THE MOTOR TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20602, 28 June 1930, Page 14 (Supplement)

THE MOTOR TRADE.

A DOMINION REVIEW. An interesting -summary of -motoring interests in New- Zealand, is contained ift the second annual'-report of the market , research division of. the Charles Haines Advertising Agency,; Limited, on the motor tradp in this country. . * . The reports! states that there- are 42 makes of cars substantially, represented in New Zealand, ranging in prico from £lB9 to over £IOOO. Apart from .numerous small roadside machine shops, and. ordinary petrol stations catering for the motoring public, there are established agencies and , distributors selling and repairing cars throughout','the ; Dominion. ' _ _ ' j 1 In 1929, there was one motor-car : .to every 11 persons .in New Zealand,' the report states, and taking the tptal registrations of cars only to February 28, 1930, the figure is now one car to 9.63 people. The United States has one car to 4.9 people: Canada, one to 9.1; Australia, one «to . 13.2 and Great Britain, ope to 34.3.•. The figures showing the' ownership per capita in the various provincial districts are also interesting. Southland heads the list with one in 7.64; Hawke's Bay has one on 7.77; ,and, Auckland, which is well down the list, has one in 11.05, while the lowest figure is that; for Nelspn, one 14.75. ; / ; The returns of car sales in each province for the years, 1927, 1928 and 1929,' show Auckland at the ; h6ad.' of the l list, with 4344, 5370, and 7326 respectively. For the whole of New Zealand, 21,405 cars were sold in 1929, representing a percentage increase of 26.45, over the 1928 figures,' when 16,686 cars were sold. Another total shows that practically airthe summer months are apparently the best for car sales, the biggest monthly return during the past three years being in December, 1929, when 2746 cars were sold. - . . ~ The report states that in 1929, of all the cars imported into vNew Zealand, 46 oer cent came from Canada, per cent from the United States, 17§ per cent from the United Kingdom and £ par cent from the Continent, the yeai 1929. is noticeable for the - fact that for the first time since 1925, Canadian -cars have gained th« ascendancy over those of .American origin.- . ■ The marked increase in the number ol motor-cars in New Zealand, has not ex-, tended to the motor-cycle the report continues. Although the percentage -of increase in the 1929 importations was larger than in the -preceding year. The imports in 1924, wero 2296, and in 1929, the figure was 3823. British makes con-: tinucd to grow in popularity, there being 3277 from the United Kingdom, 542 from the. United States , and four from the continent imported last year. On a percentage basis, British machines accounted for 85.72 per cent of the 1929, importations. The total registrations of ' motor-cycles in New Zealand at February, 28, 1930, was 38,015, of which 9526 were dorm ant, leaving 28,489 machines in use at that date. The report also' deals at length .with motor-trucks, tractors, aeroplanes, bicycles, tyres, motor spirits and oils, and provides an accurate' and' complete survey of the present position which is of inestimable valne to every interested in the motor trade. There, is also a general section dealing with secondary interests of the trade*PARKING RESTRICTIONS. . CONTROL "OVERDUE. The proposal of the Auckland City Council to impose further restrictions on motorists who leave their cars unattended in the congested areas of the city, although meeting with a certain amount of opposition, must be recognised as being necessary in the interost,of public safety. It is almost impossible for-tw6 cars to pass when travelling in opposite directions in some of our narrower streets, and the irregular methods in which cars are parked very greatly adds to the: congestion. It does not seem;that the proposals of the City Council will seriously interfere with the convenience of the business community, for. if the ' same policy as 'has been carried out in the past is adopted, the concessions extended to travellers and commercial users will prevent any undue interference with the ordinary course of business. , The argunfent has been put forward that business bouses should be allowed the free use of that-, portion of the street in front of their premises; but streets are constructed for the use of the general public, and' should not be used for purposes which will obstruct traffic. The by-law as it exists at present, with a little amendment, should have been sufficient to have relieved the position, but in places where parking is allowed for limited periods, and- where concessions were granted, the motoring public has taken advantage of these concessions, and k in many places where to-day cars are parked all day, it was the intention of the council that a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes should be allowed. . Road users will await with interest tjie finalised details of; the new parking restrictions,. and, as it is understood that the various interests concerned are having the opportunity of placing their views before the City Council, the final result should be as nearly satisfactory as is'possible. " *' . DAMPING SITES. Motor camping, which a few years ago was quite an adventure, is now accepted as a regular means oi enjoying the summer vacation. -I'he A. A.A. annually issues a booklet containing a todoscripMon of the principal grounds throughout the North Island, and for next season proposes to. publish a very comprehensive! list of suitable localities. ■ Motorists and other interestcd can assist the, A. A.A. staff *>y forwarding particulars of any grounds tbey have lound particularly adapted for tno purpose. ' / '' •' .