MOTOR CARS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1796, 8 July 1913, Page 4

MOTOR CARS.

THE INCREASING IMPORTATION. Tho Minister for Marino (tho Hon, P. M. 13. Fisher) supplied to a Dominion reporter yesterday somo interesting information regarding the total number and tho value of motor-car bodies iitd chassis imported into New Zealand in tho years ended March 31, 1910, 1911, 1912, and 1913. Following wero the number and the valuo of car bodies imported:— 1910 1911 . 1912 1913 Number 72(5 1,473 2 k 2G5 2,331 Valuo .... .441,250-.£88,725 ,£139,023 .€142,563. Following wero tho number and the valuo of the chassis imported in tho samo yearly periods:—' 1910 1911 1912 1913 Number 772 1,524 2,340 2,425 Value .£180,005 JG.T1C.385 JC437.923 It is of course eafo to assume, although the Minister's figures do not give tho in« formation, that tho bodies imported all btv longed to chassis imported 6cparately< 'l'liero is a relatively small difference Ixs tween the number of bodies and tho number of chassis, which should mean that only a small number of chassis lmvo been imported in order to bo fitted with bodies built in New Zealand. It may beexplained also that car bodies, and bodies for all motor vehicles aro subjected to o> duty of 20 por cent, with ail added duty; of ten per cent 011 bodies of foreign manufacture, and that chassis aro admitted free of duty. The vnluablo part of the car is tho chassis, so that it is customary to import the vehicles in parts, and to assemble tho bodies nnd tho chassis in New Zealand. The object of imposing tho duty in this way was doubtless to cncourago the building of bodies in tho Do. minion, but tho duty has obviously failed in this object.