MOTOR-CARS FROM AMERICA.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16160, 14 March 1918, Page 5

MOTOR-CARS FROM AMERICA.

REGULATION" SUGGESTED. Reference to a recent large shipment of motor-cars from New York was made at the last meeting of the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. The president, Mr R. Bnrns, said that a vessel which arrived at Auckland recently carried about 900 cars. Not only were they stowed below deck, but two tiers were carried on deck. It had been stated that as the vessel's tonnage was 9720 tons, his previous statement that cars occupied about 10,000 tons space was wrong. This argument was ridiculous, for he had referred to ton measurement, and on this basis the vessel's capacity below deok was\ about 18,000 tons, and on deck 2000 tons. Mr Burns said it was criminal for motor-cars, to be importod to this extent at a time when every inch of cargo space should bo occupied by essential goods. In spite of what tho Minister of Finance had said when introducing his last Budget,

it could not be established that pleasure cars were essential goods. Tho Primo Minister had stated that representations on the subject were being liiauo to tho Imperial authorities, but tuis was not satisfactory. There was uot sufficient petrol in the country for essential work. Dairy fanners and many others were dependent upon pdtrol for industrial purposes. Ho suggested that the council should ask tho Government to prohibit tho import of cars, cxcept on license. This regulation already applied to many goods. • .Mr E. Anderson said lie thought that the council should express its views on the subject in a very decidcd wav. lie believed that 6ome of the cars of the shipment mentioned were for Australia, but the .fact remained that New Zealand was not getting essential goods. Another member said that according 4 to a trade journal the importation of cars in January was equal to 22 a day, including Sundays. Mr E. U. Robertson said tho council' should make sure of ite facts beforo doing anything further in the matter. It wns decided to refer the matter to the Imports Committeo.