CARS FROM AMERICA.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1918, Page 7

CARS FROM AMERICA.

REGULATION SUGGESTED. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ACTION. Reference to a recent shipment of motorcars from New York was made at a recent meeting of the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, The president, Mr. R. Burns, said that a vessel which arrived at Auckland recently carried about -000 cars. •• Not only were they stowed .below deck, but two tiers were carried on deck. It had. been stated that as the vessel's tonnage was 51270 tons, his previous:, "statement was ridiculous, for he had referred to ton measurement, anc! on this basis the Vessel's capacity below' deck was about 1S ; 000 tons, and on deck 2001) tons. Proceeding, Mr I'urns said it was erin.jial for motor-cars to bo imported to this extent at a time when every inch of cargo space should be occupied hy essential goods. In spite of what the Minister for Finance hnd said when introducing his last Budget, It could not be established that pleasure cars ,vere essential goods. The Prime Minister had stated that representations, on the subject were being made to the Imperial authorities, but (his was not satisfactory. . There was not sufficient petrol jn the country for essential wort ] Dairy farmers and mnnv oilier*- were dependent upon pelrol for imliMrinl purposes. He suggested (hat the council should ask the (iovernmeut to prohibit the import of cars, except oil license. This regulation already applied to many goods * .. Mr. E. Anderson said he thought that the council should express il.s ciows on the subject in a very decided way. He believed that some of (lie cars of tho. shipment mentioned were for Australia', but the fact remained that New Zealand was not gel ting essenlial goods. Another member said that according to a trade journal the importation of cars in January was equal to 22 a day, including Sundays. Mr 10. li. Robertson said (he council should make sure of its facts before doing anything further in-the matter. It was decided to the matter to the Imports Committee.