"TURNING CORNER”

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 274, 15 August 1932, Page 8

"TURNING CORNER”

Hopeful View in Motor Trade ENCOURAGING SIGNS “The state of the motor business is accepted in some countries as a sort of barometer for general business, and it is expected that it will be one of the first to feel the change to improved business,” states an editorial in the oflicial organ of the New Zealand Motor Trade Association. Under the heading “Are we Turning the Corner?” The comment continues: “Although business is still more or less dead, there are signs that a change is coming. A rather significant fact is the number of motor vehicles which are being re-registered. The law in Ngw Zealand provides that any motor vehicle, the license for the use of which is not renewed for two years, is automatically struck off the register and cannot be re-licensed for use on the road until it has been re-registered. “During the month of June about 20 per cent, of the cars registered were cars which had been struck off the register and had not been used for two years. Last month the percentage was still higher. Re-registrations of commercial motor vehicles show a still higher percentage, and motor cycles reregistered for June were 40 per cent, of the motor cycles registered. In our opinion this is significant of a growing demand for motor vehicles, and as the purchasing power of a large portion of the people is greatly restricted, sales are commencing in the iowest-priced classes of vehicles. “It may be that this marks the turning point, and business may be expected to recover slowly but surely. The stocks of new vehicles in New Zealand are now comparatively small and will soon be exhausted, even at the low rate of sales which has been the rule this year. Importers are waiting to learn the results of the Ottawa Conference, and it is hoped that such success will be achieved there that importers will be encouraged to get the wheels of business moving a little more freely. It is obvious that a change of conditions in the motor business is imminent, and the signs are that it will be a change for the better.”