MOTOR-BODY BUILDERS

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 149, 12 March 1923, Page 11

MOTOR-BODY BUILDERS

AN EXTENSIVE INDUSTRY THE QUESTION OF DUTY By Telegeaph.—pbess association. Dunedin, March 9. The New Zealand Coach and Motor Body Builders’ Industrial Association of Employers’ Convention concluded today. It was presided over by Mr. T. J- Bath, of Invercargill. Mr. D. H. Taylor (Wellington) addressed the meeting on the question of “Duties on Imported Parts.” The matter was well discussed by the various delegates, and many anomalies were brought ta light. Representations are to be made to the Controller of Customs in connection with materials now being used in the building of motorcar bodies being dutiable, which were formerly on the free list when used in the.building of horse-drawn vehicles. The secretary, Mr- Read, produced a return he had received from tho Comptroller of Customs showing that for the year 1922, 3046 motor-cars, other than buses, had been imported into the Dominion, while 428 chassis of vehicles in this class had been declared. The larger proportion of chassis to complete cars was regarded as very encouraging. It . was decided to hold the next convention in tho second week of March, 1924, at Wellington.

The election of officers for tho ensuing year resulted as follows: —President, Mr. E. 0. Harvie (Wellington); vice-presidents, North Island, Mr. Henry Bate (Napier) ; South Island, Mr! T. Stevenson (Invercargill) ; auditor, Mr. R. A. Fuller (Palmerston North) ; executive committee, Messrs. D. H. Taylor and H. J. Black (both of Wellington), L. Joie and W. A. Harrison (both of Auckland), J- W. Scurr and N. McDonald (both of Dunedin), Henry Bate (Hawke’s Bay), T. J. Bath (Invercargill) ; secretary and treasurer, Mr. Vivian Grant (Christchurch).