MOTOR IMPORTATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18771, 26 July 1924, Page 10

MOTOR IMPORTATIONS.

.'■ ■:,-< ; <r ' m»i ii. i j' ■» ■.'■:■-.:. RETURNS FOR HALF' - YEAR, i DOM INION'S NEW RECORD; ,' UPWARDS OF 9000 VEHICIIs: MEAGRE IMPORTS FROM BRITAIN. Fifty motor vehicles'are being imported mto New Zealand every day. That was < k the|average rate of importations for the ■} hall-year ended June 30 Vlasfc.''. The rata of increase over the importations for the corresponding six months last year; is 90 i a weekl ; :■:''■'•'.' • A notable record for this year is already assured. , So far, up to Jane 30, the importations of motor vehicles have i averaged 358 ; a week, making an aggregate of 9332 for the period, the total value being £1,605,630. Similar importations for the same time last year totalled 51587, valued at £1,005,469.' Thus there is this year already a gainof374s motor Vehicles, representing an additional expenditure throughout the Dominion of £600,1! The number of all classes of motor vehicles imported into New Zealand last year was 13,944, valued at £2.421,045, compared with only 3999 vehicles, valued at £881,137. The average of the 1 first and second quarterly returns-thp year steows that by i the end of, the" thiifd quarter last year's : record will be equalled, if hot eclipsed, , leaving the summer quarter importations,, which are comparatively heavier, as the '- measure of the increase for 1924. If the rate of importation be maintained ! for the remainder of this year, and ho diminution is anticipated in the trade, i the increase for the 12 months should be very few, if any, less than 5000 motor ■ vehicles. . ",':• J , i It is clear that winter time is not the f best season for the sale of motor vehicles. The importations for the second quarter i of this year totalled 4154, valued at <, £802.800. as against 5178 vehicles, valued at £902,830, for the first three months of the piesent year. But the latest winter season importations considerably exceeded y those in the corresponding quarter .last ; year, the relative totals" being 4154 1 vehicles, valued at £802,800 for the past ' June quarter, and: 2810 vehicles, valued '. : at £516,763 for the same time last year. ; /increase in Auckland. > Although thore has been a marked increase in the importation of motor vehicles • for the Auckland district so far this i year, the total is still below what Aucki land's share should be on a population ; basis, all other considerations being, equaj. » Almost a third of the Dominion's populai tion is in-ihe Auckland province, but the J provincial importations of motor vehicles , are about one-fourth of the New Zealand ■ total. Mud is t*\e only reason for the ' difference, Wi& improved highways, i Auckland will quickly assume leading i place for motor transport, as has already been demonstrated in the metropolitan • ar For the half-year imported } 2749 motor vehicles, valued at £485,444, a3 r compared with 1657 at £288,153 for the f corresponding period in 1923. The importI ations into Auckland for the quarter f ended June 30 last totalled 1281 vehicles, i. valued at £246,300, as against only 791 >at £139,359 in the second quarter. . Of Auckland's total of 1281 vehicles last » quarter there were 1081 motor-cars, valued a at £195,146 and 65 chassis at £5599. Most I of these came from North ada supplying 794 motor-cars and chassis and the United States 318. Britain supplied only 32 out of the total, while France . and Belgium each supplied:one motor-car, , valued respectively at £258 and £259. The • average value of motor-cars; from Britain s was £302, from Canada. £170,' and from • i the-United States, £194. .The average of f British cars during the, first quarter of this, • year was £400, while that of the North ; American cars was £260. The trend of I prices has been downward throughout the .period.; - ' ; Britain* Small Percentage, > > Britain has fared badly in the matter of ,' supplying motor-vehicles to New Zealand. . She obtains only five per cent, of the Do* . minion's motor imports. The propaganda : o* the Special Service Squadron in behalf of the British motor industry ha;» not yet i apparently borne much fruit; 01; the 4154 vehicles imporiiod into the Dominion dur ' ing the second quarter of this year 218 . came from Britain, 2617 from Canada, . 1275 from the United States, 33 from Italy, 10 from France, and One from Bel- '. ginrn to Auckland. " ' ' k . ' The number of motor-lorries landed in " New Zealand during the June quarter was j 487, valued at £105,373. Of that total ! 135 were imported into Auckland, at a j cost of £45,555. Eighteen of these came 1 from Britain, 59 from Canada, and 58 ' from the United States which supplied chassis only for.Jorries, trucks, vans and buses. Of New Zealand's total importationsof such vehicles Britain supplied 40, Canada 307, the United States; 133, Italy ■ five and Franca stwo ••".' A noteworthy feature of i the Auckland importations for the second quarter of thiß year is the fact that of the 135 commercial vehicles only 30 were imported with This again shows that the motor body building industry is kept actively engaged. In addition 65 motor-cars with-r out bodies were imported,. For the cor- ' responding period last year Auckland imported four complete commercial motorvehicles, averaging £720, and 99 chassis for lorriesand buses. this year .the • importatiohs of commercial vehicles into; t Auckland total 407; This form of motor, i transport is rapidly increasing throughout ~'; the Dominion.'. ■' : ,"'..': ' . , I ■...■': .' ■-/ **—"!■-. .-.'. ~.. .■:''■ ■' -.