TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 20147, 6 April 1927, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

If the reports from the United States are correct the Australian Industrial Mission in that country has run up against troubles which will greatly reduce the value of its report, troubles which should not have occurred. The complaint made by the employers’ representatives on the mission is that since Mr Grayndler joined the party the American workers have been induced to stay away so that the inquiries made by the mission will tend to be lop-sided. The reason advanced for this extraordinary move is that the information given by the American workers is not palatable to the Australian workers. This is an extraordinary state of affairs. If the statements issued in the name of the employers’ representatives are correct the Australian workers themselves should be the first to protest against the implication that they are afraid of the truth because it happens to be unpleasant.

** Commenting on British motor production in 1926, the Economist remarks that the motor industry of this country was one of the select band of trades to attain the distinction of a '‘record” output in 1926 a year of dear fuel, scare raw material, and reduced purchasing power. An informative analysis of private car production, given in a recent number of The Motor Trader, and based on returns rendered confidentially by British manufacturing concerns, shows that, as compared with the 1925 figures, the total number of cars produced rose by 19 per cent., and their value by 4 per cent. Since 1922 the output figures have been quadrupled, and the value figures more than doubled, as the following table shows:— Number A’gate Retail Av’ge. Value of Cars Sales Value, per Car.

ary on the possibilities of massed production in 'a single British industry. A large part of the increased output reflects the growth in the popularity of the light car, with its relatively low horse-power, moderate running costs and reasonable “overhead charges”—taxation, insurance, garaging, etc. The .average selling price of vehicles falling within this category—say, 7 to 14 horsepower—has actually been reduced by something like 30 per certt. in the last three years, and, concurrently, that British car manufactures have secured a progressively increasing proportion of the total home sales. Over the last three years the 14 horse-jiower group has tended to grow most rapidly in popularity, but 12 horse-power cars still outnumber those of all other categories. The real “luxury” vehicles of over 25 horse-power have been the most steady as regards average value, but the total output has declined both absolutely and relatively. The Motor Trader’s figures cover the operations of 48 firms, with a total capital of £20,000,000, but 86 per cent, of the total output last year was accounted for by eleven concerns—and possibly something like 50 per cent, by one firm alone. This fact may go some way to explain the notorious differences in prosperity between individual firms in an industry characterised, on the whole, by so large a volume of progressive activity.

Produced. £ £ 1922 .. 38,000 20,500,000 539 1923 .. 67,000 24,000,000 358 1924 .. 107,000 36,500,000 341 1925 .. 133,500 41,566,000 311 1926 .. 158,699 43,161,945 272 The returns afford an instructive • comment-