MOTOR MEN CONFER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11007, 16 September 1921, Page 2

MOTOR MEN CONFER

QUESTION OF BODY-BUILDING. OPPOSITION TO PROTECTIVE DUTY. Per Press Association. 1 AUCKLAND, September 15. At the conference of the Dominion Motor Garage Proprietors’ and Cycle Traders’ Association, Mr Cousins, the president, said it was contended by the coach and motor body builders that bodies of motor vehicles could, and. should, be manufactured in New Zealand, and on each revision, of Customs tariff strong representations for a high protective duty had l been made- Motorcar importers and distributors, he said, should strongly resist this claim. The coach-building industry was unable to provide at the .present time all the motor bodies required. He gave figures to sfirm’ that large numbers of expensive ohassis were held up awaiting the building of bodies. The amount of interest which this delay cost importers was a very serious item. The association olaimed that -under the present tariff, with high freights and loss on the conversion- rate of exchange, the local motor body manufacturer had been fully protected, but had failed to demonstrate his ability to cope with the work offered to him. Any furthei protection by way of increased duties Would increase the cost to the user, and would prove a serious menace to the development of motor traction.