MOTOR INDUSTRY

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6915, 22 May 1929, Page 4

MOTOR INDUSTRY

Conditions in the East CANADIAN BUSINESS MAN’S VIEWS CHANGING CIVILISATION

More than a largo paTt of tie world las been seen by Mr C. A. Speers, overseas representative for . Champion Spark Plugs, who has been visiting Palmerston North. During the past _lmonths, he has visited 14 countries, studying motor matters, and incidentally noticing many other interesting details of life and manners in the world. Japan, China, the Philippine Islands, the Dutch East Indies, Singapore, Malay States, Burma, India, Ceylon and Australia were all visited before Mr Speers came to New Zealand on this trip. Cars in Japan.

The progress in the motor trade made during recent years in the East is remarkable, says Mr Speers, and the contlict between the new and the old in transportation often amusing. In Japan there is a law that every car must have on the side of the wheels a splash-guard to protect pedestrians from the mud rn wet weather. The narrow streets, the puddlcy road and the open display of goods outside the shops render them absolutely essential after ruin, but in dry weather the guards are not legally necessary. Most of the cars arc taxis, and in any case, no car is driven by a, white man, partly as a convention of superiority and partly because of the fact that a white man would just about get a nervous breakdown with the way the Japanese drivers race around the corners, dodge heedless pedestrians and pull up with grinding of brakes. The Japanese arc rapidly advancing and are becoming used to modern methods of commerce. “They’re rather too shrewd,’’ exclaimed Mr Speers. “It came to our knowledge that someone in Japan was manufacturing spark plugs, stamped with our name, and packed in boxes that were exact copies of our own —with one misprint, however, on the side, and vastly inferior in quality. They were spoiling the reputation of our plugs and we at last found out who they were and brought out a suit against them, which was successful. They had to apologise publicly to us. It appeared that the constituent parts of the plugs were manufactured in about 20 different places, and assembled and stamped with our name at one secret factory.’’ China’s Storm and Stress.

“Shanghai is a fascinating city,’’ Mr Speers continued, “but its progress is retarded by the conflicting interests of the different Powers there, and general civic work is held up by the lack of direct government. The National Government had promised some time ago to put 500,000 men on the work of road-making which, although primarily intended for military purposes, would nevertheless assist the spread of ears throughout the country. Mr Speers was unable to get out much into the country because the surroundings of Shanghai were under military control and on one occasion when ho tried to get out to an aerodrome at the invitation of the controlling general, he was able to succeed only after a dumb show had been used. The sentinels could not road the passport which had been written in English and Chinese. In Mr Speer’s opinion, tho Nationalist Government is working for the good of its country, and if it could get power over the whole of China, it would produce good results. The Islands of the East.

Tlic Philippine Islands are progressing ■well and are as much "motorized” as these countries. Nevertheless, one still sees the water bullocks dragging great unwieldy waggon in the streets. In Singapore the motor car industry fluctuates with the rubber prices. Tin is also a main source of wealth. The Singapore Base is going ahead and the floating dry dock, which was towed out from England in two pieces is in place again. Night life in the streets is amazing. The cars have to crawl along in second gear through a mass of Malays and Chinese. Little waggons, on which food is cooked, stand in tho middle of the street. Night watchmen sleep on all the doorsteps and often bring their families with them.

The roads of Java are surprisingly good and it is possible to motor right through the island over perfect roads, but it is a dangerous thing to drive fast, says Mr Speers, because at any corner one might run against some lumbering old ox-cart. The car industry is entirely in the hands of the Dutch and the English, but the accessories business is controlled by the Chinese. Magnificence of the Rajah.

In India, Mr Speers visited the famous Taj Mahal when tho temperature was lIS degrees in the shade and the great marble edifice glittered in the sun with a glare that was absolutely painful to tho eyes. In that section of India the soldiers all wore thick pads over their back to protect the backbone from tho heat of the sun. An indication of tho magnificence of srjmo of the rajahs and maharajahs was given by an advertisement inserted by a Rajah, offering for sale 30 ears, eleven of which were Rolls Eoyces. Some of them possessed 125 cars and would sell any that a person of lower caste had ridden in. In Karachi, Mr Speers saw tho largest hangar in jhe world, built for the RlOl that is shortly to commence the Indiia-England airship service. It could be seen from 10 to 15 miles away and the complete aerodrome covered hundreds of acres.

Everywhere, concluded Mr Speers, people are taking more and more interest in cars, and he observed an increase in the proportion of cars in New Zealand since he was hero over two years ago. Business in New Zealand impressed him as being solid and substantial, and the majority of popular investments seemed to bo "gilt-edged” which always meant good steady advancement. for the future. Mr Speer’s job is a big one for his company last

year made 50,000,000 plugs, nearly twothirds of tho world's output. Mr. Speer’s home is in Toronto, Canada, but his periodic trips. take him away for thTCO years at a time.