MOTOR CARS AND BICYCLES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 282, 22 August 1908, Page 6

MOTOR CARS AND BICYCLES.

TRADE OUTLOOK IN ENGLAND. tBI TEr.EGEArn,—SPECIAL COEBESFONDENT.) Chrlstchurch, August 21. Mr. J. B. Clarkson, head of a firm of cyclo agents, with his headquarters at Palmcrston North, has just returned , to Christchurch after a trip to England and America. He told a "Times" representative that the cyclo business in England was in a rery solid position, although suffering slightly from overproduction. Thoso that had been combining tho cyclo and motor business wore not in such a good position, tho scarcity of money having caused tho sale of the larger cars to fall olf while tho upkeep of the cars became a moro serious consideration. The motor industry in England was indeed in a serious position, but tho operation of tho Patent Act was tariff reform in another shape, and would holp it considerably. Thero were a fow manufacturers of ■ cars that stood on a very sound footing, but tho majority were not very sound; and he thought they would not got on a more satisfactory footing until tlioy laid down plant to make a cheaper and lowcr-poworcd car, say, 8-10 or 10-12 horsepower. In England tho bicyclo was coming to bo valued more and more for its utility. Sovoral of tho largo manufacturers had assured him that thoy had never before been so busy for somo time. Tho wholesale men had been trying to push tho variable gears which wcro now very much used in England, and • if tho cyclo traders in New Zealand could bo ijiduccd to push them they would bo conferring a boon on tho. cycling public. Mechanically thoy wero reliable, and the price was dccrcasing as tho parts wero specialised. Ono of tho best appointed factories in Birmingham was working day and night at present, turning out three-speed gears. "Englishmen have tho bicyclo trado of tho world now," Mr. Clarkson added, "and it will givo you an idoa of tho extent of tho trado when you learn that about 000,000 machines a year aro turned out in tho Midlands. Tho largest manufacturer in Coventry had two largo factories in different parts of tho Continent, and. was gotting better prices for its output in Germany than it was in England. England had a largo business with Holland. Pour-fifths of tho Japancso supply was English, whilo thero was also a largo Indian businoss. In New Zealand, whero nino or ten years ago three-fifths of tho imported bicycles wcro _ American thero wero now, with tho exception of a few Canadian machines, nono but English importod. As to whether bicyclcs had reached rock bottom in price, his opinion was that, although tho profit was now reckoned only in shillings, »vu9 still a downward teiukinc^.