MOTOR INDUSTRY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 14 June 1927, Page 6

MOTOR INDUSTRY.

VISIT OF BRITISH DELEGATES

DIFFICULTIES FACED AND OVERCOME.

(IIY TELEGRAPH—TRESS ASSOCIATION.)

WELLINGTON, June 13. A dinner was tendered the British

Motor Trade dieilegatio-m to-night- by the Association of British Manufac-

turers- and Agents. The- president proposed the toast of ‘‘Our Guests.” The question of freights was one of tlic most, important that had to be faced in connection with tho Home trade as it affected, not only the British manufacturers, hut -also the price of the Dominion’s produce, he said. In that respect the- Empire’s competitors had an advantage, and there was something wrong. Road construction, taxation and general economic conditions all came, (into the question of turning out- -a useful car. Britain’s position was now a good one. She was getting over the troubles of the war -and -she was starting to-day as well equipped as possible in the work of recovering and maintaining a full -share of the trade in the manufacture of motor vehicles. The Prime Minister extended greetings on behalf of the Maori race. During his inquiries at Home lie had not concerned himself so much: with the question as to what type of machine was suitable for New Zealand as to whether the- British manufacturers were- interested :in our requirement®. There were about 163,000 registered nio|or vehicles in the Dominion, -and on a population basis that was -a fairly large number. Mi" Coate-s referred to the great strides the United Kingdom had made in the . exportation of electrical machinery since the war, -and, notwithstand-

ing -the Homeric difficulties -she had encountered, Britain wa-s -stiiT the greatest trading country in the world. New Zealand would do her share towards maintaining Britain’s superiority. Many reasons were given why American cars had -got the load in New Zealand, but lie was now wurei there were British cars- equally -a® .good as the American, Manufacturers -required to move steadily in the matter.

Tho delegation would go - home and be able to tell their , principals the exact p-ositiou and what kind -of car was required, but tlie price was the governing factor. They could not any longer go on doing trade with people who did nob. -reciprocate. The more money sent to- the Ofd Country the more people there would be able- to take the New Zealand produce which England had still the.be-st market for. Regarding the position of British car manufacture. Sir Archibald Boyd Carpenter affirmed that, before the war, English people had been greatly hampered bv the excessive taxation levelled at -the community. Who was responsible for the burden lie- would not indicate, hut the past was there, and, after the outbreak of war England was still more heavily handicapped and taxed, and her factories had to be devoted to munition making Van d guns, and then England’s competitors took advantage of their opportunity and obtained the markets that hitherto been hers.

After the war the burdens became almost insuperable, -and England then had to pay back what -had been borrowed to hop the Allies, but (she had her honour -at stake and she -shouldered the responsibility of paying hack the money borrowed to. finance nations that, otherwise, would have had to go down. Recounting the subsequent troubles due- to -strikes, -Sir Archibald -stated that that splendid little island, from which they had all sprung, had only had for the first time last year -an adverse national Budget. Let them take counsel together, but try -and understand one anoth-ers difficulties and thus obviate what might otherwise come about —a diminution- of the standard of living l , a thing which, no portion cl the- British Empire could afford t-o- contemplate. It would he a possibility that might cause them almost to regard the end of tlie world was drawing, -near. It might mean the accession to power of fools, who would have no regard -for the well-bei-ncr of the people in the far-llu-ng Dominions. Let them pray that, out of God’s providence, they would get closer together because the common weal of the Empire depended on, it. British inter-imperial trade was a burnins? question and must be faced. When it came to the final test, England preferred honour to self-seeking mid let her trade go in order that her ideals might finally triumph.