MOTOR WORKS.

FACTORY EXPANSION.

GENERAL MOTORS, LTD.

CONTRACTS UP TO £43,000.

General Motors, New Zealand, Ltd., last week placed contracts with New Zealand suppliers for just over £43,000 for extending their present factory buildings, the first step in a programme involving the further expansion of the factory and the provision of still more modern machinery and equipment. In making this announcement, Mr. G. C. Seers, ■ managing director of General Motors, New Zealand, Ltd., said that the new construction would provide more than 80,000 square feet of additional floor space for factory and storage purposes. The total floor space under roof at the factory at Petone will be more than six acres, almost double the floor area of the original factory.

A steadily expanding business in the company's cars and trucks, the merchandising of many new lines of motor equipment, and the local manufacture of Frigidaire commercial refrigerators have involved numerous additions to the company's land, factory buildings, and equipment.

When the original piece of land. 51 acres, was purchased at Petone in 1025 and a factory building erected, General Motors, New Zealand, Ltd., became New Zealand's first motor car assembly factory. It might, in fact, be said to have pioneered the industrial development of the Hutt Valley, which at that time had a population of about 9000, but now has more than 34,000 residents. •To-day, the total area of land held by the company is 12i acres and. the staff numbers more than 700.

To provide recreation for those employees a. cricket ground and sports field (not included in the contract expenditure mentioned) is under construction to the west of the factory. This will be separated from the factory by a two-acre plot" of ornamental gardens. Provision has a.so been made for a private parking area and storage for employees' cars and bicycles.