MOTOR IN AUSTRALIA

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 48, 26 February 1927, Page 18

MOTOR IN AUSTRALIA

.GROWTH OF INDUSTRY At the opening of the motor show) in Sydney, Dr. Earle Pago disclosed interesting figures regarding the growth of the industry in In 1903 the.value of bicycles, imported was more than!'six ; ;tiines..;th4f of the imports, of niotdr-cafs;' •Ittvl9o7 imports of motorcars' -'amounted' to rabout £250,000, and in-IPI3 they frepresented about a million and a half sterling. By 1919-20 the value had reached two and a half millions, and three years later it had leaped to more than six and a half millions. In. 1925-26 the value of the imports was just above twelve millions sterling. The number of cars imported in 1907 was 1138. In 1925-26 the number of chassis imported (inclusive of those, incorporated in complete ears) exceeded 88,000 in number. Side by side with this expansion of the import trade in motor vehicles, a corresponding expansion has gone on in the Australian* industry engaged in the building of bodies, .the assembling of chassis, and the manufacture of chassis: parts. In 1925-26 the complete cars imported numbered somewhat over 12,000, and the number'of chassis without bodies about ; 76,000. The fitting of this number of chassis with bodies furnishes the basis of an extensive industry, arid, as a matter of fact, the body-building and allied motor industries have taken their place among the principal Australian industries. In 1913 the total output of the cycle and motor industries was £.788,000, and the amount of wages paid was £324,000. 'la 1920-21 the value of the output had ' increased, to £3,290,000. The salaries and wages paid were £.1,----375,000. In 1924-25 the total value of the output was £8,767,000. The wages paid were £.3,105,000. In 1913 the number of employees was 3230. In 1924-25 the hands employed numbered 12,000.