Evening star., 1932-04-10
FOREIGN AUTO USE
SHOWS INCREASE
|9,309,917 Vehicles Are in
Service in Spite OF
Heavy Taxes.

Operation and use Of automobiles in
countries outside Of the. United States
gained last year, according to a sur
vey summary just published by the
American Automobile Overseas Edi-
tom. The total OF cars, trucks and
buses in service throughout Africa,
America Excluding the United States),
Asia, Europe and Oceania was $780,
SIT vehicles on January l Of this year
The total showed a Q per cent increase
over the total Of e,093,704 automobiles
| reported in operation at the opening
of 1881,
Decrease Shown Here.
The increase Of automobiles used out
side Of the United States was achieved
in the face Of an actual decrease in
operation in this country. For the first
time in its history the number of au-
tomobiles in service decreased by about
2 per cent in the United States, still
remaining, however, at the remarkable
total Of 26,l32,116 units. a figure al
ready published in earlier survey re-
ports. Because of this slight decrease
caused primarily by the retirement Of
automobiles owned by families In the
multiple car-owning class, the total
world registration figure decreased from
IS, 764,643 automobiles in early 1881 TO
5,441 1888 at the opening of 1882.
Use of automobiles In Europe, Africa
and Asia increased and more than coun-
terbalanced decreased registrations in
Oceania and America Excluding the
United States).
Automobiles have been an important
source of financial strength to all gov
ernments" says the American Automo-
bile. Motor vehicle taxes in 1891
reached tremendous sums. In the Unit
ed States gas, license and property
taxes paid on automobiles amounted to
81 ,022 ,000. 900, or almost 10 per cent
of all taxes paid by all sources In the
United States. Canada collected more
than s50.ooO,0O0 from It's automobile
owners In 1881, and approximately
5000 900 UNITED States gold) was
alton in Great Britain reached the
huge total OF f28,134,732 sterling in
1881. gasoline taxes bringing the esti-
mated amount to about 100000
sterling, or $235 100000 at par of
exchange
Important Revenue Source.
without this important source of
revenue" the publication adds, budgets
of many countries would have been far
more burdensome, and 1t is Of great
importance 70 the fiscal position Of all
of these countries that motor vehicle
operation has continued at such high
levels. In Egypt. for example, direct
taxes on motor vehicles, not including
import duties, totaled $935,000 and
formed a considerable percentage Of all
governmental revenues. The Union of
South Africa obtained an estimated
revenue of 100000 sterling from its
motor vehicles. Road and vehicle taxes,
not including import duties, we're about
81 500 900 francs in Belgium, and al
most II 900 900 fiorins in Holland Mo-
| tor revenues Of France for the year just
ended are not as yet available, but they
approximated 5000, 100000 francs in
| 1880. The total of the automobile tax
| in Sweden is estimated at 45,000,00
kroner, and at least $4,000. 900 francs
is the automobile tax income in Swift
serland, the total including import
duties. Motor vehicle revenues were
also high in many other countries and
in almost all cases returns were larger
in 1881 than in 1880, showing that no
form of taxation is more stable through
I depressiOn period "