FEWER CARS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23269, 11 February 1939, Page 16

FEWER CARS

. IMPORTS DECLINE DROP OF £356,508 '• FIGURES FOR PAST iYEAR BRITISH MODELS POPULAR A decline of approximately 9 per cent in the number of motor vehicles imported into New Zealand occurred last year, compared with the record total for 1937, according to a return prepared by the Comptroller of Customs. There were 33.464 . vehicles brought into the Dominion last year, against 36.761 in 1937, a decline'of 3297. The total for 1936 was 30,265, and for 1935 it was 20.825.

The' 33,464 vehicles imported last year were valued for purposes of assessing duty at £5,429.575, which represents a decline of £356,505, compared with the dutiable, value of the 1937 imports. In that year the value of motor vehicles imported, £5,786,383, was a record for New Zealand, the total being very substantially above the 1929 record; of £4,278,000. The figures quoted represent the current domestic values in the countries of export, pins 10 per cent expressed in terms of New Zealand currency. ' Values Analysed The following is an analysis of the dutiable value of motor imports in 1938, from the three principal countries of origin, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada:— Unassembled United United Canada or completely Kingdom States knockeiidown £ £ £ cars v., 1,507,606 255.462 1,214,457 Car chassis ~ 3,461 32S Com." vehicles 335, SI 7 206,144 363,407 Totals • £1,546.854 £491,934 £1,577,564 Assembled cars ' 1,285,650 162,579 8,367 Car chassis 1,118 Com. vehicles 12,623 3,461 306 Totals £1,299,391 £166,040 £8,678 In addition there were 141 unassembled motor-cars valued at £23,354. imported- from Germany, and 123, worth £9598, from Italy, and one assembled ■ car worth £362 from Australia.' One worth £39 from France, 28 worth £534 from Germany and three worth £3BB from Italy. The total value of imports, compared with those for 1937, was: 1938 1937 United Kingdom £3.146.275 £3,253,010 United States .. 657,974 973,280 Canada .. •• 1,586.537 1,556,137 Australia .. 362 3,004 Italy .. .. 9,986 404 Germany .. 28,702 449 Japan ' . .. .. France .. .. 39 Totals .. £5,420,875 £5,786,383 Large British Quota Although the number of motor-cars and chassis imported from Britain last year was smaller than in 1937, United Kingdom products represented about 62 per cent of the purchases of this type of vehicle. With 17,630 motorcars and chassis from the United Kingdom out of a total of 28,380 imported, Britain's 'commanding position in the New Zealand market remains unchallenged. Canadian -cars and chassis increased from 7398 in 1937 to 7735 last year, but there was a further heavy decline in American car imports, which dropped to 2718 units. The United States total for 1937 was 4851, and for 1936 it was 6335, higher than the Canadian quota. Cars from Germany An interesting development last year was'the importation for the first time for many years of an appreciable number of motor-vehicles from both Germany and Italy. The 169 German cars were probably a result of the Dominion's trade treaty with Germany. There were motor-vehicles wholly or partly assembled in New Zealand last year, against 24,931 in 1937, a slight decline., Of the total, the United Kingdom contributed 10,988, and Canada 10,108. In addition, the imports included 9108 assembled models, of which 8158 were from the United Kingdom. In 1937 the number of assembled vehicles imported was 11,844. Following are details of the motorcar and car chassis imports for the past three years:— 1936 1937 1938 United Kingdom. 13.321 18,079 17,630 United States .. 6,335 4,851 2,718 Canada .. .. 4,572 7,398 "7,735 Italy .. - X2fl Japan , .... 1 1 France .. .. Germany . .. Australia ... Totals .. 24,229 30,331 25.350 Commercial Models The decline in the number of commercial vehicles imported was considerable, the total for 1938 being only 5084, a decrease of 1346, compared with the 1937 figure of 6430. The total was also less than that of 6036 for 1936. Imports from the three main countries of origin all were smaller last year, but the United Kingdom suffered least, with a drop of only 15 vehicles, from 1531 in 1937 to 1516. The heaviest decline was in Canadian units, which dropped from 3262 vehicles to 2411, while the United States quota jdso fell considerably, from 1534 to 1155. Following are details of the com-mercial-vehicles imported in the last three years:— 1936 1937 1938 United Kinprdom. 1.989 1,531 1,516 United States .. 2,666 1.534 1,155 Canada .. .. 1,373 3,262 < 2,41.1 Australia ... ~ Germany ... 1 Totals .. 6,036 6,130 5,084