The Gisborne Herald IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES." GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1950 FATAL ACCIDENTS MAR HOLIDAYS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23154, 17 January 1950, Page 4

The Gisborne Herald IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES." GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1950 FATAL ACCIDENTS MAR HOLIDAYS

SINCK the holidays began scarcely a day lias passed without at least one report oJ: a fatal accident, usually a motor mishap or drowning, in some part of the Dominion. In nearly all eases the victims have been holiday-makers. Many have been in strange surroundings and have not paid sufficient attention to the attendant dangers. ‘Warnings have been numerous and repeated. Details of this month's fatalities when published will provide a .grim record. From December 22 to January 4 nine.lives were lost on the roads in either motor or motor-cycle accidents. In addition one pedestrian and one cyclist were killed. Last year 211) people were killed in traffic accidents, the largest number for 10 years. The Transport Department attributes this to the increase in the number of vehicles on the roads. In too many instances the cause was excessive speed. "With persist ent speed hogs the time has arrived to inflict heavier penalties, such as disqualification from driving by the cancellation of licenses. For less serious breaches the lilting of some device to their ears to restrict speed in the future together with a slicker branding a motorist as a possibly dangerous driver should be considered. In Ncav South Wales serious thought is being given to a proposal that all motor-cycles should be lilted with governors. Whatever may be said about bad road construction, defects in cars and insufficient traffic control as contributing factors in accidents, it is against bad driving in its various manifestations, including bad manners, that the heaviest attack must be directed. There is uever any lack of change in car design, but when glaring 1 in flic breaches are observed or reported it is felt that there .is room for a new model of motorist. Fifteen drownings were reported between December 22 and January 4, but there have been more since then. Some of these people died trying to rescue others; some attempted rescues with the knowledge that they could not swim well themselves; they wore heroic efforts. Many drownings in Ncav Zealand occur in heavy surf or through exhaustion in strong sea currents. Caught up in those conditions Aveak sAviminers have almost no chance. It is surprising lioav many children are poor swimmers judged by lack of endurance. Some experienced life-savers believe that it is due to the mass instruction of school children. Too many are inexpertly or inadequately taught. Among children, too, there is the over-emphasis on speed rather than distance whereas more encouragement should be given to safe, strong swimming. There are many children Avho think they can SAvim, and Avhose parents share the same false belief, if they can sprint 30 or 40 yards. How many children neglect the safe, easy breast-stroke .and backstroke for the faster but more tiring crawl? Too many valuable lives are being lost each year on the roads, in the sea or in NeAv Zealand’s rivers. Much good Avork in accident prevention is being done in the schools and in the home, but it is obviously not sufficient. It seems that in future more drive must be put into our national campaigns. TRENDS IN MOTOR-CAR PRICES F OR the many people interested in motor-ear prices, either ns potential buyers or sellers, the policy of British manufacturers is of interest especially as there is evidence of price discrimination between markets. Decently a member of the House of Commons said that four of the leading British motor manufacturers were selling in the United States at prices which did not cover their costs of production. Figures relating to these losses are published by the Economist. According to this journal, one firm’s production costs exceed the ex-Avorks price of a car going to the United States by up to £l7. After distribution and sales promotion costs have been met the total loss on each car averages £IOO. At the time of devaluation the chairman of directors of another firm said that the ex-works price of one of its light models was £205. This compares Avith an exAvorks price of £392 for the home market and £362 for a foreign visitor buying the ear in Britain. The price for the United States, it is said, just covers the cost of materials and components used in the car. Another group also says that it loses on its sales to the United States. There are tAvo elements to he considered in relation to these losses. A good proportion is regarded as the ordinary expenditure necessary to break ground in a iicav market. It includes the organising of a system of distribution; experiments with different sales and advertising techniques; and expensive publicity such as the trials arranged for one stock model ear which cost the company nearly £2OOO for the hire of track and timekeepers alone. There is iioav likely to ho a good deal of pruning. One company which before devaluation sold every car before it was shipped is planning a new system of distribution. Yet another firms avoids these expenses by using the distribution system of its parent American company. The second element if it were made policy and carried far enough could affect the Dominions. This concerns price discrimination—selling in one market at a loss which is recovered by charging a higher price in others, the object being to keep clown costs by a high volume of production. This is a form of dumping, a practice that was widely used by the United States between the two world Avars. However, in the present ease it is still far from being.a question of dumping. The number of British cars sold in the United States is very small in proportion to total British production. The Economist says there are signs that the losses will not he tolerated indefinitely, which means that as far as possible sales to all markets are to be placed on the same basis. The Dominions are priority markets for British vehicles, hut it is not a situation of which advantage can he taken. British ear prices in NeAv Zealand are high enough as they are; if they go any higher they must eventually react, against the British motor industry.