MOTOR COMPETITION IS GOOD FOR TRADE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 266, 31 January 1928, Page 7

MOTOR COMPETITION IS GOOD FOR TRADE

CHRYSLER DIRECTOR’S VISIT “We don’t call it a ‘motor war.’ The return of Henry Ford will help business. It means that more money will be spent. Competition is the life of trade. We don’t fear good, clean competition.” This is how Mr. E. C. Morse, director of export sales for the Chrysler Sales Corporation, refers to the cabled accounts of the so-called “motor war” in America. He arrived by the Aorangi on Sunday evening and will spend some time touring New Zealand in the interest of his firm. “Chrysler cars are getting better and better,” said Mr. Morse. “We now hold third place on the car list and second for export. Last year the firm produced over 200,000 cars, of which 31,000 were exported. Naturally New Zealand and Australia are among our best customers,” he said with an appreciative smile. “Our aim is to keep abreast of the times in change of style,” said Mr. Morse when asked if his corporation proposed any radical changes in car makes. “Mr. Chrysler has always shown himself to be a man of vision for what the public wants. No, we are not springing any sensations.” Mr. Morse said that Mr. Chrysler has repeatedly stressed this point, “People remember quality long after they have forgotten the price,” and it has proved itself with the firm’s cars. He does not hold with the views expressed frequently that there are too many motor-cars in New Zealand and that they have been partly responsible for financial depression. “More cars mean more employment,” he says. Referring to the percentage of cars to people in New Zealand. Mr. Morse mentioned Hawaii. In a population of 350,000, of which 200,000 are Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos and Hawaiians, there is one car to every eight people. Too many cars do not mean financial trouble. In America 85 per cent, of the motor-cars are sold on the deferred payment system. The total sales of cars each year amount to over 3,000,000, and next year, Mr. Morse says, they will be still bigger.