MOTOR-CAR INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19857, 30 January 1928, Page 10

MOTOR-CAR INDUSTRY.

EXPANSION IN BRITAIN. BUILDING FOR DOMINIONS. EMPIRE TRADE RECIPROCITY. Declaring himself a champion of the British workman, British industry and co-operative Empire effort, Mr. W. It. Morris, of England, maker of the Morris motor-cars, and one of the leading figures in Imperial industry, arrived from Vancouver by the Aorangi last evening. Giving as the main objoct of his visit to the Dominion, a desire to become personally acquainted with conditions here bearing on the activities of the groat concern which he has made a phenomenal success, he iiastened to add that lie was equally desirous of playing some part as an ambassador of reciprocal trade. Commencing without capital in the bicycle business, Mr. Morris later entered the field of motor-cycle manufacture, and in 1912 laid the foundation of a motor industry for which he recently refused an offer of £12,000,000 from an American syndicate. To-day ho is seeking by personal experience to meet the needs of the Dominions to the uttermost limit, and, by expansion of an already huga business, to add to his 20,000 English employees. Started Without Money. " I attribute my success mainly to the fact that when I started in business I had no money, and for that I thank my father and mother," ho said last evening. " I am of the opinion that it is the boy who starts from the bottom that becomes the successful business man of the future. "The world liSiS no equal of the British workman," said Mr. Morris, enthusiastically, when sketching the expansion of the Morris enterprise. A man who has done a great deal to improve industrial conditions and a generous donor to worthy causes—ho recently gave over £IOO,OOO to assist a hospital which was in financial difficulties—he afforded a glimpse of his regard for the man at the benuch by remarking that the earnings of his great army of employees, from boys to foremen, averaged £4 2s 6d a week, which, having regard to living costs in Britain, was the highest rate in the world in an enterprise of this sort. British Worker Preferred. Possessing, as he does, such esteem for the capacity of tho British worker, it is natural to assume that Mr. Morris does not believe in going outside the Empire for skilled labour, nor does he. Mr. Morris, however, has a plant in France, the onlv branch of tho firm outside of England, and there he French labour and French materials. , That he deems only fair, and he commends the French for protecting their interests by imposing 'such a protective tariff as to compel him to manufacture on their soil. "They are extremely sensible in forcing that position," he commented. Discussing the domestic affairs of the Morris firm, he mentioned that the output of cars in 1912 was 400, but this year the aim was to place 100,000 new machines on the road —au achievement, he stated with emphasis, which would represent tha production of a Morris car every one and a-half minutes of the working day of eight hours. Suiting Overseas Market. Asked whether the export business of British motor factories was sufficient to warrant the production of distinct models for use overseas and powered sufficiently high to eliminate over-fre-quent gear changing, Mr. Morris said, speaking for his own firm, it had recently designed models which he was confident would meet Dominion requirements in this respect. In point of fact the latest —■-a more powerful machine —was to be released on the British market to-day. He was emphatic, however, that all aspects of design would be carefully ; studied by him during his contemplated motor tour of the Dominion. He added: "You mav be sure that nothing that can be done to make my cars completely suited to your road conditions will be passed over. This is what lam here for." ... Discussing the popularity of American cars of the six-cylinder type, tho British manufacturer said his firm was meeting this form of competition in the model for release to-day, but he was certain the British designers would not revert to large engines even if the horse-power tax were lifted. While ho repeated his desire, frequently expressed throughout the interview, to avoid any criticism of foreign manufactures, he emphasised the supremacy of the small British engine with its * high power development, and economical operation. British Cars for Britishers. "There is to-day absolutely no necessity for a Britisher to buy anything hut a "British car," said Mr. Morris. "That I would not have said two years ago, but had you seen the last British Motor Olvmpia you would have realised the truth of my contention." At the present time, he said, the Morris factory was sufficiently large to meet all Home and Dominion demands, and it was not intended to commence building cars overseas, but. development would be carefully nourished and engerly sought. "We are prepared to build engines to suit any conditions," Mr. Morris emphasised. » "In England I have preached reciprocity of trade between Britain and tho Dominions. I want to learn all that. New Zealand produces, and when I return 1 shall tell the peoplo at Home to buy from you. 'We have 1,500.000 workless, and by trade within the Empire we can find work for them. Conditions at Homo are on the mend, and with tho aid of tho Dominions we can hasten the process, and I cannot see why we should not have free trade within the Empire." As Mr. Morris lia3 less than a foilnight to spend in the Dominion his stay in Auckland will be brief. After touring New Zealand and meeting his representatives in the chief centres he will visit Australia.