TYRE INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23075, 28 June 1938, Page 10

TYRE INDUSTRY

LOCAL FACTORY PLAN OPPOSITION FROM TRADE NO BENEFIT TO CONSUMERS [lit TELEGRAPH OWN OOIUtHSPONDENT] WELLINGTON, Monday By an overwhelming majority, members of Iho tyre trado of the Dominion, in a secret ballot conducted bv the Bureau of Importers, have expressed their opposition to the Government's proposal to grant a licenco for the establishment of a tyre factory or factories in New Zealand. "A substantial majority of those who received the questionnaire have returned their ballot-papers and by an overwhelming majority are definitely opposed to the establishment of this industry," states tho Bureau of Importers. "The ballot revealed that in the opinion of those approuched a local factory would be unable to manufacture tyros comparable in quality with the imported article. Tho chief reason for this is that the technical difficulties would present a problem which could not bo easily overcome. "The successful manufacture of tyres is tho result of years of experimenting and research and the establishment of a tyre factory which could not offer the best of these facilities should, in our opinion, bo discouraged. The present high standard of imported tyres is attributable to the achievements of highly skilled and highly-paid technical experts and to offer to the motoring public tyres which have not been manufactured under efficient technical supervision is to deprive the public of an essential safeguard to safe motoring. "The most interesting result of the ballot has been the disclosure made by nearly all those who voted in favour of the establishment of a local factory (only 22 per cent of the total) who. on their own admission, state that the consumer would not benefit in either quality or price. "Surely the consuming public is entitled to more consideration than this, and if this or any other Government is going to subscribe to a policy wherein the people of the country wjll suffer unnecessary hardship, then only one lino of attack remains open to attain the justice which is the people's birthright."