FEWER MOTORS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17437, 8 April 1931, Page 8

FEWER MOTORS

IMPORTS FOR LAST YEAR FALL OF 39 PER CENT. IN CARS 15lMTf.SU LIGHTLY AFFECTED • Motor cur imports into New Zealand during 1939 declined 39 per cent, on the total tor the previous year, and the decrease in commercial motor vehicles was 47 per emit. The aggregate dutiable value of all classes of cars, chassis, trucks, vans, and buses imported last year was £2.478.140, as compared with £4,278.720 in 1929. British cars suffered least in the decline, and actually exceeded American car imports last year. Although the motor is gradually being recognised as essential in business and industry, it is si ill dealt with as a luxury when purses are lean, and it was an elementary proposition that the automobile should prove a prompt index to the hard times. The motor business has adjusted itself, to the quieter trend, and it is considered in many sections of the trade that Hie next few months will see the end of existing conditions. Already motor vehicles have been eagerly selected for taxation, and the motor probably suffers more in times of economic difficulty in New Zealand than in any other country. The heavy decline in tile motor business was not unexpected, and dealers saw early in the year that the records of 1929 could not ho maintained. Imports during 1930 were therefore cautious in most cases. Following are details of the number of cars and car chassis imported into the Dominion during the last seven years, together with the dutiable values:

ORIGIN OF OARS The values given above are those in I he countries of origin plus 10 per cent., and the retail values in New Zealand must be swelled by Hie addition of duties and distributing profits and expenses. The majority of cars imported during recent years have come from Oanada. Last year import duties were increased substantially on Canadian cars, but this’does not appear to have affected the relative preference, and over 55 per cent, of Hie imports in 1930 were from Canada, The striking thing was that 3411, or 23.8 per cent., of the 14.314 cars imported last year were from Great Britain, while American products numbered 2957, and dropped to third place with 20.7 per cent. Following are details of (he car imports during the last two years, showing percentages according to origin :

TIIE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE In the commercial vehicle class, embracing buses, vans, trucks, and chassis for such vehicles, Canada, supplied two-thirds of the total, while C.S.A. products dropped from 52 per rent, in 1929 to 23.9 per cent, last year. Croat Britain maintained its figure of 9 per cent., with 272 commercial vehicles, and Germany, France, and Belgium accounted for 0.3 . per cent. Following are details of the commer-

NEW YEAR TREND Actual sales of cars since the end of 1930 have been low. During January and February, 1931, the iota! was 62 per cent, below the figure for the corresponding two months of last year. English cars suffered a 12 per cent, drop in sales, while the fall in the aggregate from all other countries was 74 per cent. Commercial vehicle sales, which totalled 751 in January and February. 1930. aggregated 272 in the first two months of this year.

JNo. Sj 1824 ... ... 15,653 2,866,013 1925 ... ... 18.825 3,389,851 1926 ... ... 20,238 3,080.574 192,7 ... ... 10.871 1,663.266 1928 ... ... 16.504 2,336.299 1929 ... ... 23.361 3,407,887 1930 ... ... 14.314 1,995,633

1930 £j Dutiable value 1.995.633 1929 £ 3.407.887 Toll'll imports 14.3H 23,361 Percentage of Cunacla55.4 46.0 Great Britain 23.8 17.3 U.S.A. 20.7 36.6 Olliers .1 .1

•ial vehicle imports : 1930 1929 C £ Dutiable value 482,507 870.833 Total imports 3,049 5,795 Percentage of total— Canada. 66.8 39.0 U.S.A. 23.9 52.0 Cieat Britain 9.0 9.0 Others .3 —