FEWER MOTOR IMPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19871, 15 February 1928, Page 12

FEWER MOTOR IMPORTS.

NEW ZEALAND BUYERS. LESS EXPENDITURE IN 1927. LARGE DECREASE IN CARS. *?* MORE BRITISH PURCHASES. The motor trade of the Dominion experienced a lean year in 1927, and the sum of £2,035,536 sent out of the country for motor-cars, chassis, and commercial vehicles was the lowest since 1922, and £1,647,637 below the value of imports in 1926. The record year was 1925, when motor imports were more than double the aggregate for last year. The three substantial producing countries, the United States, Great Britain and Canada, have all shared in the decrease, but the falling off was least in the case'of the English vehicle. Imports from Canada slumped so heavily that on a value basis British vehicles succeeded to second place for the first time in many years. During 1926, 21 per cent, of the money sent out of the Dominion for motor vehicles was for British makes, but in 1927 this rose to 27£ per cent. Following are details of the dutiable value of cars, chassis, and commercial vehicles of all types imported during the last two years:— 1926. 1927. £ • £ United States .. 1,964,277 1,140.054 Great Britain .. 776,834 563,143 Canada ... .. 839,188 276,359 Italy .. .. 63,626 39,169 France ~ .. 31,590' 8,508 Belgium .. .. 7,548 8,022 Germany .... 110 281 3,685.173 2,035,536 The aggregate of £2,035,536 was made up of £1,663,266 for cars and car chassis, and £372,270 for buses, trucks, vans, and other commercial chassis. The fact that Great Britain's share of the demand for cars improved is attributed to efforts on the part of certain manufacturers to produce "colonial" models. Although Canadian products have the advantage of preferential duties, there seems to be no tendency for American manufacturers to handle their export trade in greater volume through factories on Canadian territory. This may be due to the fact that the New Zealand tariffs require such a large "Empire content" in motor vehicles admitted under the preferential rate. There have been cases in which American manufacturers have endeavoured year after year to incorporate the desired proportion of British labour and material in the products of their Canadian factories, but have repeatedly failed on account of the necessity for drawing soma vital raw material from the United States. Of the 10,871 automobiles imported in the year 10,019 were road-ready, while 852 were chassis without bodies. British products seemed most popular with the Dominion body-building industry, and 415 of the 2128 British imports were in the chassis form. Following are details of the motor-cars and car chassis imported, showing a decrease of 46£ per cent, on the aggregate for 1926: 1926. 1927. No. No. United States •.. 10,291 6,122 Canada .. v • 7,209 2,336 Great Britain .. 2,313 2,128 Italy .. .. 36S 241 France .. .. 136 30 Belgium . . .« 10 12 Germany *.- «» 1 2 20,328 10,871 In the commercial vehicle class there was naturally a preponderance of bare chassis. This is due to- the fact that the New Zealand body-building industry is able to produce coachwork keenly competitive with the best imported work. Of the 2233 bus, truck, or van chassis imported in 1927 only 366 were fitted with bodies. Following are details of the commercial vehicle imports:— 1926. 1827. No. No. United States 1.313 1,112 Canada . .. »• Great Britain .. 559 416 France .# •. £7 / Italy. ' »• 22 1 Belgium . • • • ■' " 2,706 2,233