THE USE OF MOTOR-CARS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15349, 9 July 1913, Page 10

THE USE OF MOTOR-CARS.

CREASING IMPORTATIONS. \, [BY TELEGRAPH — SW/X&.T. CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Tuesday. The Minister for Marine (Hon. F. M. B. ' Fisher) has furnished some interesting information regarding the total numbsr and the value of motor-car bodies and chassis imported into New Zealand in the years , ended March 31, 1910. 1911, 1912' and v 1913. The following . were the number and the value of car bodies imported :— 1910. 1011. 1912. 1913. Number ... 726 1.473 2,265 2,331 Value ... £41,250 £88,725 £139,623 £142,563 The number and value of the chassis imported in the same yearly periods were as follows: — 1910. 1911. 1912. 1913. Number... 773 1,524 2,340 2,125 Value ... £180,065 £316,085 £422,660 £437,922 It is, of course, safe to assume, although the Ministers figures do not give the information, that the bodies imported all belonged" to chassis imported separately. There is a relatively small difference " between the number of bodies and the number of chassis) which should mean that only a small number of chassis have been imported in order to be fitted with bodies built in New Zealand. It may be explained also that car bodies and bodies for all motor vehicles are subjected to a duty of 20 per cent., with an additional duty of 10 per cent, on bodies of foreign manufacture, and that chassis are admitted free of duty. The valuable part of the car is the chassis so that it is customary to import the vehicles in parts and to assemble the bodies and the chassis in New Zealand. The object of imposing the duty in this way was to encourage the building of bodies in the Dominion, but the duty has apparently failed in this object.