Heavy Imports

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 692, 18 June 1929, Page 6

Heavy Imports

Motor Stocks High States “Radiator”

During the month of April, 1929, the number of cars and commercial vehicles imported into New Zealand totalled 2,539, bringing the total for the first four months of 1929 to 9,800. • These are big figures, and more than double those for the same period last year, and greater than the same period in 1926. which was the record year for motor importations.

Such big imports are the natural sequence of the growth of sales since the end of last year, but it is doubtful if the state of the market really justifies such large orders, says “The Radiator,” the official organ of the New Zealand Motor Trade Association.

A check of registration figures for the same period shows a total of 5,070 registrations, a small proportion of which includes vehicles which have been transferred from passenger to commercial vehicles, and reregistered accordingly. A reasonable estimate of the position is that stocks are greater by 2,000 vehicles than they were at the commencement of the year. At that date stocks were generally normal, but in some cases supplies were short. From April to September sales slacken off, and over stocks at this period of the year lead to complications which are undesirable, and frequently are the cause of trouble and dissatisfaction.

At the moment the position is not serious, but if imports are not sub-

stantially curtailed for the next few months, it may become so. With the information now available, there is little excuse for overimportation, and the position could be improved by a closer co-operation of importers. This should not be a difficult matter, as the number of firms controlling the importation of motor vehicles is smaller than most people think. Five companies are responsible for the importation of 70 per cent, of the cars, and two companies import more than half the commercial vehicles.