MOTOR BODY BUILDING

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 37, 12 February 1926, Page 6

MOTOR BODY BUILDING

(To the Editor.)

Siij-^ln Mr. Harvie?s letter of the 4th instant, he stated that the only shipment of American horse vehicles made to the North Island were consigned to Palmerston North and numbered approximately 100. This assertion I claim is incorrect; a considerable number of vehicles were distributed in the Auckland province, and were distributed by a leading firm of Auckland eoachbnilders.

Mr. Harvio states that the number of employees employed by coach and motor-body builders in New Zealand has decreased. This, according to his own figures, is very incorrect. In the year IUI6, 1165 hands were employed; is 1924, 1302. These are the figures he quotes in his last letter. .<

I presume it is the usual, practice to gain , information on the subject that one is interested in from authentic sources. 80 I' have consulted an old friend, who seems to know something about this industry, viz., "0.Y3.," who does not reside either in Britannia or Maritime Buildings, and I learn from him 1 that the number of hours worked, overtime during 1924; in the coach and inqtdr-b'ody building' trade was 16,240 hours. This indicates that there can tie very little unemployment. 1 am also told (pardon me) that in New Zealand there are 189 factories, paying £242,857 in wages, and using horse-power to the • amount of 1073. These factories, I believe, did a business to the value only of £.711,081.

These figures, I contend, go to prove that the trade has not tackled the motor-body building ' industry as it should have done—-possibly too many small factories and not enough concentration. I am told on gaod authority that the owners and managers of local factories who/own cars are using motorcars with imported bodies 'on them. Surely this is a bad example to put before the public. I have made no complaint as to the workmanship oi the tradesmen in this industry f and I consider that the work produced in thi« country is Of the best quality, but my advice, Mr. Harvie, is that the mofor-body builders should ■wake up and pie more modern machinery, should, have more uprto-date factories, and show the makers of chassis that the bodies can be built in New Zealand, without delay, and- in large q uanti^iev-I« U n,etc., cAßo^Eß

11th February.