BRITISH MOTORS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19155, 11 November 1927, Page 5

BRITISH MOTORS.

THE TRADE DELEGATION

SIR A. B. BOYD-CARPENTER'S VIEWS. ■ FF.OM OV& OWS CORSESrOKDr.JTT.) LONDON". October S. Sir A. 13. Boyd-Carpeiuor, M.P. for Coventry, has returned to this country after touring Australia and New Zealand as leader of the trade delegation of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

During bis seven months' absence from England lie has covered 40,000 miles —including 17,000 by motor-car-spoken at 217 conferences of business men, and delivered 118 speeches et public meetings and other gatherings. Ten of the speeches were broadcast. "It is perfectly obvious," said Sir Archibald, in an interview, "that both in Australia and New Zealand the people are. anxious to do Irado with Great Britain. So far do they carry out this idea that they almost universally say they would be prepared to pay more within limits and reason for British-made articles in preference to foreign." Regarding the prospects of the British motor trade overseas, Sir Archibald says the .very siz© of Australia is an indication of the potential growth of motor transport. It would be impossible to construct railway lines over such a huge area because of the expense involved, and, therefore, the future for many-years to come must lie in quick, efficient, and inexpensive motor transport. "There is a distinct tendency at the present time," he added, "towards ait increase in the British motor trade overseas. Existing figures show that there has been an increase in the percentage of British cars imported into, and bought by, Australia, There is every indication that this will continue, especially as British trade propaganda is developed. This propaganda should take on a more concentrated form." Tt is further urged by Sir Archibald that British manufacturers should endeavour to gain a better understanding of the neculiar needs of the potential purchaser in Australia. The experiences and conclusions of the delegation will be detailed in an official report.

A Suggestion. Mr Albert E. Russel, a New Zealander and a director of Messrs James J. Niven and Company, of Lime street, London, in a letter to the "Motor Trader," asks whether it would not be better to educate the Home market to use cars suitable for overseas than to educate overseas markets to use cars suitable for the Homo market.

■'The delegation," he says, "were boosting the importation of British goods generally, but they were more or less directly concerned with the motor car trade, and the main effort was made in that direction. Ostensibly, the delegation were out to study the requirements of their oversea markets, but, as far as I can gather, they seemed to be more inclined to impress oversea buyers with the excellence of British products, design, and manufacture, rather than to listen to suggestions which might involve departures from existing practice.

"Why should not British car manufacturers, outside the bona fide light car people, get and decide to follow American practice generally? By so doing they ought to produce a real 'export' line of cars. The export business is the big thing for them, or, if it is not, it ought to be. And it seems to me to be simpler to build cars for export and to educate the Home market to use them than to build cars for the Home market, and then embark' on the apparently hopeless task of making the people overseas buy them. The fact that so many American cars sell in Great Britain indicates that thp education of the Home market would not be a big job. "The argument against my suggestion would be the rate of motor-car taxation in Great Britain per horsepower. It seems to me that British manufacturers have allowed their engine design to be made subservient to the tax question—to their own detriment. Now, the Chancellor of the Exchequer presumably wants to collect a certain amount of motor taxation, or a certain amount per 1000 cars. It should be immaterial to Mr Winston Churchill whether he collects his tax at £1 per rated horsepower or at 10s on the same number of cars having double the rated horse-power. "If the manufacturers got together and pointed that out to him lie might see the point. It is of vital importance to him to promote British export trade.' The idea is so simple—someone else has perhaps thought of it, but. maybe they have not. We are keen on buying British goods in New Zealand.