MOTOR TRADE

Southland Times, Issue 25361, 13 August 1935, Page 8

MOTOR TRADE

“WONDERFUL REVIVAL” BUOYANT POSITION IN NEW ZEALAND NEW CAR SALES “There has been a wonderful revival in the motor business during the past year, and naturally the motor trade is far more buoyant now than it has been for the past four years.” With these encouraging words Mr W. Grieve summed up the position in the motor trade under present when he was approached by a Times reported yesterday afternoon. Mr Grieve, who is Dominion president of the Garage Proprietors’ Association, has just returned from attending the annual meeting of the Auckland branch of the association.

“The figures for new car sales for July are approaching a record for New Zealand,” Mr Grieve said. “Of course, a great deal of the new car business is the result of the replacement of used cars. In many instances excessive allowances are being made in order to give a fillip to trade. The resultant profits are thus not as great as they were in the years immediately following the war period—the market for people buying cars for the first time was far greater then than now. Customs Duties. “The alteration in the Customs tariffs over the last six months has had a disturbing effect. Generally speaking, however, the latest declaration by the Minister of Customs to admit motor car bodies in shell form has been well received by the trade. There is a genuine desire to help'employment in New Zealand, and in this direction more real help can be given because the assembly can now be done in any centre. “This will obviate the necessity of erecting a large and expensive assembly plant in one place. The regular garage mechanics and employees will be kept busy assembling car chassis and bodies as against the former system of keeping a large number of men in one centre in more or less casual employment. “Furthermore, the trade is endeavouring to co-operate with the Government and local authorities to alleviate as much as possible the dangers of road transport. In this connection a brake and headlight test is being carried out right through New Zealand. With the assistance of the Automobile Associations and the Transport Department the safety of the roads is being given earnest consideration. “The motor trade hopes that during the coming Parliamentary session the Government will try to reduce the present heavy taxation with regard to motoring in New Zealand,” said Mr Grieve. “Such taxes as the tyre tax and the petrol tax on top of the usual Customs duties on motor vehicles raise the cost of motoring. With the improved Budget, motorists have just reason to expect a reduction in taxation. Classification of Mechanics. “In New Zealand the motor industry gives employment to a great many people and an improvement in the trade has an effect upon the prosperity of the Dominion. During the last few years the Garage Proprietors’ Association has been engaged in the classification and examination of motor mechanics. The results have been very successful. Over 800 mechanics have been classified as A grade. A further examination is being held this month and it is safe to predict that the figure will then reach the thousand mark. This classification will result in better service to the public and in better conditions of employment for motor engineers. In this direction New Zealand is showing the way to the rest of the world. ( “There is just one note of warning that I would like to add,” Mr Grieve concluded, “and that is that motor traders should not be carried away by the improved conditions and develop an orgy of unsound trading such as was revealed by the early years of the trade depression throughout New Zealand.”