LEAN YEAR FOR MOTOR TRADE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 118, 16 February 1928, Page 10

LEAN YEAR FOR MOTOR TRADE

FIGURES FOR 1927 LOWEST FOR SEVERAL YEARS IMPORTS FROM CANADA SLUMP HEAVILY LEAST FALLING-OFF IN BRITISH VEHICLES Dominion Special Service. Auckland, February 15. The motor trade of the Dominion experienced a lean year in 1927, and the sum of £2,035,536 sent out of the country for motorcars, chassis, and commercial vehicles was the lowest since 1922, and £1,647,637 below the value of imports in 1926. The record year was 1925, when motor imports Were more than double the aggregate for last year. Three substantial producing countries, the United States, Great Britain, and Canada, have all shared in the decrease, but the falling off was least in the case of the English vehicle. Imports from Canada slumped so heavily that on a value basis British vehicles succeeded to second place for the first time in many years. During 1926, 21 per cent, of the money sent out of the Dominion for motor vehicles was for British makes, but in 1927 this rose to ‘271 per cent. Following are details of the dutiable value of cars, chassis, and commercial vehicles of all types imported during the last two years:— 1926. 1927. £ £ United States 1,964,277 1,140,054 Great Britain 776,834 563,143 Canada 839,188 276,359 Italy 63,626 39,169 France 31,590 81503 Belgium 7,548 8,022 Germany ~.. HO 281 Total 3,683,173 2,035,536 The aggregate of £2,035,538 was made up of £L663,266 for cars and car chassis and £372,270 for buses, trucks, vans, and other commercial chassis. The fact that Great Britain’s share of the demand for cars improved is attributed to the efforts on the part of certain manufacturers to produce “colonial” models. Although Canadian products have the advantage of preferential duties, there seems to be no tendency for the American manufacturers to handle their export trade in greater volume through factories on Canadian territory.