MOTOR CARS

Hokitika Guardian, 10 May 1927, Page 4

MOTOR CARS

IMPORTATION'S DECLINE

AUCKLAND, May S.

Do most people in the Dominion, who arc able to afford them possess motor-cars, and is there less ‘‘scrapping,” owing to the lean period having been forecasted ? One is tempted to nslc this question when reviewing motor importation returns for X« w

kind for the first quarter of the year. ::m]ii!ed by the Controller of Customs. Compared with the figures for the corresponding period of the previous year, the figures disclose a decrease of over -18 per cent. The total value of cars, chassis and commercial vehicles imported last; quarter was only £082,075 as against £1,189,011 for the first throe month of 1920. All classes of automobiles share in the decreased demand, with the exception of Italian ears. Satisfaction may also be expressed at the fact,that vehicles of British manufacture did not suffer so sevwely as the products of the other tw> largo contributing countries, the United States and Canada. This fact is indicated by the following statistics, showing the number and origin of cars anil car chassis imported:

J’olgium 0 2 The total for 1027 is 3003, as compared with 6951. The falling oil' in Canadian cars is surprising, owing to that country having a decided advantage over the United States, as the result of tariff revision. The figures, 100. reveal a tendency to import complete cars in preference to hare chassis, and here again the increassd duties have failed in their purpose. Complete ears brought into the cun try numbered 3310, while only 2SS chassis were imported to have locally-built bodies attached. In the commercial vehicle field the decline was not shared, the aggregate of 880 lorries, vans and buses being a record for the Dominion. For the hist qmii'lei of 1026 imports in this

connection totalled 071 lrc.de vehicles'. Tile increases were principally in cheap American and Canadian trucks, but British commercial vehicles showed a falling-off.

1927 1926 r 11 iloti States ... .. 1628 2136 Canada .. 1110 3S92 1'nited Kingdom .. 761 806 Italy .. 184 87 I 1 'ran co .. 22 33