AMERICAN TRACTORS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27040, 26 March 1949, Page 9

AMERICAN TRACTORS

CHEAPER THAN ENGLISH MODELS

IMPORTERS’ STATEMENT

PA CHRISTCHURCH. Mar. 25. On the grounds that the prices of English farm tractors are high, that their performance and reliability are not yet known, and that a servicing organisation for them is at present non-existent, New Zealand importers of American tractors have taken exception to the published statements of Lieutenant-colonel P. Johnson, president of the Agricultural Machinery section of the British Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders', who is at present in New Zealand. Colonel Johnson recently said that British tractors could be supplied and maintained more cheaply than American tractors. After a meeting in Christchurch today importers of American tractors and’ farm machinery issued a statement in which they challenged Colonel Johnson’s statements. . , ~ . •- It is generally recognised that United States, tractors and farm machinery were responsible for the mechanisation of New Zealand farms, the statement said. “ The importers brought in machinery, demonstrated it, and in thousands of cases assisted the farmers to purchase it by giving terms spread over several seasons when the financial position of farmers was not nearly so good as it is to-day. They invested hundreds of thousands of pounds in buildings, machineiy, parts and the wages of mechanics and others to service the machines, and the assistance importers had given to tne farmers of New Zealand in. this way is widely recognised up to date. As far as can be ascertained the importers of British tractors have not made any special investment in this connection. The statement also says: A duty of 10 per cent, is payable on American wheel tractors, but British tractors come in free. In spite of this, tractors from the United States of comparative horse-power are cheaper than the British equivalent, and judging by the comparative prices of British tractors in England and New Zealand it looks very much as though the New Zealand farmer is being charged an excessive price for the British tractor though he is selling his butter and meat to Britain at a very much lower price than world parity.”