-weight limitation on multi-axled vehicles was removed, and this action has now been followed in respect of all types of heavy motor-vehicles, the limitations now being in respect of axle weights only. Furthermore, the maximum axle weights prescribed for multi-axled vehicles were previously considerably lower than those for two-axled vehicles operating on roads of the same classification. These have been increased so that they are now only \ ton less than the corresponding axle-weight limits for two-axled vehicles.

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Averages. Class of Vehiole. 1938. 1939. 1940. Number. Number. Number. Cars .. .. .. .. .. .. 172,899 193,733 208,233 Trucks, light, up to 2 tons laden .. .. 24,214 25,413 26,063 Trucks, heavy, over 2 tons laden .. .. .. 18,965 19,883 20,750 Omnibuses .. .. .. .. .. 622 667 707 Taxis .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,682 1,672 1,607 Rental cars and private-hire cars .. .. .. 601 703 729 Service cars .. .. .. .. . • 648 626 616 Dealers' cars .. . . . . . . . . 1,687 1,868 1,842 Local-body road vehicles .. .. .. .. 2,276 3,439 4,922 Government vehicles .. .. .. .. 2,374 3,118 3,929 Dealers' motor-cycles .. .. .. .. 135 135 133 Motor-cycles .. .. .. .. .. 19,947 18,627 17,164 Trailers .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,119 6,758 7,826 Passenger-trucks .. .. .. ... 1,190 1,457 1,659 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 252,359 278,099 296,180

I Estimated Consumption of Petrol. Calendar Year. I B Motor-vehicles- Other-i.e. Engines i.e., Petrol on which j Aeroplanes, &o. (Petrol Total ! i, w , • i on which Refunds of | all Duty was paid. Duty were made). Gallons. Gallons. Gallons. 1937 .. .. .. .. 82,110,905 7,339,000 89,449,905 1938 .. .. .. .. 89,306,192 7,590,000 96,896,192 1939 .. .. .. .. 91,954,671 8,027,000 99,981,671

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The present load limitations are as follows: — (i) Statutory limitations in respect of any load — Two-axled heavy motor-vehicles .. 10 tons gross weight. Multi-axled heavy motor-vehicles .. . • 6 tons on any one axle. (ii) Classified roads —

Apart from raising the classification of certain lengths of the main-highways system following reconstruction of the roads to a higher standard than formerly, there has been comparatively little alteration in the classification of roads generally or new classifications effected during the past year. The position is now becoming stabilized in most districts and apart from the roads adjoining the larger centres, where a higher standard of construction generally prevails, there are only a few districts where the roads have not yet been classified. The mileages of rural roads, main highways, and State highways, classified under the different classifications, afe as follows: —

(1) Classification of all Rural Roads at 31st March, 1940.

(2) Classification of Main Highways (Rural Sections) at 31st March, 1940.

(3) Classification of State Highways (Rural Sections) at 31st March, 1940.

Although there are still 22,426 miles of unclassified roads in rural areas, many of these have only clay surfaces and the loads permitted on the great proportion are governed by the classification of the key roads which have to be travelled to gain access to the unclassified roads. Only 976 miles of the main highways, or 8 per cent, of the whole system, now remains unclassified. B. TRAFFIC CENSUS. The last comprehensive census of traffic using the main-highway system was conducted by the Main Highways Board in 1937-38. This census indicated an extraordinary increase in the utilization of the system during the three years which had elapsed since the previous census. From records of the amount of petrol consumed by motor-vehicles it is seen that the general increase in traffic on all roads continued until the introduction of petrol-rationing in September, 1939,

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Axle-load Limitation. Classification of Road. Multi-axled Heavy Two-axled Heavy Motor . vehicles am ] Motor-vehicles. TrailerSi Class Three . . . . . . tons 5 tons. Class Four .. .. 4 tons tons. Class Five .. .. .. 3 tons 2| tons.

Formed Roads.j Class Three. | Class Four. Class Five. c]as^ion . Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. North Island . 26,568 5,471 8,838 2,498 16,807 South Island .. .. 21,953 6,541 2,472 275 9,288 Totals .. .. 48,521 12,012 11,310 2,773 26,095

(This section includes State Highways shown under Table (3) following.) Highways. Class Three. Class Four. | Class Five. | Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. North Island .. .. 6,590 3,034 3,134 148 6,316 South Island .. .. 5,427 4,541 142 42 4,725 Totals .. .. 12,017 7,575 3,276 190 11,041

— rr- S^ ate Class Three. Class Four. Class Five. n , ta i Highways. Classification. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. North Island .. .. 2,126 1,205 869 .. 2,074 South Island .. .. 1,686 1,554 .. .. 1,554 Totals .. .. 3,812 2,759 869 .. 3,628

H. —40.

It is estimated that the general increase in motor traffic 011 the whole of the national roading system has been about 8 per cent, since 1937-38. The whole of this increase occurred during 1938-39, but, owing to curtailment of use during the latter part of 1939—40, there has been no further increase for the whole year, although individual months show very considerable fluctuation in use. Over the whole year there has been a very slight falling off in use since the preceding year, although during the first six months the petrol figures show that there was a further increase of more than 10 per cent, over the corresponding period of 1938-39. No separate figures are available for the different systems, which together comprise the national roading system. C. ROAD FINANCE. (1) DOMINION'S ROAD BILL, 1935-39. The Department has investigated the numerous statistical data available from official sources and has analysed and classified them in order to show approximately what the roads, streets, and bridges are costing under the headings- of construction, maintenance, and loan charges. The classification of the roads into main highways, urban roads and streets, and other roads has been carried out, as each class of road or street has differing problems attached to it. This classification has involved a certain amount of estimation, as also have certain aspects of the figures for the whole road bill. Any estimations have been made on a conservative basis, and the figures are sufficiently close to actual fact to form a basis for reliable broad conclusions. The following table shows the expenditure for the three years 1936-37 to 1938-39 under the headings of "Construction," "Maintenance," and "Interest and sinking-fund charges":—

Of the total figure of £12,933,000 for 1938-39, £6,000,000 was spent on main highways, £2,300,000 on urban roads and streets, and £4,600,000 on other roads. The comparative figures for the previous year were—main highways, £4,700,000 ; urban roads and streets, £2,000,000, and other roads, £3,900,000. The expenditure on main highways was made up of construction, £3,330,000 ; maintenance, £1,950,000; and sinking-fund and interest charges, £730,000. On urban roads and streets £1,300,000 was spent on construction, £450,000 on maintenance, and £570,000 in interest and sinking-fund charges. With other roads construction totalled £2,030,000, maintenance £1,300,000, and interest and sinking-fund charges, £1,250,000. Sources op Moneys Spent on Eoad Bii.l, 1936-37 to 1938-39. The sources of the moneys spent on roads for the three years 1936-37 to 1938-39 are set out hereunder:—

Loan moneys spent 011 roads show an increase of £1,160,000 on 1937-38, while moneys from the Employment Promotion Fund for the same purpose increased by nearly £870,000. Moneys spent from other sources show only a very slight increase.

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- - - — - ■ ■ ■ I —— ———— ——. Year. Maintenance. Construction. T uteres tarn I Sinking- Total fund Charges. , _____ ? ■ , _ £ £ £ £ 1936-37 .. .. 2,777,099 4,004,859 2,226,742 9,008,700 1937-38 .. .. 3,211,188 5,053,326 2,358,584 10,623,098 1938-39 .. .. 3,711,737 6,665,941 2,555,292 12,932,970

UnemployYear. Loan Local ment or General Motor T , Moneys. Rates. Employment Taxation. Taxation. Taxation. Main Highways. £ £ £ £ £ £ 1936-37 .. .. .. 892,274 517,507 5,662 169,239 1,958,919 3,543,601 1937-38.. .. .. 1,708,635 448,949 97,864 213,299 2,222,301 4,691,048 1938-39 2,739,751 451,737 297,531 233,098 2,297,072 6,019,189 Urban Roads. 1936-37 .. .. .. 199,783 1,059,920 330,156 .. 346,457 1,936,316 1937-38 203,827 1,097,237 336,140 .. 389,110 2,026,314 1938-39.. .. .. 157,429 1,077,607 705,807 .. 393,051 2,333,894 Other Roads. 1936-37.. .. .. 939,714 916,181 357,220 1,017,082 298,586 3,528,783 1937-38 .. - .. 1,169,128 1,027,709 276,695 1,101,369 330,835 3,905,736 1938-39 .. .. .. 1,350,322 1,168,289 554,242 1,185,080 321,954 4,579,887

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(2) ANNUAL CHARGES PER MILE ON ROADS, STREETS, ETC., 1937-39. The following table shows the annual expenditure for the three years ended 31st March, 1939, on the various classes of roads, &c., computed per mile of road and/or street: —

4. ROAD SAFETY. A. CONDUCT AND SAFETY OF CHILDREN. Within the schools, teachers have taken a much greater interest in this question than is popularly believed. Teachers themselves do not seek publicity concerning their work, and little or no publicity has been given to their efforts. It was fitting, therefore, that at its last meeting the New Zealand Road Safety Council passed a resolution expressing appreciation of the action taken by teachers and of the results achieved. CJp to June, 1938, the child - accident rate showed a marked rising tendency, but from July onwards, although motor traffic was heavier, the rate began to decline. Complete figures for the year ended 31st March, 1940, are not yet available, except in respect of fatal accidents. The figures are, however, complete up to 31st December, 1939, and these, when compared with the figures for the corresponding nine months of 1938, show that the number of accidents has fallen by about 11 per cent, and that the improvement in the accident rate, mentioned above, has been more than maintained. No pedestrian in the 10-14 years group was killed in the sixteen months ended 31st March, 1940, whereas in the preceding eight months four were killed. Two cyclists in this age-group were killed in 1939-40; one was killed in the previous year. Five pedestrians in the 5-9 years group were killed in 1939-40 and four in the previous year. Two cyclists in this age-group were killed in 1939-40. The Department has fully realized that the teacher is host able to impart instruction to children. In the past, in respect of the question of road conduct, there was a lack of suitable material for use by teachers, but in 1938 primary schools throughout New Zealand were supplied with material, including posterettes and wall-notices, and at the end of the year, with a booklet covering all aspects of conduct by pedestrians and cyclists in relation to motor traffic. These and other measures were all undertaken in collaboration with the Education Department. The Department has been assured that visits by well-qualified road-traffic instructors have been of considerable assistance to teachers. Another instructor was appointed during the year, and, with the approval of the Auckland Education Board, was stationed in the Board's district. The production of a second film, of a more advanced nature than the one now used by the instructors, was put in hand during the year and will be ready shortly. The Department, realizing the difficulty in which head teachers may be placed by requests for permission to enter schools, has been careful to refrain from attempting to " force " itself into the schools. The Department has gone no further and does not seek to go furthei than to offer to teachers, who may so desire, such assistance as its instructors and other officers may be able to give. On the road, as opportunity offers, the Department's Traffic Inspectors give advice to children, particularly cyclists, when it is observed that they are not complying with the rules. By now, mainly as a result of the work of teachers, there are very few children who do not know the rules with which, at their particular ages, they are concerned. With the advice and assistance of those experienced in the art of teaching, the Department has supplied notes for the guidance of its staff of Traffic Inspectors in order to ensure that, when any child is corrected on the road, the correction is given in an appropriate manner. In consultation with the Education Department, the Department has formulated proposals regarding school patrols. The first two or three patrols were established seven or eight years ago in the South Island by arrangement between the school authorities and the local bodies. Additional patrols followed in the South Island, and patrols are now coming more into favour in the North Island. No patrol has been injured in the course of his duties, and no record can be traced of any accident to a child under the supervision of a patrol. The work of the patrols is valuable not only because it helps to ensure the safety of pupils, but also because both patrols and other pupils are assisted to develop a sense of responsibility as users of the road. The proposals are designed to protect the patrols and pupils under their supervision, to relieve the apprehension felt by teachers concerning legal liability, to secure some measure of uniformity, and generally to encourage the school-patrol system.

2—H, 40.

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Annual Charges per Mile of Road. Di t • , Year ended Length of : 31st March, Formed Roads. T , I Miles. £ £ £ Main highways .. .. 1939 11,802 165 62 227 Urban roads and streets .. 1939 4,186 108 137 245 Other roads .. .. 1939 36,815 35 34 69 All roads .. .. 1937 52,328 53 43 96 1938 52,628 59 45 104 1939 52,803 70 48 118

TT.—40

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B. PUBLICITY AND ADULT EDUCATION. During the period of this report publicity and adult educational activities were carried out as follows :— Films. —One of the main developments in the Department's publicity activities during the year was the screening of safety films at a number of public gatherings throughout New Zealand. These films invariably attracted large audiences and proved an excellent, medium for demonstrating the principles of safe conduct on the roads. Driver Tests. —Valuable road-safety educational work was carried out in the Department's pavilion at the Centennial Exhibition by means of films and driver-testing machines. This apparatus represents the latest advancement in scientific examination of driving ability, and was designed by Dr. H. De Silva, of Harvard University, U.S.A. The machines test reaction time, steering ability, visual acuity, binocular co-ordination, ability to resist the adverse effects of glaring headlights, speed of recovery from these effects, fidelity of vision, peripheral vision, and ability to estimate speeds. All these capacities are of considerable importance in driving. Members of the public were invited to undergo the tests, and a booklet explaining the machines was later given to all tested. This booklet contained a graph showing how a person's score compared with that of the average driver. Any faults or weaknesses which were revealed were explained, and advice was given as to the measures which should be undertaken to counteract these defects. Considerable interest was shown in the exhibit, and more than six thousand persons were tested. Not only to those undergoing the tests, but also to their friends and onlookers, this form of adult education proved exceptionally valuable. It fostered an appreciation of the skills needed for safe driving and encouraged a critical attitude towards one's abilities. It also proved very useful in detecting individual defects which, had they not been revealed to the driver concerned, would have rendered him or her liable to accident. The following were the main additional types of publicity work carried out during the year:— Press. —Excellent co-operation was received from the press in the publication of appeals and articles. Radio.—The Department is indebted to the National and Commercial Broadcasting Services for their valuable co-operation in broadcasting slogans, addresses, and dialogue. Book-cover Publicity. —Thanks are due to the proprietors of the N.Z. Race Guide for publishing appeals in quarter-million copies at very cheap rates. Magazine wrappers have also been utilized for the publishing of road-safety messages and cartoons. Motor-cyclists.—A number of meetings have been held with motor-cycle road-safety committees in various centres. A considerable improvement in the road-safety conduct of motor-cyclists is reported. Leaflets.—A leaflet was issued to motorists on the occasion of the annual reissuing of driving licenses. Screen Slides. —Screen slides were displayed in a number of theatres prior to the Christmas holiday period. Posters. —One pictorial poster and one slogan poster were printed and widely distributed during the year. Churches. —Valuable co-operation was given by churches in the delivering of appeals for care and caution on the roads. Cycle Boards. —A thousand strawboard signs to hang between the frame of a bicycle were distributed to the Department's Inspectors for local use. Special Efforts. —Special road-safety efforts, lasting a week in each case, were conducted in New Plymouth and Hawera in conjunction with the Winter Show and the Automobile Associations. Road-safety films were displayed in Christchurch at the Industries Fair and, to a lesser extent, at Palmerston North during an enforcement week. Insurance Company Co-operation.—A generous gift of £500 to be devoted to a special Christmas campaign was received from the combined motor insurance companies. This enabled a special publicity effort to be made, including the production and distribution of a three-colour poster. Conduct on the road during this period was reported to be the best for many years. Following the outbreak of war and realization of the need for conserving resources, Great Britain and Australia increased their grants for accident-prevention publicity. Colonel Bruxner, the Minister of Transport for New South Wales, indicates in the following words the wartime necessity for the conservation of man-power and material resources through an adequate road-safety campaign :— ■ " This is one of the services on the home front that must bo continued, war or no war, and, if possible, extended, for the very vital reason that the nation cannot afford to lose even one life when the loss can be prevented. Services to the cause of road safety, therefore, are of even greater national importance to-day than they are in time of peace." Similar sentiments have been expressed by transport authorities in Great Britain. In New Zealand the need for an increased campaign in road-safety adult education is as great as elsewhere in the Empire. The national economic loss resulting from road accidents runs annually into more than a million pounds. If the accident rate since the reimposition of the petrol-restrictions is not reduced, by the end of the present financial year 250 persons will have been killed and approximately 5,000 injured on the roads,

11. 40.

C. NEW ZEALAND ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL. Owing to the outbreak of war only two meetings of the Council have been held during the year under review, one on the 21st June, 1939, and the other on the 24th April, 1940. Nevertheless, the year has been a very valuable one so far as the activities of the Council are concerned. At the meeting in June, 1939, various proposals were recommended to the Minister for the increase in the safety of road traffic, and the majority of these proposals have now been passed into law and are mentioned in the other parts of this report. Congratulation was expressed by the Council at the excellent record of the Wellington City Council in the handling of traffic to the Centennial Exhibition. It was decided to recommend measures for the total prohibition of the sounding of motor horns in built-up areas between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., and to approve of the system of school patrols whereby some of the senior school-children, under the guidance of the teachers, are entrusted with the direction of their schoolmates over the more dangerous road crossings. D. ROAD-ACCIDENT STATISTICS. (1) The Number of Accidents. There were 227 fatal motor accidents on the public roads and streets throughout New Zealand during the period of twelve months ended 31st March, 1940, and 3,920 other accidents where one or more persons were injured. These accidents resulted in the death of 248 people and caused 5,341 others to receive injuries, either of a serious or a minor nature. (2) Fatal Accidents during the Past Six Years. Comparing the figures recorded during the past six years, the number of lives lost during the year just completed has not shown an increase in proportion to the greatly increased use of the roads by motorvehicles. Table A compares the number of deaths per million gallons of petrol consumed and also per 10,000 motor-vehicles on the road. The deaths in relation to petrol consumed show a decrease of 14 per cent, since 1935, and in relation to the number of motor-vehicles a decrease of over 13 per cent.

Table A. —Annual Death-rate and Road Usage during the Past Six Years.

(3) Details of Fatal Accidents during the Past Three Years. Reference to Table B shows the following main variations in the latest figures from those of the two preceding years : — (i) A very considerable reduction of the accidents occurring in daylight is noticeable. This is counterbalanced by a corresponding increase in night accidents, which seems to indicate a very definite need for better lighting of the main thoroughfares and a more rigid control of traffic during hours of darkness. The increase in night fatalities was mainly in respect of collisions between two motor-vehicles and collisions with bicyclists. Practically the whole of the increase in night accidents took place on the rural roads. (ii) The oidy type of road user whose death roll has appreciably increased during the past year is the bicyclist. There were 42 cyclists killed last year, as compared with 32 and 33 respectively in the two preceding years. The numbers of occupants of motor-vehicles, motor-cyclists, and pedestrians who were killed are very consistent with the corresponding numbers killed during the two previous years.

11

Number Petrol con- Deaths Average Number Deaths per Year ended 31st March, of sumed (Million per Million of Motor-vehicles 10,000 MotorDeaths. Gallons). Gallons. on the Road. vehicles. 1935 .. .. 182 57-08 3-19 188,983 9-63 1936 .. .. 203 64-99 3-12 203,817 9-96 1937 . .. .. 213 73-88 2-88 227,572 9-36 1938 .. .. 243 84-13 2-89 252,359 9-63 1939 .. .. 246 91-56 2-69 278,099 8-85 1940 .. .. .. 248 90-95 2-73 296,180 8-37 Totals 1,335 462-59 2-89 1,447,010 9-23

H.—4o.

Table B.—Comparison of Details of Fatal Motor Accidents during the Past Three Years.

(4) Particulars of all Accidents reported (i.e., Fatal and Non-fatal). (a) Types of Accidents. (Mlisions between motor-vehicles comprised 33 per cent, of all the accidents, collisions with bicyclists 22 per cent., and with pedestrians over 21 per cent, Other collisions—i.e., with railwavtrains and tram-cars, with fixed objects such as telegraph-poles, with animals, and with horse-drawn vehicles, &c, ■accounted for over 9 per cent., while non-collisions where the motor-vehicle left the road or -overturned or a passenger fell out, amounted to 13 per cent, of the total number. There was a slight increase-viz., 2 per cent, above the previous year-in the number of pedestrian accidents, but a decrease of 5 per cent, in the total number of all accidents reported.

12

Year. Item. —— 1937-38. 1938-39. j 1939-40. Number of fatal accidents— (a) Total number .. . . . . . . . 229 225 297 Number in daylight .. .. .. .. 121 118 108 Number in dark .. .. .. .. 108 107 119 (b) Number occurring in built-up areas — T ° tal ■ ■ • • • ■ .. .. 86 102 94 In daylight .. .. .. . . . . 33 5 L 41 , , AT lr ! dark 53 51 53 (c) JNumber occurring on rural roads— Total • • ■ • • • • ■ .. 143 123 133 In daylight .. .. .. .. .. 88 67 67 In dark 55 56 66 (d) Number of collisions between motor-vehicles— Total • • • • .. .. .. 36 40 51 In daylight .. .. .. .. .. 24 27 29 In dar k 12 13 22 (e) Number of collisions with railway trains — Total .. .. .. .. .. 11 H 14 In daylight .. .. .. .. .. 8 7 14 In dark .. .. .. .. ,, 3 4 (/) Number of collisions with trams .. .. .. 3 1 ' j (g) Number of collisions with bicyclists—■ Total • • • • ■ • • • .. 33 34 42 In daylight . . .. .. .. .. 2 0 18 19 ln dark 13 16 23 (h) Number of collisions with pedestrians— Total • • • ■ .. .. .. 58 57 54 In daylight .. .. .. .. .. 17 1 7 i8 in dark . . . . . . .. . . 44 40 36 (i) Number of collisions with a ridden horse .. .. .. j (j) Number of collisions with horse vehicles or animals .. 2 1 (k) Number of other collisions— 1 Tot f 1 33 18 17 In daylight .. .. .. .. .. 13 n 6 In dark .. .. .. .. .. 20 7 11 (l) Number of non-collisions— Total • • • • • • • • • • 53 63 47 In daylight .. . . . . . . .. 38 38 21 v , In da rk .. 15 25 26 Number of persons killed—■ (a) Total number .. .. .. .. .. 2 43 246 248 (b) Number of occupants of motor-vehicles (not motor- 116 115 116 cycles) (0) Number of riders of motor-cycles or pillion-riders .. 35 37 34 (d) Number of bicyclists .. .. .. .. 32 33 12 (e) Number of pedestrians .. .. .. .. 59 5g 54 (/) Number of other road-users .. .. .. 1 5 2

S.—4o.

Table C. —Types of Motor Accidents.

(b) Distribution of Accidents. Table D shows that 68 per cent, of all accidents, and over 45 per cent, of the fatal accidents, occurred in the urban areas, while 32 per cent, of all accidents and nearly 55 per cent, of the fatal happened on the open road. There was an increase in the number of accidents occurring in the four metropolitan areas, but a general decrease elsewhere. There was a 10-per-cent. decrease in all accidents on the rural main-highway system, but an increase of 8-per-cent. in the number of fatal accidents shows that the severity of the accidents on these roads was increased to some extent.

Table D.—Distribution of Motor Accidents on the System of Roads and Streets.

13

Number of Accidents. Type of Aocident. In Built-up Areas. In Areas not Built up. in all Areas. Fatal. I ?^° n ' Total. Fatal. | Total. Fatal. n ." Total. | fatal. j fatal, j | ; fatal. J Collisions —■ With another motor-vehicle I I 833 844 40 497 537 51 1,330 1,381 With a railway-train .. 7 19 26 7 10 17 14 29 43 With an electric tram .. 1 28 29 .. .. 1 28 29 With a bicyclist .. .. 25 764 789 17 125 142 42 889 931 With a pedestrian .. 37 734 771 17 112 129 54 846 900 With a horse-vehicle .... 5 5.. 2 2.. 7 7 With a ridden horse .... 2 2 1 7 8 1 9 10 With an animal .. .... 3 3 21 21 24 24 With a telegraph or power pole 4 84 88 4 68 72 8 152 160 With a fixed object .... .. .. .. 1 1 1 1 Other collisions .. .. 4 57 61 5 49 54 9 106 115 Total .. .. 89 2,529 2,618 91 892 983 180 3,421 3,601 Non-collisions — Drove off roadway .. 1 20 21 5 90 95 6 110 116 Over bank .. .. 1 13 14 23 136 159 24 149 173 Overturned on road .. 1 46 47 6 133 139 7 179 186 Person fell from vehicle .. 1 20 21 6 20 26 7 40 47 Other .. .. .. 1 10 11 2 11 13 3 21 24 Total .. .. 5 109 114- 42 390 432 47 499 546 Total accidents .. 94 2,638 2,732 133 1,282 1,415 227 3,920 4,147

Number of Accidents. Classification of Locality. Fatal. Non-fatal. Total. Number. Number. Rentage Number . Percentage of Total. of Total. of Total. In the metropolitan areas * .. 55 24-2 1,695 43-2 1,750 42-2 In the secondary cities .. 10 4-4- 206 5 • 3 216 5 • 2 In the large boroughs .. .. 19 8-4 437 11-1 456 11-0 In the small boroughs .. .. 15 6-6 273 7 • 0 288 6-9 In the town districts .. .. 3 1-3 56 1-4 59 1 • 4 In the closely populated localities 2 0-9 50 1-3 52 1-3 Total urban areas .. 104 45-8 2,717 69-3 2,821 68-0 On State highways .. .. 73 32-2 673 17-2 746 18-0 On other main highways .. 38 16-7 325 8'3 363 8-6 On rural roads .. .. 12 -5-3 205 5-2 217 5-2 Total rural roads .. .. 123 54-2 1,203 30-7 1,326 32-0 Totals .. .. .. 227 100-0 3,920 100-0 4,147 100-0 ♦Metropolitan areas include oertain roads not subjeot to the speed limit of 30 miles per hour—e.g., Hutt Road and roads in Mt. Wellington Road District.

H.—4o.

(c) The Types of Road-users killed or injured. There were 5,589jr0ad casualties during the year, as compared with 5,881 during the preceding year. This represents a decrease of 5 per cent. Occupants of motor-vehicles constituted 53 per cent, of this total, motor-cyclists or pillion-riders 12| per cent., bicyclists 17 per cent., and pedestrians 17 per cent. There was a decrease of over 20 per cent, in the number of casualties among motor-cycle users and a smaller decrease among the other groups. Table E shows that April was again the record accident month, followed by May and December. The months from May to August were the worst months for bicyclists, and from April to August for pedestrians. This is very consistent with the results obtained in earlier years. The April and December figures of casualties among motor-vehicle occupants were adversely affected by the heavy Easter and Christmas holiday traffic. For cyclists and pedestrians winter months invariably prove the most dangerous, due to the longer hours of darkness and the generally poorer conditions of visibility.

Table E.—Type of Road-users killed or injured each Month.

(d) Assessing the Responsibility for Accidents. Table F assesses the main responsibility for the accidents which occurred during the year. Of the 4,147 accidents in which a motor-vehicle was involved, 2,584, or 62 per cent., of them were judged to be due primarily to some driving fault of the motorist. This is slightly better than the preceding year, when 2,831, or 64- per cent., of 4,383 accidents were mainly due to driving faults.

Table F.—Assessment of Main Responsibility for Accidents.

14

Number of Persons killed or injured. Month. , MotorOccupants „ , of Motor- 8 ° r Bicyclists. , e . es " Other. Total. vehicles. P . 1 " 1011 - tnans " riders. 1939. April .. .. .. .. 371 81 74 98 4 628 May .. .. .. .. 296 69 108 93 3 569 June .. .. .. .. 253 49 98 89 7 496 July .. .. .. .. 219 60 90 120 4 493 August .. .. .. 225 51 80 79 4 439 September .. .. .. 152 41 63 70 6 332 October .. .. .. 204 53 72 65 9 403 November .... .. 230 61 59 64 4 418 December .. .. .. 325 85 76 74 5 565 1940. January .. .. .. 276 42 74 49 2 443 February .. .. .. 185 56 72 59 7 379 March .. .. .. 225 49 76 73 1 424 Totals .. .. 2,961 697 942 933 56 5,589

Number of Accidents. Motorist at Fault. Bioyolist at Fault. += § Tvpe of Acoident. s « . -J —— | || °J3 M S S jU h g n O | i §°-S Is .91 4J 5 is si "S II 8 "S • c pm a> -§ ■§ £ o ftp) HPnOHA< P3 <5 oh Motor-vehicle and bicyclist 401 31 432 456 28 484 .. 2 10 3 931 Motor-vehicle and pedes- 210 8 218 669 2 7 4 900 trian Other motor-vehicle acci- 1,973 146 2,119 83 27 87 2,316 dents Total accidents involving 2,584 185 2,769 456 28 484 669 87 44 94 4,147 a motor-vehicle I

H.—4o.

(e) Causes of Accidents. The most frequent faults of the motorist were as follows, the number of instances being compared with those recorded in the preceding year : —

Table G. —Accidents caused by Driving Fault on the Part of the Motorist.

Considerable improvement is indicated in regard to corner-cutting, inattentive driving, and general ability to control the vehicle. Practically no improvement is shown, however, in regard to the offence of failing to give way, which is the most prolific single cause of accidents. Other causes which bulked largely in this year's records were — Passing or overtaking another vehicle negligently .. .. 80 cases. Failure to exercise the opportunity to stop .. .. .. .. 72 cases. Intoxicated driver .. .. .. .. .. .. 59 cases. Driver asleep, sleepy, or fatigued .. .. .. .. .. 50 cases. Inexperienced or incompetent driver .. .. .. .. 51 cases. There were numerous other driving faults individually causing a lesser number of accidents than the above mentioned, but when added together causing a considerable number of accidents. The number of instances quoted in respect of each fault relate only to the main or primary cause of accident. Many accidents have more than one contributory cause, and the number of times that the faults mentioned in this report actually contributed in some degree to the accidents would consequently be materially greater if all these were included. Defects of the motor-vehicle were primarily responsible for A\ per cent, of the accidents. This shows a slightly worse position than in the preceding year. The main items which appear under this category are failure of steering-gear, a burst tire, dazzling headlights, inadequate or no headlights, and defective brakes. Only in the two latter items has any improvement been recorded. Cyclists were primarily responsible for 484 accidents, or 52 per cent., of the number in which they were involved, the same proportion as in 1938-39, although the number of these accidents has been reduced. Comparing the number of times each fault was committed with the corresponding number of instances during the previous year, the results are as follows : —

Table H. —Accidents Primarily caused by Bicyclists.

The pedestrian was the main party at fault in 669 of the total of 900 pedestrian accidents, and was thus himself chiefly responsible for 74 per cent, of his accidents. This compares unfavourably with the previous year, when there were 879 pedestrian accidents, 71 per cent, of which were attributed to the pedestrian. The following table indicates the most frequent pedestrian faults causing accidents and compares the number with those of the preceding year ; —

15

Number of Instances. Main Cause of Accident. i ~ i ~ Percentage 1939-40. J 1938-39. | Improvement. Failure to give way to another vehicle .. .. .. (522 623 — Failure to keep to the left — (a) Cutting corner .. .. .. .. .. 155 197 21 (h) Swinging out on bend .. .. .. .. 95 104 9 (c) Elsewhere than on a bend .. .. .. 148 150 1 Driver inattentive or attention diverted .. .. .. 310 365 ' 15 Excessive speed under the conditions .. .. .. 283 300 6 Skidding .. .. .. .. .. .. 123 170 28

Number of Instances. Main Cause of Accident. Percentage Improvement. 1939-40. 1938-39. Riding faults — Failure to yield right of way .. .. .. .. 08 02 Over 6 per cent.. worseInattentive or attention diverted .. .. .. 65 81 20 per cent. Failure to keep to correct side of road .. .. 49 72 32 per cent. Failure to give clear signal .. .. .. .. 37 55 33 per cent. Swerving .. .. .. .. .. .. 37 48 23 per cent. Reckless emergence from another road.. .. .. 30 '.'>2 6 per cent. Defects of bicycle .. .. .. .. .. 28 23 22 per cent. worse.

1f.—40.

Table I.—Accidents Primarily Caused by Pedestrians.

In 87 instances (as compared with 109 instances in 1938-39) the condition of the road was judged to be the main cause. The most common road faults were slippery surfaces, obstructed view, and excessive loose metal. Adverse weather conditions were primarily responsible for 44 accidents, as against 29 in 1938-39. Among other miscellaneous causes of accidents, animals on the roadway figured as the primary cause in 26 accidents. The actions of the pedestrian involved in the 900 accidents were as follows :— Walking along the road — (а) In the same direction as vehicle .. .. .. 85 accidents (9 fatal). (б) In the opposite direction to vehicle .. .. .. 27 accidents (4 fatal). (c) Direction unknown .. .. .. .. 68 accidents (3 fatal). Crossing the road — (a) At an authorized pedestrian-crossing .. .. ..44 accidents (1 fatal). (b) Elsewhere .. .. .. .. .. .. 641 accidents (34 fatal). Child playing on the road .. .. .. .. 20 accidents (2 fatal). Standing on the road .. .. .. .. ..11 accidents (1 fatal). Action not reported .. .. .. .. .. 4 accidents (none fatal). (/) The Liquor Factor. The number of accidents where the driver was intoxicated or otherwise influenced by liquor has been reduced 9 per cent, since the preceding year. There were seventy-nine accidents during 1939-40 caused by intoxicated drivers, and 9 of these were fatal. Drivers not intoxicated but influenced to some extent by liquor accounted for 105 accidents, of which 10 resulted in fatalities. Collisions with another motor-vehicle were the most common type of accident where the driver was under the influence of liquor. Collisions with cyclists and pedestrians and with telegraph-poles were also frequent.

Table J.—The Type of Motor Accidents where Drivers were Intoxicated or otherwise influenced by Liquor to some extent.

16

Number of Instances. n A r» x Percentage Percentage Main Cause of Accident. Improve- Deteriora-1939-40. 1938-39. ment ' tlon ' Crossing roadway hoeclless of traffic .. .. .. 361 329 .. 7 Stepping into roadway without dtie care .. 114 125 9 Emerging from behind a vehicle or object .. .. 58 51 .. 14 Pedestrian intoxicated .. .. .. .. 38 31 .. 23 Failure to keep to side of road .. .. .. 13 24 46

Number of Accidents. Where Driver was n 0ther Accidents where All Accidents where Type of Accident. Intoxicated. I)river w f. minced by Driver was under Liquor. Influence of Liquor. Fatal. Total. Fatal. Total. Fatal. Total. Collisions with — Another motor-vehicle ..4 33 37 3 38 41 7 71 78 Railway train Electric tram .. .... 1 1 .. 1 1 .. 2 2 Bicyclist .. .. I 8 9 2 II 13 3 19 22 Pedestrian .. i 6 7 1 9 10 2 15 17 Horse-vehicle Ridden horse Animal Telegraph or power pole . . .. 6 6 .. 14 14 .. 20 20 Other collisions .. .. 1 6 7 I 6 7 2 12 14 Total collisions .. ..7 60 67 7 79 86 14 139 153 N on-collisions — Drove off road .. .... 3 3 1 5 6 1 8 9 Over the bank .. ... 1 1 2 2 3 5 3 4 7 Overturned on road .... 5 5 . . 6 6 . . 11 11 Person fell from vehicle 1 I 2 1 I 1 2 3 Other .. .. I I 1 1 Total non-collisions .. 2 10 12 3 16 19 5 26 31 Total accidents .. 9 70 79 10 95 105 19 165 184

H.—4o.

(g) Driver Statistics. In order to relate the number of accidents involving motor-drivers of various ages, sex, and driving experience to the number of drivers on the road in similar classifications, arrangements have been made with the local authorities which issue driving licenses to furnish a return of drivers on these lines. This should prove particularly useful in determining the extent to which age and experience affects the average driver's propensity to accident. The data secured may help to point the way to some action in dealing with certain groups which show up as being particularly susceptible to accidents. (h) Departmental Action based on Accident Statistics. (i) Accident Maps. —These maps are used to locate sections of roads and special locations where accidents are prevalent. In the rural areas, where the traffic is controlled by the Transport Department, use is made of this information by concentrating the traffic enforcement where accidents are shown to be most frequent. Accident maps of certain urban areas have also been supplied to the local traffic authority for similar use. Some of the larger municipalities maintain their own accident maps, compiling these from data furnished by the Department, and in respect of non-injury accidents sometimes from other information obtained locally. Maps of special areas showing accidents have also been prepared for the information of the general public. In some cases the maps themselves have been displayed in shop windows and offices, and two have also been on view at the Centennial Exhibition. Others have been reproduced in various newspapers. (ii) Individual Road Hazards. —Cases where the accident reports refer to hazards due to the condition of the road at the accident locality are referred to the local authority in control of the road. This has been the means of removing or lessening these hazards in certain instances, particularly in regard to obstructions to the view at intersections, caused usually by unduly high hedges or other growth. (iii) Particulars of Accidents for the Use of Local Authorities. —Brief particulars of the accidents which have occurred in their districts are supplied regularly to the larger urban authorities in order that they may be in constant touch with their local accident position. (iv) Particulars of Drivers Involved in Accidents. —The names of all motor-vehicle drivers reported as being involved in accidents are recorded in the Department. When the same individual appears in a second accident inquiries are made into his driving-history with the view to ascertaining whether he is accident-prone. The Motor-drivers Regulations 1940 empower the Commissioner of Transport to review the licenses of drivers where considered necessary in the interests of public safety. Arrangements are accordingly being made for securing a preliminary report upon the drivers concerned in order to determine what action should be taken in each individual case. In many instances it is probable that the circumstances of the accident were fortuitous, in which case no action would be warranted. In a number of other instances the correction of certain driving faults which are revealed could be left to the traffic staff of the district where the driver is situated. However, in a comparatively few cases the driver may appear likely to be seriously accident-prone, whereupon he would bo required to undergo a special test and examination to determine whether he is fit to continue to hold a license. Such tests will be carried out by an experienced departmental Traffic Officer. E. ENFORCEMENT OF TRAFFIC LAWS BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT. (1) General Enforcement Work. During the year ended 31st March, 1940, the Traffic Inspectors attached to the Department covered over 1,440,000 miles in the course of their patrols, issued verbal or written warnings for 53,000 offences, weighed over 7,000 vehicles for suspected overloading, and tested 6,100 people for drivers' licenses. Comparative figures for the ten months ended 31st March, 1939, were 1,168,000 miles travelled, 33,000 verbal or written warnings issued, 5,370 vehicles weighed, and 3,800 people tested for drivers' licenses. During the year 1939-1940, 9,579 of the more serious offences were reported, against 10,435 in the previous year. (2) Traffic Offences Bureau. Full details of the results of the year's operations under the scheme of traffic offence notices and a central bureau are set out in Table No. 3. Of the total number of offences reported, 7,244 prosecutions were authorized, 2,024 warnings were issued, while in 311 instances no action was taken. In the previous year ending 31st March, 1939, 7,700 prosecutions were authorized, 2,210 warnings issued, and no action taken in 525 cases. (3) Prosecutions. Table No. 4 shows the results of the 7,682 prosecutions actually taken during the year. Convictions were obtained in 7,449 instances, and fines totalling £10,355 were levied. In 122 instances the information was withdrawn before the hearing, while 111 cases were dismissed. In the previous year fines totalling £10,748 were levied in the 7,298 instances convictions were obtained, while 172 cases were withdrawn before the hearing and 112 cases dismissed. F. INSPECTION OF MOTOR VEHICLES. All motor-vehicles operated in the Dominion are required to undergo periodical mechanical inspection, the work being classified into three main divisions : — Inspection of — (1) Passenger-vehicles under the Transport Licensing Act. (2) Goods-vehicles under the Transport Licensing Act, (3) Other vehicles.

3—H. 40,

17

H.—4o.

(1) Passenger Vehicles. This class embraces all vehicles used for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward, and includes omnibuses, service cars, passenger-truclcs, school vehicles, taxis, and rental vehicles (excluding taxis in the four main centres, which are inspected by the Metropolitan Licensing Authorities). These vehicles are examined by officers of the Department specially appointed for the purpose. A certificate of fitness, showing the number of passengers which the vehicle is authorized to carry must be displayed within the vehicles. Tabulated below is a statistical survey of these passenger vehicles which are inspected by the Department as at 31st March, 1940.

(2) Goods-vehicles. All goods-service vehicles licensed under the Transport Licensing Act are examined by the Department's Vehicle Inspectors twice annually to ensure that they are maintained in a safe condition and are not being operated iti an overloaded condition. During the year an amendment to the Act brought town carriers and ancillary users within the scope of the Department's activities. The distribution of these vehicles is as follows :—

(3) Other Vehicles. The system of compulsory six-monthly inspection of all motor-vehicles other than those under (1) and (2) has been satisfactorily executed by 1,612 approved motor garages. The inspection of a motor-vehicle for a Warrant of Fitness involves a check of brakes, lights, steering, wheel-alignment, windscreen-wiper, rear-vision mirror, warning-device, and door-fastenings. The following table gives percentage of defects as revealed by the Inspectors :—

A perusal of these figures indicates the necessity for the test being conducted periodically.

18

I GO r/i • •(!)(/) • I <8 ® S "§ o g • District. I 8 g 8 "f "3 § -g J | 2 "3 3 f| 5? § „• 3 ta -co oS go £ 5 -go Sg as -3 8 fco *> a | J> a £ offl - O en 02 02 GG HAuckland .. .. 262 183 54 177 43 25 314 228 196 .. 1,482 Wellington.. .. 273 184 13 11.6 43 38 312 130 103 .. 1,212 Christohurch .. 101 163 22 65 64 16 100 133 97 772 Dunedin .. ..100 94 13 75 19 13 109 103 28 .. 554 Total for New Zealand 736 624 102 433 169 92 835 594 424 11 4,020

District. Number. No. 1 : Auckland .. .. .. 3,150 No. 2: Wellington 2,951 No. 3: Christchurch .. .. .. 1,719 No. 4: Dunedin .. .. .. 914 Total .. .. .. 8,734

I Brakes. Lights. Wind _ Warn . Door . Period. ; . " screen- vision ing- FastenFoot. | Hand. Head. Tail. mg ' Wi P er ' Mirror ' 1)ovice - in S s ' Per Per Per Per Per Per Per Per Per 1937. Cent. Cent. Cent. Cent. Cent. Cent. Cent. Cent. Cent. First .. .. ..30 28 70 17 16 17 6 4 3 Second .. .. 21 19 33 10 10 7 2 3 2 1938. First .. .. ..21 23 23 9 8 6 1-5 3 1-5 Second .. ..24 23 19 9 9 5 1-5 3 1-5 1939. First .. .. 21-5 17 18 9 7-5 5 1-5 3 1-5 Second .. .. 20 15 16-5 9 6-5 4 1-5 2-5 1-5

H.—4o.

The following table gives the percentage of defects revealed by the inspection of motor-cycles :—

5. MOTOR-VEHICLES INSURANCE (THIRD-PARTY RISKS) ACT, 1928. A. STATISTICS. The Motor-vehicles Insurance (Third-party Risks) Act passed in 1928 compels every owner of a motor-vehicle to insure against liability to pay damages on account of the death or injury to another person caused through the use of a motor-vehicle. Payment of the insurance premiums is made annually to the Deputy Registrars of Motor-vehicles simultaneously with that of the annual license fee payable under the Motor-vehicles Act. Owners of motor-vehicles are required to nominate each year the insurance company with which the contract of insurance is to be made. For the year ended 31st May, 1939, forty insurance concerns have the prescribed notice to undertake business under the Act, and carried on business accordingly. The following table shows the experience of the scheme during the five years ended 31st May, 1939. The figures for claims do not represent the amount paid during each year, but refer to accidents happening during each particular period.

B. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PREMIUM RATES. Section 16 of the Act provides that the amount of the premiums to be paid in respect of thirdparty insurance may be fixed from time to time by Order in Council. In accordance with the usual practice, the financial operations of the companies undertaking this class of insurance were carefully examined, and it was decided to make no alterations to the premiums for the year 1910-4-1. C. " HIT-AND-RUN " DRIVERS. The table hereunder indicates the number of claims and the amounts paid out under the agreement which was gazetted oil the 29th October, 1931, at page 3023, and which relates to third-party insurance to cover the damage resulting from death or injuries due to the negligence of such drivers. Although the numbers of claims arising out of this type of accident show only a small reduction since 1936, when heavier penalties came into force, this is probably due to its being more widely known that a claim for damages may be made under the above agreement.

Table of Claims.

19

,, . , „ , Lights. Steering, Foot- Warmns Penod. Brakes. —; 6 Silencer. , ioTT - ° Head. Tail. &c - rests - Uevice. 1937. PerCent. PerCent. PerCent. PerCent. PerCent. Per Cent. PerCent. First .. .. .. ..9 29 20 3 8 3 9 Second .. .. .. 6 15 13 1 3 2 4 1938. First .. .. .. ..5 12 11 2 2-5 2 4 Second .. .. 4 9 9 1 2 1-5 4 1939. First .. .. .. .. 5-5 10 10 0-8 2 1-25 4-5 Second .. .. .. 5-5 10 12 2 2-5 2-25 5

Claims paid and EstiYear endml 3 [at May, *"£%" Sfil'£&£ at 31st May. £ £ Per Cent. 1935 . .. .. .. 211,709 230,626 108-93 1936 . .. .. 230,696 259,867 112-64 1937 •• .. 257,559 321,393 124-78 1938 289,891 340,373 117-41 1939 .. .. 348,291 499,523 143-42

,, Accidents for Amount paid Expenses incurred Year ending 31st May, wMoh Claims QlatoLu in handling Claims. made. £ s. d. £ s. d. 1936 . .. 38 1,224 9 6 517 5 2 1937 .. .. .. 37 1,753 3 6 249 7 3 1938 25 1,557 2 10 133 2 8 1939 .. .. 36 641 14 1 178 6 10 1940 .1 .. .• •• •• t 158 11 0* 45 16 6* * Incomplete. t Not available.

11.—40.

6. WAR MEASURES, ROAD TRANSPORT. The action taken in connection with road transport falls under two main, headings—firstly, the organization and control of the national transport system in order to meet any necessity arising out of direct enemy action ; and, secondly, the organization of the road-transport industry for the purpose of eliminating waste, promoting efficiency, and conserving petrol. A. MEETING DIRECT ENEMY ACTION. (1) National. Ihe organization of the national transport system under this heading was under consideration for many months before the outbreak of war. Machinery exists to enable immediate consideration to be given to the whole transport system in the event of any emergency arising. As regards toad transport, there is a complete and up-to-date register relating to the ownership and location of every motor-vehicle in the country. In addition to a central national register, there is a local register in each town. (2) Local. Under the Emergency Precautions Scheme, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Internal Affairs Department, a network working through local authorities now covers the Dominion. This machinery deals with the local problems only, and in the case of wide-scale enemy action would be utilized in conjunction with the national machinery. New Zealand is in a fortunate position as regards motor transport and roads. Our present fleet of motor-vehicles in the Dominion could carry just under two million people at the one time. Also, the main roads have recently been improved, and particularly those running out from the four main cities are now in a position to cope with any emergency. B. ORGANIZATION OF THE ROAD-TRANSPORT INDUSTRY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELIMINATING WASTE, PROMOTING EFFICIENCY, AND CONSERVING PETROL. (1) Machinery to secure Co-ordination and reduce Waste. Immediately on the outbreak of war, expert committees comprising representatives of the roadtransport industry, the Railways Department, and the Transport Department were set up for the purpose of reporting to the Minister of Transport on proposals for promoting the co-ordination of road and rail transport and eliminating all forms of waste. There is one national and twenty-one district committees. Up to the present their activities have been confined, in general, to reporting on co-ordination schemes, and proposals submitted to them by the road-transport industry. ('2) Extension op Transport Act to Town Carriers and Taxis. Ihe Transport Act was amended to bring town carriers, taxi-services, and certain classes of privately-owned trucks under the Act as from 22nd September, 1940. This means that all forms of public motor transport and, with the exception of farmers' trucks, those ancillary trucks which run Authorities alon g slde the railway are now subject to control by Transport Licensing (3) Amalgamations, Mergers, etc., to improve the Organization op Road Transport. Twelve organizations of this nature have been formed during recent months and are actually operating. I lie number of goods-service operators concerned totalled 126 and involved nearly 360 vehicle authorities. J h onr? ne n merg ® r 111 Marlborough has over the first period of six months saved 80,000 miles and , ( gallons of petrol compared with the figures of each shareholder when operating individually. A feature ot the amalgamations in Canterbury is that all the recent increases in transport costs have been absorbed by the mergers in increased efficiency. In no case have any increases been made in the charges to the public. (4) Review op Road Services paralleling Railways for Thirty Miles or more. Some twenty-two services, involving 60 trucks, are being negotiated with under this heading. Up w • 6 r?-, P urclliiSe of four of these services has been completed, while two others—Napier-Wairoa-Gisborne Transport and New Plymouth Daily Transport, Ltd.-are on the point of completion. (5) Review op Freight Charges. A comprehensive review is being made of all freight charges fixed under the Transport Act, the object being to encourage and assist all forms of national production, particularly the production of primary products. J r (6) Compulsory Membership of Association. Regulations were gazetted on 14th February, 1940, making it compulsory for all licensees under the 1 nuisport Act to become members of the appropriate association of transport operators in their d tricts, This step represents an important phase in the Government's plan for the organization of all public motor transport Its aim is to bring about unity in the industry for the purpose, firstly, of e ecting co-ordination by the elimination of wasteful overlapping and the reduction of empty running and, secondly, of assisting in securing observance of the provisions of licenses issued under the Transport

20

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7. REGULATION OF COMMERCIAL ROAD TRANSPORT. TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. A. PASSENGER SERVICES. (1) Application fob Licenses, etc. During the year ended 31st March, 1940, the four district transport licensing authorities dealt with 735 applications covering applications for new licenses, renewal of existing licenses, transfers of licenses, and amendments of licenses. Of these, the No. 1 District Licensing Authority dealt with 244, the No. 2 with 303, the No. 3 with 126, and the No. 4 with 62 applications. Ninety-nine applications for new licenses were dealt with, of which 72 were granted, 15 adjourned, and 12 refused or withdrawn. The applications for renewal of licenses totalled 336, 325 being granted, 9 adjourned, and 2 withdrawn or refused. Applications for amendment to licenses totalled 243, of which 227 were granted, 7 adjourned, and 9 refused or withdrawn. Fifty-seven applications for transfers of licenses were dealt with, 48 being granted, 6 withdrawn or refused, and 3 adjourned. (2) Number of Licenses in Force. At the 31st March, 1940, there were 822 passenger services licensed, excluding the 75 services licensed in the four metropolitan areas. (3) Review of Licenses. In accordance with the usual procedure, a careful survey of passenger fares, parcel rates, and finances of all passenger services was made with a view to ensuring that the public was receiving its proper share of all the benefits that accrue to the licensing system. The Licensing Authorities reviewed 124 passenger-service licenses during the year. (4) Inspection of Accounts and Records. Including the investigation of operators' fares and finances, the accountant inspectors attached to the district offices of the Department interviewed 60 operators and inspected their accounts and records. (5) Finances and Statistics, 1938-39. The main statistics for the passenger-service industry (excluding metropolitan services) are set out in Tables 5 and 6. An increase of some 3,378,000 passengers carried for the year ended 31st March, 1939, over that of the previous year was the most striking fact revealed by recent statistics covering the licensed passenger-service industry. The total passengers carried for the year was 26,655,000, of whom one-half (13,387,000) travelled in groups of services whose average vehicle-journey was less than five miles. All licensed services covered nearly 25,500,000 miles, an increase of nearly 2,000,000 miles over the previous year. £312,000 was paid in wages to employees and £44,000 was earned by owner-drivers. Passengers paid £1,195,000 in fares, and total revenue amounted to £1,317,000. These figures bring out the important part which licensed passenger services play in New Zealand economic life. Steady profits were maintained, £132,790, while financial stability remained satisfactory. Net capital invested in the industry increased by nearly £94,000 to £918,000, of which £577,000 represented the value of vehicles. Services running within closely-populated areas carried 24,772,000 passengers and covered 14,214,000 miles. The corresponding figures for rural services was 1,583,000 passengers and 10,688,000 miles. Passengers carried by rural services increased by 33J per cent, over the previous year, as against 15| per cent, in the more settled areas. The average depreciation rate for all vehicles was 13 per cent, of original value, or 21 per cent, of the value of the vehicles as at Ist April, 1938. One-half of the vehicles whose age was reported were under four years old and three-quarters were under seven years old. B. GOODS SERVICES. (I) Applications dealt with. With the passing of the Transport Law Amendment Act, 1939, all town carriers and those ancillary users operating over distances in excess of thirty miles in competition with the open railways were brought under the Transport Licensing Act, 1931. During the year the four district Transport Licensing Authorities dealt with 5,145 applications as follows: —

The number of temporary licenses issued during the year totalled 8,890, compared with 10,694 in the year 1938-39.

21

| Refused Applications for Granted. Adjourned. or Total. withdrawn. New licenses .. .. .. .. 1,588 144- 107 1,839 Renewal of licenses .. .. .. .. 2,126 53 28 2,207 Transfers of licenses .. .. .. .. 388 28 14 430 Amendments to licenses .. .. 521 48 100 669

1t.—40.

(2) Number of Licenses in Force. At the end of tlie year there were 4,654 licenses in force, against 3,161 at the end of the previous year. The total number of vehicle authorities authorized under the licenses rose from 5,790 in 1938-39 to 8,965. (3) Inspection of Operators' Accounts and Records. During the year the accountant inspectors attached to the district offices of the Department inspected the accounts and records of 308 licensees. Generally it was found that the standard of the accounting was showing improvement. (4) Reviews of Licenses. Apart from the general review made each year of all operators' finances, &c., the licenses of 161 goods-service operators were reviewed by the Licensing Authorities. (5) Rates-fixation. At the end of March, 1939, cartage rates had been fixed in seven different afeas. During the past year a further six more schedules of rates have been fixed by the Licensing Authorities. In addition to these, rates have been fixed in three North Island towns, while several amendments have been made to existing schedules as occasion demanded. (6) Goods-service Finances and Statistics, 1938-39. To form an estimate of the total figures for the industry, average figures per vehicle derived from the summary of the returns tabulated have been used. These figures are shown in Table 7 for the five years 1935-39. Although they are not strictly comparable from year to year, they afford a reasonably accurate guide to the progress of the industry. The steady growth in the numbers of licenses and vehicles is due largely to the changes in the legislation which have widened the scope of the Transport Licensing Act, 1931. In 1933-34 only those operators running over five miles or more of main highway outside urban areas were licensed, but in .1938-39 the Act covered all carriers operating outside the exempted areas around the four main centres, and outside a radius of six miles from the chief post-office in fifteen main towns. Furthermore, within the last two years, public-works and local-body contractors have also been brought under license. The figures covering the average mileage per vehicle have been affected by the inclusion of small operators engaged part time in transport, who have eome under license with the changes in legislation. This factor has largely contributed to the steady fall in the average mileage from the peak in 1936-37 of 15,725 miles to 13,828 miles in 1938-39. The figures for the operators engaged full time in transport show an average mileage per vehicle of 14,638 miles. In passing it might be mentioned that this last figure would probably have equalled the average mileage for the peak year had a full year's figures been available for the route services taken over by the New Zealand Railways. Although operating costs per vehicle-mile have increased by 6-9 per cent, on 1937-38, revenue has been sufficiently buoyant to maintain the net profit per vehicle-mile at l-sd. This represents a net return per vehicle of nearly £88, compared with £87 in the previous year. It is also interesting to note that the average " wage " for employee and owner-driver has remained constant at approximately £240. The increase in the average capital investment in each business is to be expected in view of the tendency towards larger-scale organizations —through the amalgamation of competing concerns. The average capital investment per operating unit is 12 per cent, above the figure for the previous year. The proportion of operator's own capital to the total investment has been maintained at the same figure as for 1937-38 —viz., 68 per cent. The North Island services account for nearly 69 per cent, of the 5,790 vehicle authorities authorized under the 3,161 goods services licensed under the Transport Licensing Act and 70 per cent, of the 80,000,000 miles run by the vehicles operating under the vehicle authorities. The average mileage per vehicle for the North Island services (14,177 miles) is 8 per cent, higher than the South Island average (13,064 miles), and the vehicles used in the southern services are over 5 per cent, larger than those used in the north. This last fact accounts to some extent for the operatingcost figure for the South Island vehicles being 0-96 d. above the North Island figure of 1147 d. Of the total revenue for the goods services in the Dominion (£4,425,000), the North Island accounted for £3,013,000, or 68 per cent, of the total, while of the net profit figure (£504,000), £321,000, or 64 per cent., accrued to the northern services. The rate of profit for the South Island of I-85d. per vehiclemile was much higher than the North Island figure of l-37d. C. TAXICAB AND RENTAL-CAR SERVICES. On the 7th March, 1939, the Transport (Rental Vehicles) Notice 1939 was issued to bring all rental cars under the Transport Licensing Act. During the year ended 31st March, 1940, the four district transport Licensing Authorities dealt with 140 applications for rental-car licenses, of which 125 were granted, 12 refused or withdrawn, and 3 adjourned. Forty-seven applications for amendments to licenses were also considered, as well as 2 applications for transfers of licenses. The passing of the Transport Law Amendment Act, 1939, brought all taxi-services in the Dominion under the Transport Act.

22

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The four district Licensing Authorities who deal with all taxi-services, outside those operating in the four main centres, considered 472 applications for taxicab licenses, granting 426, refusing 8, and reserving their decision on 38 applications. In addition, several applications for amendment and transfers of licenses wore also considered. Full details of the applications for taxicab licenses dealt with by the four Metropolitan Transport Licensing Authorities are not available. As the majority of these services have only been under license for three to four months no details of their financial operations are available. At the 31st March, 1940, there were 1,050 taxi licenses and 125 rental-car licenses in force. D. APPEALS. Appeals lodged during the year totalled 180, of which 80 related to goods services, 26 to passenger services, and 74 to services operated by " ancillary " users. Many of the appeals lodged by the Railways Department in respect of ancillary services were in the nature of appeals, pro forma, and some have been withdrawn since the close of the year under review. The following details are given regarding the appeals in respect of passenger and goods services, including appeals brought forward from the previous year : —

8. CHANGES IN TRANSPORT LAW IN NEW ZEALAND. The following were the principal enactments passed during the year under consideration : — A. STATUTES. Transport Law Amendment Act, 1939. —This Act provided for more stringent penalties in the case of intoxicated drivers, empowered the Minister to set up traffic districts about the main centres, and brought under the provisions of the Transport Licensing legislation, taxicabs, town carriers, and ancillary users (competing with over thirty miles of railway). Among the other provisions was included regulation power to deal with the accident-prone or unfit driver. B. REGULATIONS. Traffic Regulations 1936, Amendment No. 1 (1939/76). —The principal provisions of this relate to the lighting of motor-vehicles and make dipping of lights compulsory under conditions which require such dipping. It also provides that every motor-vehicle drawing a trailer or every motor-vehicle exceeding 7 ft. in width or 20 ft. in length is to be fitted with a blue light at the front, and every motorvehicle exceeding 8 ft. in width or extending more than 4 ft. to the off-side from the centre-line is to be equipped with a white light at the extremity of the off-side. . The speed-limit of 40 miles per hour was fixed for motor-cycles carrying pillion riders. The amendment also provided that safety glass is to be fitted in windscreens of ordinary vehicles, and is also to be used in the replacement of any broken windscreens. Pedestrian-crossing and Safety-zone Regulations 1939 (1939/247). —These regulations relate to the provision of standard types of pedestrian-crossings and safety-zones, and are dealt with in detail elsewhere in this report. Amendments to the Transport (Passenger) Order 1936 (1939/250 and 1940/21.) —Two amendments were made to this Order, principally for the purpose of adjusting the areas of the Nos. 1 and 2 Transport districts, and to require that all licensees are to be members of incorporated transport organizations, membership of which is confined to other licensees. Amendments to Transport (Goods) Order 1936 (1939/79, 1939/202, 1940/37).- —Three amendments were effected to this Order, being principally machinery provisions to apply to goods services the corresponding statutory amendments made in the case of passenger services as mentioned above. The provisions relating to Certificates of Fitness for passenger-services vehicles were also applied to goods service vehicles.

23

Carried For- Lodged ■ Licensing , . , ward from j during Appeals ( Authority's Decision Decision Under r . Previous ! Current withdrawn.: Decision modified, reversed. Action, lieport. | Year. j upheld. Goods-services. No. 1 .. .. 12 19 5 10 3 7 6 No. 2 .... .. 2 19 2 5 1 4 9 No. .3 .. .. .. 3 15 4 6 1 2 5 No. 4 .. .. .. 9 27 5 14 1 4 12 Totals .. ..26 80 16 35 6 17 32 Passenger-services. No. 1 .. .. .. 3 9 1 5 1.. .. 6 No. 2 .. .. .. 1 4 1 .. .. 1 3 No. 3 1 2 1 1 .. 1 No. 4 .. .. .. 6 7 1 3 1 5 3 Metropolitan .. .. 1 4 .. 1 .. .. 4 Totals .... 12 26 4 10 1 7 16

H.—4o.

Transport Licensing (Goods-service) Regulations 1936 (1940/20, 1940/36). —Two amendments of an administrative 'nature were made to these regulations, one for the purpose of making a similar provision as above concerning goods-service licensees and the obligation for them to join incorporated transport organizations. Taxicab Regulations 1940 (1939/218). —These regulations follow on the 1939 amending Act mentioned above, whereby taxicabs were brought under the Transport Licensing requirements. The regulations, apart from general machinery provisions, provide special conditions which apply to all taxicab-service licenses. Among those conditions are ones relating to maximum hours of driving and minimum wages for the drivers and the requirement that taxi-meters be fitted to the vehicles, except in cases where the Licensing Authority permits otherwise. Heavy Motor-vehicle Regulations 1940 (1940/78).- —These are principally a consolidation of previous regulations relating to heavy-traffic fees and other requirements for heavy motor-vehicles. A rebate of 50 per cent, in the ordinary fees is provided for farmers' trucks not exceeding 4 tons laden weight and used entirely for the owner's business as a farmer. Motor-drivers Regulations 1940 (1940/73). —These are a reissue of the previous regulations relating to motor-drivers' licenses, and contain a number of new provisions, principally having road-safety for their object. The following are among the more important requirements : — The Commissioner of Transport has the right to review any motor-driver's license during its currency and to cancel it if found desirable. The effect of this cancellation is to be endorsed on subsequent licenses for a term fixed by the Commissioner. There is right of appeal to a Magistrate against any such action by the Commissioner. This provision is aimed principally against the accident-prone or unfit driver, and the regulations carry into effect the provisions of the 1939 Act on this subject, as mentioned above. Persons over the age of seventy years will require to be tested annually and to provide an annual medical certificate before obtaining a license. With the exception of existing drivers, persons under the age of twenty-four years will not be permitted to drive a taxicab, and persons under the age of eighteen years will not be permitted to drive a heavy trade motor. Overseas tourists may have their overseas licenses endorsed permitting them to drive in this country for the currency of that license, without extra fee. 9. REGULATIONS RELATING TO OIL-FUEL CONTROL. As the general administration of the control of oil fuel is carried out by the Transport Department, the various regulations dealing with the rationing and other conservation of oil fuel are prepared and administered in the Department. The following regulations have been issued :— Oil Fuel Emergency Regulations 1939 (1939/133). Amendment No. 1 thereof (1939/170). Amendment No. 2 thereof (1939/251). Amendment No. 3 thereof (1940/34). Amendment No. 4 thereof (1940/71). These regulations deal with the rationing and control of oil fuel, and include the coupon system of rationing. Christchurch Milk Delivery Emergency Regulations 1940.—These regulations have as their principal object the rationing of the milk-delivery supplies to Christchurch district and the consequent saving of oil fuel by this means. For the purpose of carrying out the scheme a Board has been set up consisting of representatives of the local authorities, the milk suppliers and vendors, and the Government, and the administration is carried out through the District Office at Christchurch. 10. OVERSEAS LEGISLATION. Principal interest centres round the changes effected in the transport legislation in Britain due to the war situation. Considerable relaxation has been made in the conditions attached to the passengerservice and goods-service licensing systems, which are to some extent replaced by a Defence permit system ; and a grouping scheme, built up on a voluntary basis for defence emergency, is now in force. Statutory minimum wages have been fixed for approximately 500,000 goods-operators. Oil fuel is rationed. There are stringent requirements relating to the display of lights on vehicles. Special concessions in taxation and road-restrictions have been given to encourage the use of vehicles driven by producer-gas plants. 11. COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICES. The main statistics for the commercial aircraft services are given in Table No. 8. It will be noted that there has been a falling off in the numbers of passengers and the quantities of mail carried for 1939 as compared with 1938. This drop is largely due to the curtailment of the services for the last quarter of the year following on the outbreak of war. The total mileage flown exceeded 1,950,000 miles, while the total flying-time was just over 13,600 hours. The number of passengers per trip averaged just over four for the 13,891 trips completed.

24

H. —4-0.

li. APPENDIX.

STATISTICAL RETURNS. TABLE No. 1—MOTOR-VEHICLES LICENSED AS AT 31st MARCH, 1940. Table showing by Postal Districts the Number of Motor-vehicles licensed under the Motor-vehicles Act, 1924, as at the 31st March, 1940.

TABLE No. 2.—MOTOR-VEHICLES ACT, 1924. Comparative Table showing Number of Motor-vehicles licensed as at 31st December, 1932 to 1939, inclusive.

4—H. 40.

25

! S2 I "tj •*> § J2 . • SP r§ -1 I t s , § m I S i ! Sg; *8; | 1 4 0 g ? || |i * 8 ' g, Postal District. Car3. 1 ■ 2 S a * £ 1 %> " M | 2 Total - I fl i | H ffi q* □ 9 N ? £ St! § £ £' O ' «"K 4i§« 8 8 MH 03 Oej i 4\%h 1 ° * I M i§ 1 | I (5 ; j tq o o North Island. Auckland •• 44,951 201 4,091 4,319 289 211 425 103 2,108 357 534 801 28 4,548 83.488 Thames .. 8,130 11 1,325 908 58 19 55 29 444 77 188 132 9 666 12,049 Hamilton •• 19,478 53 2,714 2,197 206 53 137 65 1,261 .140 360 499 8 1,379 28,.550 Gisborne ' •• 5,059 9 684 506 111 24 49 25 308 42 143 123 4 490 7,577 Napier •• 10,404 6 1,750 1,171 144 41 70 32 501 105 312 . 131 5 657 15,329 New Plymouth . . 11,310 41 1,596 1,428 58 11 46 26 295 116 169 107 10 894 16,107 Wansanui ■ 13,093 24 1.782 1,119 81 29 54 22 753 90 372 178 6 833 18,436 Palmerston North 8,173 23 1,138 825 64 7 45 27 317 63 185 120 6 620 11,613 Wellington .. .. 25,877 73 2,652 2,347 110 156 240 40 944 295 417 1,080 21 2,031 38,283 Totals, North Island .. 146,475 441 18,332 14,8.18 1,121 551 1,121 369 6,931 1,285 2,780 2,971 97 12,118 209,410 if! South Island. Nelson •• 2,358 2 461 215 40 2 15 7 178 21 128 12 1 248 3,688 Blenheim' 4,680 21 788 491 49 10 25 61 195 33 100 168 5 354 6,980 Westport •• 927 .. 150 139 11 2 5 12 34 4 25 36 .. 100 1,445 Grevmouth .. 2,708 16 34.6 349 58 16 21 20 88 1.6 54 118 1 309 4,120 Cbristchurch 29,292 133 3,069 2,467 184- 66 125 52 1,996 253 1,313 446 24 3,060 42,460 Timaru 6.630 51 988 480 37 13 27 12 517 45 410 141 2 524 9,877 Oamaru' 2,633 4 388 222 1.4 6 14 2 196 23 120 16 1 175 3,814 Dunedin 13,628 49 1,658 1,244 209 57 .169 50 744 103 314 177 10 1,553 19,965 Invercargill .. .. 10,607 36 1,459 1,134 82 31 66 37 639 78 629 205 4 760 15,767 Totals, South Island .. 73,463 312 9,307 6,741 664 203 467 253 4,587 576 3,093 1,319 48 7,083 108,116 Grand totals .. 219,938 753 27,639 21,559 1,785 754 1,588 622 11,518 1,861 5,873 4,290 145 1.9,201 317,526

A *0 I A SO G 25 G ' O 03 S . 2 | l|| ig | fi si r, , *i I I h H ° 2 ® c3 «« rQ.Js M o> 'J\ • 2JJ V. b iL. £ m «0 S -*• •§ £ -3 & "S & «£ g n «'3 I f> g I I I g« | ot> «& g jS | | |H o 3 W PS O H M BpCSft Btff40H 1932 123,637 20,217 13,697 23,500 528 1,568 1,123 1,005 1,134 1,406 137 f 187,952 1933 123,623 21,521 14,245 23,020 524 1,497 *1,002 850 1,165 1,390 128 t 147 .... 189,112 1934 131,176 20,804 14,943 22,913 522 1,573 *710 1,084 1,233 1,485 126 2,911 261 656 .. 197,486 1935 143,488 22,681 16,138 22,935 559 1,672 *692 1,293 1,546 1,595 137 3,500 372 840 .. 213,948 1936 161 836 25,058 18,096 22,347 604 1,661 *673 1,543 1,865 1,931 139 4,580 554 1,028 .. 237,335 1937 183 054 25,343 19,587 21,175 642 1,746 *678 1,756 2,369 2,538 139 6,286 680 1,264 .. 260,971 1938 203'498 26 566 20 730 19,733 690 1,678 *635 1,908 3,724 3,301 145 8,265 772 1,526 .. 284,906 1939 215)210 26,626 21,183 17,749 742 1,590 *619 1,804 5,329 4,235 133 10,228 758 1,708 .. 297,686 i l_ * Service cars only. t Not available.

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TABLE No. 3. —TRAFFIC OFFENCES BUREAU. Table showing for the Year ended 31st March, 1940, a Classification of the Offences reported by Traffic Inspectors on the Staff of the Transport Department, together with a Tabulation of the Action taken in connection with these Reports.

26

Nature of Offence. i Reported. | Prosecuted. I Warned. | r^°)n Motor-vehicles Act and Regulations. 1. Intoxicated in charge of motor-vehicle . . . . 158 156 .. 2 2. Negligent driving .. .. .. .. 47 46 .. 1 3. Driving in a dangerous manner .. .. .. 314 288 26 4. Driving at a dangerous speed . . .. . . 96 87 9 5. Careless or inconsiderate driving .. .. .. 194 153 37 4 6. Exceeding 30 miles per hour in restricted area . . 1,399 1 ,146 243 10 7. Overtaking offences .. .. .. .. 113 87 24 2 8. Failing to keep to left of roadway .. .. 173 142 31 9. Breach of offside rule . . .. . . . . 48 41 7 10. Drivers' license offences .. .. .. .. 860 724 122 14 11. Licensing and registration offences .. .. 398 267 113 18 12. Lighting offences .. . . . . .. 423 291 111 21 13. Defective brakes.. .. .. .. .. 119 108 5 6 14. No warrant of fitness .. .. .. .. 1,935 1,442 435 58 15. Loading offences.. .. .. .. .. 167 110 54 3 16. Parking offences.. .. .. .. 65 47 18 17. Equipment offences . . . . . . . . 161 98 47 16 18. Motor-cyclists exceeding 40 miles per hour with pillion 53 46 4 3 passengers 19. Motor-cyclists not observing " L "-plate restrictions.. 27 24 3 20. Miscellaneous offences .. .. .. .. 252 180 48 24 Total, M'otor-vehicles Act .. .. .. 7,002 5,4-83 1,337 182 Heavy-traffic Regulations. 1. Exceeding heavy-traffic license .. . . .. 366 283 74 9 2. Exceeding road classification .. .. .. 145 114 23 8 3. Exceeding axle load . . . . . . . . 78 38 27 13 4. No heavy-traffic license .. .. .. .. 341 217 118 6 5. Exceeding regulation speed-limit .. .. .. 534 499 34 1 6. No heavy-traffic disk or classification plate .. 61 26 32 3 7. Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 113 55 35 23 Total, Heavy Motor-vehicle Regulations .. 1,638 1,232 343 63 Transport Licensing Act and Regulations. 1. Unlicensed goods service .. .. .. .. 148 67 60 21 2. Breach of goods-service license .. .. .. 173 100 57 16 3. Unlicensed passenger service .. .... 44 31 10 3 4. Breach of passenger-service license .. .. 22 12 8 2 5. Failing to carry inspection certificate or certificate 131 77 44 10 of fitness 6. Failing to carry vehicle authority or temporary license 167 99 62 6 7. Breaches of drivers' hours regulations .. .. 146 68 77 I 8. Overloading goods or passenger vehicles . . . . 17 II 6 9. Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. 26 11 11 4 Total, Transport Act 874 476 335 63 Miscellaneous Acts and Regulations .. .. 65 53 9 3 SUMMARY. Motor-vehicles Act and regulations .. .. .. 7,002 5,4-83 1,337 182 Heavy Traffic Regulations .. .. .. .. 1,638 1,232 343 63 Transport Licensing Act and regulations .. .. 874 476 335 63 Miscellaneous Acts and regulations .. .. .. 65 53 9 3 Total, all offences .. .. .. .. 9,579 7,244 2,024 311

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TABLE No. 4.—PROSECUTIONS BY TRAFFIC INSPECTORS OF TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT. Table showing for the Year ended 31st March, 1940, a Classification according to the nature of the Offence of Prosecutions taken by Traffic Inspectors of the Transport Department.

5—H. 40.

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Case I nform - Offence Prosecu- Con- ation Amount tions. viotions. missed with- of Fines. drawn. Motor-vehicles Act and Regulations. Number. Number. Number. Number. £ s. d. 1. intoxicated in charge .. .. .. 147 135 12 .. 1,667 0 0 2. Negligent driving .. .. .. 53 41 8 4 ' 77 0 0 3. Manner dangerous . . . . . . 284 270 13 1 681 10 0 4. Speed dangerous .. .. .. 67 63 4 .. 192 5 0 5. Careless or inconsiderate driving .. .. 139 119 14 6 176 10 0 6. Exceeding 30 miles per hour in restricted areas 1,109 1,089 7 13 1,880 14 0 7. Overtaking on bend or hill-crest .. .. 96 89 6 1 ' 124 15 0 8. Failing to keep to left .. .. .. 147 139 6 2 188 5 0 9. Breach of off-side rule .. .. .. 31 30 .. 1 40 1-5 0 10. Drivers' license offences .. .. .. 688 669 4 15 480 10 0 11. Unlicensed or unregistered motor-vehicles .. 248 241 4 3 303 2 0 12. Defective lights .. .. .. .. 251 249 1 1 180 4 6 13. Defective brakes .. .. .. 109 107 1 1 j 157 0 0 14. No Warrant of Fitness .. .. .. 1,570 1,540 2 28 ; 846 11 6 15. Loading offences.. .. .. .. 109 108 .. 1 124 3 0 16. Parking offences .. .. .. 171 169 .. 2 I 67 10 0 17. Cycling offences .. .. .. .. 439 438 1 .. 197 2 0 18. Pedestrian offences .. .. .. 6 6 .. .. 6 0 0 19. Equipment offences .. .. .. 96 95 .. 1 54 10 0 20. Exceeding 40 miles per hour with pillion 23 23 .. .. 21 18 0 passenger on motor-cycle 21. " L "-plate offences .. .. .. 23 23 .. 14 10 O 22. Miscellaneous offences .. .. .. 104 100 2 2 133 0 0 Totals .. 5,910 5,743 85 82 j 7,614 15 0 Heavy Motor-vehicle Regulations. 1. Exceeding heavy-traffic license .. .. 269 266 1 2 509 15 3 2. Exceeding road classification .. .. 115 106 1 8 196 10 0 3. - Exceeding axle load .. .. .. 33 32 .. 1 75 0 0 4. No heavy-traffic license .. . . .. 196 187 2 7 289 16 0 5. Excessive speed .. .. .. .. 459 456 2 1 828 17 0 6. No heavy-traffic disk or class plates .. 28 27 .. 1 27 5 0 7. Miscellaneous offences .. .. .. 36 34 1 1 34 0 0 Totals •• ' •• •• 1,136 1,108 | 7 21 I 1,961 3 3 Transport Licensing Act and Regulations. 1. Unlicensed goods service .. .. .. 69 63 4 2 194 15 0 2. Breach of goods-service license .. .. 66 60 4 2 146 0 0 3. Unlicensed passenger service .. .. 29 26 2 1 53 15 0 4. Breach of passenger-service license .. 5 5 .. .. 5 0 0 5. Failing to carry Certificate of Fitness .. 74 70 .. 4 68 0 0 6. Failing to carry vehicle authority .. .. 92 85 3 4 72 10 0 7. Driving-hours breaches .. .. .. 37 35 1 1 41 10 0 8. Overloading .. .. .. .. 8 7 .. 1 10 0 0 9. Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 13 13 5 0 0 Totals .. ... . .. 393 364 14 15 596 10 0 Miscellaneous Acts and Regulations— Totals .. .. .. .. 243 234 5 4 182 4 0 Grand total . . .. .. 7,682 7,449 111 122 10,354 12' 3

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TABLE No. 5.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Traffic Data, Operating-expenses, Revenue, and Profit of Licensed Passenger Services (excluding Metropolitan Services) for the Years ended 31st March, 1935 to 1939, inclusive.

TABLE No. 6.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Statement of Assets and Liabilities of Licensed Passenger Services (excluding Metropolitan Services) as at 31st March, 1935 to 1939, inclusive.

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. New Zealand Totals for Year ended 31st March, Item. — 19.35. 1936. 1937. 1938. I 1939. Traffic statistics — Vehicle journeys .. .. 1,736,521 1,704,192 1,669,714 2,163,575 2,181,487 Vehicle-miles 21,541,921 22,029,339 22,782,021 23,509,361 25,455,248 Empty trips 48,818 48,726 48,351 45,516 59,376 Passengers 15,975,336 17,949,351 21,506,576 23,276,761 26,655,485 Operating-expenses— £ £ £ £ £ Vehicle-running costs (petrol, oil, 434,613 447,118 461,863 415,976 457 186 tires, repairs, maintenance, and depreciation)* Vehicle-standing charges (license 277,953 288,181 354,922 500,020 594,374 fees, wages, drawings in lieu of wages, insurance, garage rent)* General overhead charges (man- 94,173 96,693 131,993 113,870 133,033 agement and office expenses, interest, advertising, &c.)f Total •• 806,739 831,992 948,778 1,029,866 1,184,593 Revenue— Passenger 753,425 807,517 907,601 999,927 1 195 887 Mail contract 31,112 32,117 37,950 36,762 32'046 Newspapers 16,949 18,671 21,473 25,269 23'249 Goods and parcels .. .. 57,457 59,503 73,311 74,567 52 151 0ther 13,189 11,672 17,453 10,687 14^050 Total •• •• 872,132 929,480 1,057,788 1,147,212 1,317,383 Profits .. .. .. 74,404 100,455 114,495 .. 148 713 Losses 9,011 2,967 5,485 .. 15^923 Net profit .. .. 65,393 97,488 109,010 117,346 132,790 * From the period ended 31st March, 1938, depreciation has been included in standing charges and not in running expenses. In 1937-38 this item totalled £132,383 and for 1938-39, £154,733. | the period ended 31st March, 1938, interest has been excluded from overhead charges.

New Zealand Totals. Item. 1035. 1936. 19.37. 1938. 1939. * Liabilities— £ £ £ £ £ Capital and reserves .. .. .. 585,347 479,359 608,041 824,329 918 197 Other liabilities .. .. .. 285,236 257,691 241,717 255,019 205^496 Total 870,583 737,050 849,758 1,079,348 1,123,693 Assets— Passenger-service vehicles .. .. 359,625 354,277 370,299 538,715 576 494 Other vehicles 51,160 26,864 38,056 20,655 33'567 Stocks on hand .. .. .. 38,610 31,361 35,394 29,402 34 970 Plant and machinery .. .. .. 31,522 27,064 26,105 31,752 31'434 Land and buildings .. .. 174,196 157,772 143,416 147,539 128'850 Sundry debtors 67,479 47,347 48,590 33,116 49'349 Cash on hand and at bank .. .. 94,235 57,743 73,101 51,749 57 835 Other assets .. .. .. 53,756 34,622 114,797 21}1194 Total 870,583 737,050 849,758 1,079,348 1,123,693

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TABLE No. 7.—TRANSPORT LICENSING ACT, 1931. Traffic, Revenue, Expenditure, and Capital Statistics of Licensed Goods Services for Years ending 31st March, 1935 to 1939, inclusive.

TABLE No. 8.—COMMERCIAL AIR TRANSPORT. Table showing the Principal Operating Data relating to Commercial Air Transport Services in the Dominion during the Calendar Years 1934 to 1939.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (1,055 copies), £48 10s.

By Authority: E. Y. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington.—l94o.

Price. 9d.]

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New Zealand Totals, Year ended 31st March, 1935. j 1936. ! 1937. 1938. 1939. Traffic statistics— Total number of operators .. 2,024 2,004 2,111 2,830 3,161 Number of vehicle authorities issued 3,355 3,368 3,753 4 859 5 790 Average mileage per vehicle .. 13,744 14,687 15,'089 13^828 Total vehicle-miles run .. .. 45,991,000 49,465,000 56,629,000 70,295,000 80,062'000 Revenue and expenditure statistics— £ £ £ £ £ Total operating costs .. .. 1,822,000 1,805,000 2,308,000 3,158,000 3,921,000 Total revenue .. .. .. 2,037,000 2,070,000 2,679,000 3,583,000 4,425,000 Total profits .. .. .. 215,000 265,000 371,000 425,000 504,000 d- d. d. d. d. Average operating costs per vehicle- 9-51 8-76 9-88 10-99 11-74 mile Average revenue per vehicle-mile.. 10-63 10-04 11-35 12-49 13-28 Average profit per vehicle-mile .. 1-12 1-28 1-47 1-50 1-54 Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Percentage of profit to operators' 14-28 20-56 20-94 20-03 16-36 capital Percentage of profit to total capital 9-61 13-77 14-65 13-44 11-23 invested Capital investment statistics— £ £ £ £ £ Total operators' capital .. .. 1,505,000 1,289,000 1,771,000 2,445,000 3,147,000 Total " outside" liabilities .. 732,000 635,000 761,000 1,207,000 1,440^000 Total capital invested .. .. 2,237,000 1,924,000 2,532,000 3,652,000 4,587,000 Average capital per operator . . 744 643 839 865 996 Average " outside" liabilities per 361 317 360 425 454 operator Average total capital invested per 1,105 960 1,199 1,290 1.450 operator

Year. Licensed Passengers Mails Goods Mileage Servioes. carried. carried. carried. flown. Number. Number. lb. lb. J 934 •• •• 1 50 2,000 500 4,200 1935 •• 2 4,203 14,789 11,680 186,391 1936 5 20,718 84,924 38,339 706,233 1937 •• 7 37,178 166,344 67,927 1,205,965 1938 •• •• 8 60,967 299,570 172,530 1,759,984 1939 9 57,337 285,038 213,481 1,950,546