MOTOR TRADE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24408, 20 September 1940, Page 9

MOTOR TRADE

CO-OPERATION IN WAR EFFORT OPPORTUNITY STILL AWAITED COMPLAINT OF FEDERATION “For the first 10 months of the -war the federation made every effort to co-operate with the Government in its expressed desire to conserve petrol and assist in the war effort of the Dominion. but it was evident during this period that this co-operation was all on the side of the motor industry,” states the annual report of the New Zealand Motor Trade Federation, which outlines its offers of co-operation to the Government. “ The federation,” the report adds, “was willing to place its whole organisation at the disposal of the Government. as it appears to all sections of the motor industry that in these days of the mechanisation of the army, the industry would be able to make a real contribution towards the Dominion’s war effort. The Government, however, has not yet seen fit to accept this offer of co-operation, and in this it appears to have a different viewpoint from the Governments of Great Britain and the other dominions and also the United States, where, it is to be noted. Mr William S. Knudson, who has been chief production engineer of General Motors for many years, has placed his services entirely at the disposal of the United States Government and is now in charge of the production of munitions in that country. It seems strange that the New Zealand Government has not seen its way clear to accept this offer of co-operation, particularly when the bis motor assembly plants, which in Australia are being used for the production of munitions, are more or less idle in New Zealand to-day. Our offer of co-operation still stands.

“ In addition to its failure to accept the'proffered co-operation of the New Zealand motor industry, the Government has during the past year restricted the use of petrol, both for private and commercial use, to such a degree that the whole of the motor industry has been seriously disorganised. At the moment the federation is pressing for an increase in the monthly usage from 6,000,000 gallons to 7,000.000 gallons, thereby easing the strain which, in the opinion of the motor industry, is being needlessly placed on the economic structure of the Dominion.

“The motor industry has already made a very big contribution to the Dominion’s war effort by reason of the large number of its mechanical staff and garage proprietors who have joined the army, navy and Air Force., and who are to-day using in the Empire's war effort the mechanical knowledge they learned in the motor industry.” FEDERATION'S ANNUAL MEETING OFFICE-BEARERS ELECTED (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Sept. 19. The Motor Trade Federation elected the following officers to-day:—Presi-dent, Mr C. R. Edmond; vice-presi-dent. Mr A. B. Gibbons: treasurer. Mr D. F. Wauchop; representative to Employers’ Federation, Mr Edmond; auditor, Mr I. J. Mackersey. Officers of the Petrol Resellers’ Association are’ —President, Mr W. M. King: vicepresidents. Messrs Gilbertson (Wanganui) and Thomas (Christchurch): secretary and treasurer. Mr F. A. Knight; auditor, Mr D. McKay. Officers of the Parts, Equipment and Cycle Association are: —President. Mr A. B. Gibbons: vice-president, Mr F. H. Jones; council —Messrs Phelan, Griffiths and Parker, and the chairmen of local associations; auditor. Mr H. P. Thompson; secretary and treasurer, Mr Mackersey; delegates to the Motor Trade Federation, Messrs Griffiths and Jones.