DOMINION'S IMPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19798, 19 November 1927, Page 10 (Supplement)

DOMINION'S IMPORTS.

RETURN FOR NINE MONTHS.

The Dominion's imports of cars, chassis, and commercial vehicles for the first nine months of 1927 were valued at £1,424,850 for duty purposes, as compared with £2,828,404 for the corresponding period of last year. Numerically, cars and car chassis declined 51 per cent, on the record for last year, but the decrease in commercial vehicle imports was only 18 per cent, 'below tiic total for tho threequarters of 1926. A return specially compiled for tho N.Z. Herald by the Comptroller of Customs gives the following details of car and car chassis imports for tho nine months of each year:— 1920 1927 No. No. U.S.A. 7279 3830' Canada 5983 2008 Great Britain . . . . ll>9l 14.7,2 Italy 323 2M France 105 "5 Belgium S 10 Germany . . . . • . 15,389 7553 Of the 7553 imports during the period of this year, 599 were chassis and 6954 were complete cars. The total of 15,589 for 1926 included 3725 car chassis. In spite of efforts made by the New Zealand-body-building industry there seemed to bo a marked tendency to impcyt less chassis this year. British cars were most popular in the chassis form. 255 of the imports from England being without bodies. In the commercial vehicle field the preference for bare chassis was naturally extensive. The local industry seems to be able to offer bodies for vans, trucks and buses at prices which are generally better than those of imported work. Of the 1599 commercial vehicles imported during nine months, only 334 had bodies. Following are details of the vans, lorries, buses and commercial chassis imported during the nine months of each year 19JG 1917 No. No. U.S.A. 1008 721 Canada 521 C><>4 Great Britain .. .. .362 20'2 France •' Italy . J: , ! ], Belgium k " 1950 ! "till Although Great Britain holds third place in both car and commercial vehicle imports on a numerical basis, 011 a total of joint values her quota easily leads Canada for second place. Following are details of the .dutiable values of motor vehicles of all classes imported during the nine months of 1927: —

Commercial Cars Motors and Chassis. and Chassis. £ £ USA . . 042.798 132,736 Canada .. 173,814 52.140 Great Britain 310,558 64,206 Italy •. . • . 35.285 422 France .. 5,756 726 Belgium .. 3,851 2.277 Germany . . 281 £1T172,343 £252,507 THE WHOLESALE COST. Handling charges, duties, and profits add a great deal to the price of a car before it reaches the New Zealand motorist. The average price of the 6954 cars imported into the Dominion during the first nine months of 1927 was only £154 in the country of origin. Belgian cars were the most expensive, the few handled being assessed for duty purposes at an invoice value of £405. Canadian cars were cheapest. Tho average prico paid in Canada for the cars shipped to NewZealand was only £B6 each. This low cost was largely duty to the fact that many of the Canadian products were not roadreadv, and painting and other work was carried out in New Zealand.

Following are details of tho average prices of cars imported during the nine months of 1927 :

American r.-.- r.v £166 Canadian >. .• -. •• t.. £B6 British .. •..! .. £217 Italian .. r.. French r. .■ r.. .. £229 Belgian ' .. - •• |405 German ••. . •• £'4° REVENUE FROM MOTORS. Few motorists know that they contribute a substantial sum to the Consolidated Fund in lubricating oil duties. It is estimated by the New Zealand oil companies that two-thirds of the lubricant imported is used in motor vehicles. Customs duties on this proportion of the imports for 1926 amounted to £54,650. This is one of the levies on the motorist which are used for non-motoring purposes. Spare parts and materials also brought a substantial quota to the Consolidated Fund in 1926. The duty collected on these was £75,645.

In making representations to the Government concerning the petrol tax of 4d, Mr. J. F. Cousins, secretary of the New Zealand Motor Trade Association, showed that the duties collected on tyres, motor vehicles, parts and oils during 1926 amounted to £1,276,383. Of this, only the tyre duty, amounting to £149,765, was handed to the Highways Board for roading purposes.

AN URGENT WORK. The me.tailing of a two-mile gap in the Huntly-Pukemiro Road, near Rotowaro, is urgently required. At present the clay stretch is impassable after rain, and a long detour must be made through Ngaruawahia. The Pukemii'O, Rotowaro and Glen Afton colleries aro separated from Huntly by this clay gap. The Renown mine, which opens in February, will make a fourth. As soon as metalling is undertaken, an ambulance will be provided. Under present conditions the victim of any accident at the mines would have to be conveyed 26 miles to Hamilton. The provision of an all-weather road would bring Huntly within 8 miles of Pukemiro.