MOTOR IMPORTATION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16497, 1 August 1924, Page 8

MOTOR IMPORTATION.

DOMINION'S NEW RECORD. Fifty motor vehicles hit bring imported into Now Zealand ovary day. That, was the average rate of import a. tions for the hnlf-yyear ended dime 30, last- The rate of increase over the importations for the corresponding six piontlis last year is 90 a week. A notable record for this year is already assured. So tar. up to June 30, the Importations of motor vehicles have averaged 358 a week, making an aggregate of £'352 for the period, the total value being £1,605.630. Similar importations for the same lime last year totalled 5587, valued 'at £1,005.469. Thus , there is this year already a gain of 3745 motor vehicles, representing an additional expenditure throughout the Dominion of £600,161. The number of all classes of motor vehicles imported into New Zealand hist year was 13.944, valued at £2,421.045. compared with only 3999 vehicles, valued at £881.137. The average of the first and second quarterly returns this year show that by the end of the third quarter last year's .record will he. equalled, if not eclipsed, leaving fin' summer quarter importations which are comparatively heavier, as the measure of (he increase for 1924. Tf the rate of importation lie maintained for the. remainder of this year, and no diminuation is anticipated in the trade, the increase for the 12 months should he very few, if any, less than 5000 motor vehicles.

It is clear that winter time is not thebe.4t season for the sale of motor vehicles. The iinporlations for the second quarter of this year totalled 4154, valued at £802.800. as against 5178 vehicles, valued at £902,830, for the first three, months of the present year. Bui the latest winter season importations -considerably exceeded those in the corresponding quarter last year, the relative totals being 4151 vehicles, valued at £802,800 for the past- June quart nr, and 2810 vehicles valued at £516,763 for the same time last year. Britain has fared badly in the matter of supplying motor vehicles to New Zealand. She. obtains only five per cent of the Dominion’s motor imports. Of the 4154 vehicles imported into the Dominion during the second quarter of this year 218 came from Britain. 2617 from Canada, 1275 from the United States, 38 from Italy. 10 from France, and one from Belgium.