MOTOR IMPORTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18461, 26 July 1923, Page 9

MOTOR IMPORTERS.

INTERESTS OF THE TRADE. AN EXHIBITION ADVOCATED. ■ Motor importers and garage proprietors gathered in some force last evening when the ifourth annual ■: smoke concert of : the Auckland branch of the Motor-Trade-As-sociation was held in the tea kiosk at Point Erin Park. Mr. H. CL ; Jones, president of the. association, presided, and in addition to a number ... of lady frenda, there were present: ; Mr. H. L. Rogers, of Wellington, president of the New Zealand .Wholesale .Motor Traders' Association; . Mr. J. F. • Cousins, general secretary. of the Now Zealand .Motor Trade Association; Mr. M, H. Wynyard. member of the Main Highays Board j Mr. a. W. Hutchison, (presenting the Auckland Automobile ' Association; and f ; Che American vice-Cons;;'], Mr. Austin Preston, jun. • The ■ chairman. in r proposing the toast of the parent association, emphasised the value of unity to motor traders. After referring to the ; remarkable increase in the number of motor vehicles imported in recent years,, he said that gieat quantities of produce, fruit and vegetables were not now : sent to market as it did not pay to do so, but with-.good roads motor, transport would solve this problem. ! Responding, Mr. J. F. Cousins said they must bring about unity among motorists and traders, and to do that they ; must learn to Respect and have confidence in each j, other. ,' t In' urging the'' Auckland traders to organise an independent - motor exhibition, he instanced ' the very - successful show recently held in Wellington, and, said the atmosphere ot the ordinary win- 1 ter i show was not . the atmosphere desired by the exhibitor of cars. It was better, he said, to have 16,000 visitors who Mould confine . their , attention to motors than 60,000' whp would attend to see general exhibits. This not ; only served to increase sales, but helped to educate the public in the possibilities of motor transport. He had found that, on the question of motor legislation and roads,_ there was a good deal of misunderstanding in the South Island, based largely on wrong ' information, and he thought it was the duty of the: trade to- correct this.

.- Mr. G. 'W. Hutchison, in responding to the toast of the Auckland Automobile Association./ ..pointed . but .that..,, the association was largely. responsible / for the formation ;of the Good Roads' Association, and claimed a considerable : amount of credit for . the operations which / resulted in the' passing of the Main Highways Act. It was the duty. of . all / motorists, he thought, to join ■! the •- association, which was doing so . much in the / campaign : to educate municipal bodies • and the Government with regard to- the needs of the •motorist. - • , • Mr. M. H. Wynyard explained the working, of • the Main •• Highways Act, j: and said it was the intention ;of - the board to make a tour of the. Dominion after the various county groups had suggested the roads: which should receive ; attention. ' The board could then made its selection, taking local requirements into account. From- the motoring standpoint he thought' the Act/ was an I improvement .On the original Bill, for under it some 6000 or 8000 miles of road would receive attention as against about 2000 • under the old measure. Mr. Wynyard referred to the difficulty of his position as representative of the motoring interests on the board, on account of the division of opinion/ existing among the users of motors. He ha 3 asked representatives to meet him in Wellington before the next meeting of the board, and he * hoped to get them into a frame of mind : which would. result in their coming to a unanimous deoision as to- what they wanted. He thought that by having a free discussion ana fully ventilating the matter, an agreement could be reached. '/ v During the evening an excellent musical programme was ' gone ; through,' the vocalists being Miss . Fay Nezdar, and Messrs. T. T. Garland and S. Pritchard. Green's Orchestra - played - selections throughout the evening.