MOTOR VEHICLES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 308, 30 December 1933, Page 6

MOTOR VEHICLES.

LICENSE FIGURES. SMALL DECREASES SHOWN. ENGLISH CAR SALES. In the minds of most people there is an impression that the number of licensed motor vehicles in New Zealand is considerably less than a few years ago. Although certainly there has been a drop in the issue of licenses, it is not as great as is generally thought. After all, a motor car is regarded very largely as a luxury, and viewed in that light the position, as shown: by the registrations, is not a bad one. The total registrations at the end of June, 1931, were 1(53,250, and at the end of June, 1932, 151,441 —a drop of just a little over 7 per cent. On Juno 30 this year the registrations of all classes of motor vehicles in New Zealand totalled 14G,994, which represents a decrease of not quite 3 per cent on the total as at the end of June last year, says the "Post." Auckland Leads. Of the four main centres, the greatest number of registrations of all classes of motor vehicles at the end of June this year was in the Auckland postal district, with the Christehurch postal district next. The respective totals werp as follow: — Auckland ."... 27,280 Wellington 16,467 ; Christehurch 19.35S Duuedin 9.554 By the end of September the registrations in the Auckland postal district had risen to 30,985, in the Wellington postal district to 18,212, in the.Christchurch postal district to 22,563, and in the Dunedin postal district to 11,327. The figures for the final quarter of the year will not be available until eoine time in January, but it is anticipated that substantial increases wijl be shown on the returns for the previous quarter. The returns of all motor vehicles licensed on September 30 also show that there are many more in the North Island than in the South, the figures being: Xorth Island 108,524 ' South Island 59,669 Total 168,103 New registrations of care, commercial Vehicles, and motor cycles to the end of November this year totalled 5127. For the twelve months of last year the total was 9293.

English Competition. A special graph kept by the registrar of motor vehicles gives an interesting illustration of English competition with American and Canadian motor cars. At the end of 192S the registrations of new motor cars of American and Canadian manufacture were over the 5500 mark, and the registrations of English cars were less, than 1000. The registrations of American and Canadian cars dropped during 1929, but they were up again to close on 5500 by the end of that year. A,t that time the registrations of English cars are represented as having reached their peak, being over 1000, From the end of 1929 registrations of Canadian and American cars began to drop down sharply, until during last year they got below the English registrations, and as far as the graph has been plotted for this year they are shown as having remained below. At the end of 1932 the registrations of new English cars were nearly 1000, whereas the registrations of new American and Canadian cars were a little over 500. Motor Cycles. There were more motor cycles licensed in the Auckland postal district than anywhere else in the Dominion at the end of September, the total being 3570. Christchureh was second with 3003, Wellington, 1845, next, after which were Hamilton 1413, Dunedin 1240, and New Plymouth 1221. The total number of. motor cycles registered in the Xortli Island on the same date was 11,531, and in the South Island 7209, making a grand total of 15.740. To those who have no fondness for motor cycles probably it will be of some interest to know that Westport, whose registrations right through are small, has fewer registered motor cycles than in any other postal district. The total for Westport is given as SI. Auckland has. the greatest number of taxis and omnibuses, according to the .September figures. The registrations under these two heads shown for Auckland are: Omnibuses 1(59, taxis 302. In the Wellington postal district there were, on September 30 85 registered omnibuses and 219 taxis.