More Repairs Expected From More Vehicles

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30393, 18 March 1964, Page 12

More Repairs Expected From More Vehicles

/From Our Ou>n Reporter)

WELLINGTON, March 16. A prediction that the repair side of the motor-body building industry should continue to flourish as a result of the greater number of vehicles on the road was contained in the annual report to the New Zealand Motorbody Builders’ Industrial Union of Employers conference today. The president (Mr H. F. Hawke) said the industry had enjoyed a successful year and trade had been buoyant. Figures indicated an improvement on previous years. There had been problems related to shortages of spare parts, low discount rates and the supply of skilled labour. Import restrictions did not appear to have affected the industry greatly. Questions in regard to insurance franchises and direction of repair work by some insurance assessors and insurance company representatives are being discussed by the conference.

The questions of car painting classes at technical colleges for apprentices and the establishment of full-time Government-sponsored trade

training schools are also to be discussed.

Emphasising the need for Government and local government support for the motor body building industry, Mr Hawke said this was often lacking. Replying to a welcome by the Mayor of Wellington (Mr F. J. Kitts), Mr Hawke said that Mr Kitts, as chairman of the Wellington Fire Board, had been a party to the purchase of a new machine with a body built overseas.

The industry in New Zealand was quite capable of building bodies for fire applicances, and could even turn to the production of aluminium refrigerated railway

waggons of the type ordered by the Government from Japan, said Mr Hawke.