MOTOR TRADE

Southland Times, Issue 22296, 11 April 1934, Page 7

MOTOR TRADE

REGISTRATION FIGURES IMPROVE. REFLEX OF TIMES. Wellington, April 8. A striking indication of the improvement in the Dominion’s economic position is to be found in the motor-vehicle registration figures, which are usually taken as a reflex of the times. Bearing in mind the effect of exchange and sales tax on this year s new vehicle transactions, the registrations for last January and February must be regarded as highly satisfactory from a national point of view when compared with the totals for the corresponding period last year. An increase of 39 per cent is shown, and, this is the more notable for the fact that last year the majority of retailers had ample stocks in the country, and were not affected by the rise in the exchange rate, which had a material bearing on subsequent imports. There can be little doubt that but for exchange and sales tax the percentage increase for the first two months of this year would be doubled or trebled. The following are the car and truck registration figures for January and February:— 193.4 1295 1933 925 New Zealand’s peak year for registrations was 1929, and it is interesting to observe from the following yearly totals how sales were affected by the depression, and how sharply graded is the upward movement of this year’s registrations:—

Undoubtedly the satisfactory clearance of New Zealand’s wool has been responsible to a considerable degree in bringing about the improvement shown this year. Another important factor, however, is the greater appeal made by the new cars which are now coming into this country in great volume.

Passenger vehicles Commercial vehicles. 1929 21,405 5.289 1930 15,067 4.241 1931 6,434 1,865 1932 3,885 1.225 1933 3,635 1,338