Unauthorised N.Z. car parts allegation

Press, 28 August 1979, Page 21

Unauthorised N.Z. car parts allegation

By

KEN COATES

in London New Zealand is alleged to be one of several countries in which unauthorised car parts are being made. The head of a British engineering firm has said legal action is being taken against a North Island firm which he says is making a “very close copy” of his company’s sports steering-wheel assembly and fitting kit. The New Zealand firm is Quest Industries, of Palmerston North. Lfegal counsel for the firm in Wellington (Mr R. A. McGechan) has said that legal proceedings had . been issued by Alexander Engineering, Ltd, against Quest and that Quest would defend the action. He declined to make any further comment.

The allegation in Bri« tain came with a statement from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in Britain on the copying of vehicle parts in many other countries. The society said that at least 40 big companies, mainly British, Italian and German, knew of cases where copies of their products had been made and marketed.

Among these were brake parts and linings, brake flu’', steering parts and oil seals.

Others ranged from Rolls - Royce radiator grilles to stereo tapes and cylinder liners. The main Sdurce of these parts was Taiwan, but other countries, mainly Far Eastern, were involved. The managing director of Alexander Engineering, Ltd, of Hadderiham, Buckinghamshire (Mr T.

Christie) said he had been to New Zealand and had seen the steering wheels. India, South Africa, the United States, Canada, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Greece and in two cases, Britain, were mentioned by the Society of Motor Manufacturers as sources of unauthorised parts.

Prosecutions were pending on some companies and investigators were in Taiwan seeking offending makers. A register of these companies was being kept.

Retailers were warned tj be suspicious when being offered bankrupt stock, or approached by Taiwanese trading companies selling “British” parts. The society said anyone marketing these parts could face prosecution.