ENGLISH V. AMERICAN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17130, 4 September 1926, Page 5

ENGLISH V. AMERICAN

MOTOR CAR CONTROVERSY DIVERSIFIED OPINIONS ' (Parliamentary- Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Two- .speakers in the House during tho Customs Bill debate argued out the respective merits of English and American motor ears. Sir Joseph Ward, who stated that he owned both kinds, considered that the deficiency of the English ear was its low power, as the manufacturers designed for the English market, where I cars were taxed on horse-power. If he wanted to make a long journey, and jtgo uphill, he would take the American 8 car, because it had power and flexi-' bUity, and that was the reason why New Zcalanders bought American cars. TJncy would prefer British, but they had to meet their requirements. He - predicted that as a result of the Customs alterations the prices of all cars must increase. The Minister of Customs by an alteration in the preferential duties made by Order-in-Council, and now by the Customs Act, had changed the duties twice in five months. No business community could carry on safely if the tariff was to be changed so frequently. Tt should never be touched except us a whole, with ample notice. THE OTHEK VIEWPOINT

An opposite view regarding the utility of British cars for New Zealand conditions was immediately put by Mr. J. It. Hamilton, who said that English cars would climb any hill, but they had to change gears, wjuch was a reasonable thing to expect. The trouble was that New Zealandcra wanted to go.at too great a rate of speed, tearing up hills on tojKgcar. British cars would go anywhere, and if one had to get down to second gear en the lulls it was far better. jHe had seen people passing him at 40 miles an hour as if-they were rushing for the doctor, but when he saw them later in town they were having a yam after ail their haste. (Laughter.) The Hon. W. Downie .Stewart, Minister of Finance, said he had it on good authority that almost immediately British ears exactly designed to meet New Zealand requirements would "be placed on the market. Although they might not at first be competitive in price with American, they hoped to reach that point if the demand de.veloped. The Government thought this a favorable opportunity to give English makers more assistance.