New motor premises opened

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32715, 18 September 1971, Page 16

New motor premises opened

The Mayor of Christchurch (Mr A. R. Guthrey) yesterday officially opened the new premises of Blackwell Motors, Ltd, in Manchester Street and dedicated the main building to the memory of a cofounder of the firm, Mr G. W. Fairweather.

The new premises, built at a cost of $500,000 and largely financed by the Government Life Insurance Office, are designed to meet the company’s

requirements for the time being. The company’s general manager (Mr A. ” “ Beere) told a gathering at the opening that the buildings would probably be inadequate in a few years time. The expected number of motor-vehicles in Christchurch in 1980 would be 152,000 whereas in 1966 the number had been 96,000, he said.

Mr R. M. Corby, managing director of General, Motors (N.Z.), Ltd, said that Blackwell Motors had made enormous progress since it had obtained the franchise for Holden motor-vehicles. Sales of the vehicles had risen

from 139 in 1954 to 2764 this year. Turnover had increased from $493,000 to sBm during the same period. “This is a clear indication of the success of the organisation,” Mt Corby said. Mr Guthrey said that Blackwell Motors’ move to the new site was the right development in the right place from the city’s point of view. By vacating its old site, the company had enabled the city to plan the right development alongside the new Town Hall. There was little doubt that the flood of motor-cars would continue to increase, chahging Christchurch and it Way

of life, Mr Guthrey said. "We may evade the issue, give superficial treatment to the traffic problems, and allow the flood to overwhelm user we may grasp the opportunity it offers to take the large-scale measures needed to re-create the city for our own time and our children’s time so that the motor-car will bring joy and safety rather than frustration and danger,” Mr Guthrey said.

The photograph above ■hows Mr Beere speaking at the opening. Others, from left, are Mrs Beere, the Mayer, Mrs Guthrey, Mrs Corby, and Mr Corby.