MORRIS MOTORS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 December 1930, Page 5

MORRIS MOTORS

NEW ZEALAND DISTRIBUTORS APPOINTED.

At a complimentary dinner tendered in .Wellington on Monday evening to Mr S/ gV 'K. Smallbone,- Secretary and Director of Morris Motors Ltd., the announcement was made of the appointment of The Dominions Motors Ltd. to the control of the distribution of Morris Cars and Commercial vehicles in the Dominion. Among the guests were the Acting Pi-iipe Minis ter, the Hon. E. A. Ransffinf- Mr D. J. McGowan, President of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. Mr R. /S, Dyball, Australian .Representative of Morris Commercial' Cars Ltd. and Mr D. K. Leed, New Zealand Representative .for the same company. Mr C. J. : B. ‘Norwood, of Directors of The Dominion .Motors Ltd., presided. • . . Morris Motors Ltd., comprising a' group of companies under .the control . of Sir William Morris, is the largest purely English manufacturer of motor vehicles in the world. The Dominion Motors Ltd., with Head Offioe, J. ten branches, and eighty points of distribution, i« in the front rank of motor interests .in the Dominion. Its capital, direction and staff, numbering over 300, are supplied entirely by New Zealanders. 5 •' The' 1 company has, grown from ft very ‘mbdest concern in 1011 to one of .very big dimensions, with an annual turnover in normal times in excess of '-£1,000,000,. v j. . At Monday’s function Mr <5. J, iStf/ Norwood, Chairman : of * Directors, ; v taf proposing ■ the toast of- Afr Smallbone, stated that -he '-wi* very, happy; in the present association. The. expansion of the British Motor Trade in New Zealand had been made possible by the Ne\V Zealand Government increasing the preference on British! products, and he felt that- the move had been a logical and far-sighted one from, the viewpoint of our. national future; Though Dominion Motor s were undertaking. a business of great s magnitude and importance in a time of stress, he looked forward to the future with confidence. • • ■* ■ '• ; • :

• Mr Smallbone, in reply that.,/; he ’ was particularly sensible of the -, honour done him,' and especially of the presence of the Acting-Prime Minister. He' wanted -it to be understood that his company;had approached Dominion. Motors, and that whatever difpeultiea had been 'attendant upon a departure in policy in the appointment of. controlling- distributor had been: overcome in a most gratifyirig way, ; arid 1 with the co-operation of-the existing - ••••'! Morris organisation in New Zealand. Replying to the. toast of ..“The. Got- . ernment,” proposed by Air D. J. ' McGowan, Mr Ransom congratulated Dominion Motors and Morris .Motors on an association which seemed tphUni a most fortunate one, a The New Zealand Government, as far as its own departments were - concerned, Mas. giving preference to British cart and trucks wherever possible, and would continue to do so. ITe-was confident, that the Dominion would etnerge from--, the present troublous times and enter upon a new era of prosperity. Its _ natural resources made this inevitable. The function terminated with a presentation to Air Smallbone by Mr A. W« Duncan, General Manager, on behalf La A of The Dominion Motors Ltd.