BRITISH CARS

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 83, 6 February 1928, Page 5

BRITISH CARS

TO SUBT DOMINION ROADS. CAR-MAKER'S PLANS. "I think tliis car I am travelling tihrough New Ze-alhnd in will form the basis of the car we. intend to make Lo meet New Zealand needs," said Mr AY. R. Morris, of Munis Motors Ltd., England, when seen this morning at,, Stratford by a "Stratford Evening Post" representative. "I. have purposely subjected it to t]i|LH severest tests J could Jinti! on the roads I. have travelled, an<l so far there has not been la spanner used (ju it."

Mr Morris is at*prcscnfc engaged on a tour of New Zealand for" the particular purpose of getting experience of the conditions in tbc Dominion ; so that a car can be. designed specially to meet them- lie Is very pleased with his treatment generally in New Zealand, the utmost hospitality being extended to him, and finds the roads much, bettor than he hfid been led to expect. However, he strongly advocated tar-sealing, which was being generally used in Great Britain. THE BRITISH WORKMAN. Commencing without capital in. the bicycle business, Mr Morris later entered the field of motor-cycle manufacture, and in 1912 laid the foundation of a motor industry for ■which, he recently refused an offer of £12,000,000 from an American syndicate

"Tho world has no equal of tho British workman," said Mr Morris, enthusiastically, when sketching the expansion of the Morris enterprise. Possessing, as he does, such esteem for the capacity of the British worker, it is natural to assume thlvt Mr Morris docs not believe in going outside the Empire for skilled labour, nor does he. Mr Morris, however, has a plant in France, the oiuy branch of the firm outside of England, and there he employs French labour and French materials. J-MaU lie deems onlv fair, and he commends the French for protectins their interests by imposing a protective tanit that compels him to manufacture on their soil. "They are extremely sensible in forcing that position, lie commented 1 . . . .. Discussing the- domestic afftairs or tiie Morris firm:, lie mentioned that the output of cars in 1912 was 400, but this year the aim was to place 100 000 new machine© on the road an 'achievement, he stilted with emphasis, which would represent tho production of a Morris car every one and -a-half minutes of the working day of eight hours.

BUY BRITISH. Asked whether the export business of British motor factories was sufficient, to warrant tho production ofr distinct models for use oversea® and powered sufficiently high to eliminate over-frequent gear changing, Mr Morris s/iid, speaking for his own firm, it had! recently designed models which he was confident would meet, Dominion requirements m this re&< 'Tlie're is to-day absolutely no nee* eqsitv for a Briton to buy anything buU a British car," said Mi- Moms. "That I would not have. said, two yearsi ago but had you seen the| last British Motor'Olympia you would have realised the truth of my contention." At the present time, he said, the Morris factory was sufficiemtly large to meet all Home and Dominion demands, and it was llot intended to commence building cars overseas, but development would be carefully nourished and eagerly sought. "We are prepared to build engines to suit any conditions," Mr Morris emphasised. "In England I have preached reciprocity of trade between Britain and the Dominions. 1 want to leiarn all that New Zealand produces, and whemt 1 return I shall tell the people at Homo to buy from you. We have 1,500,000 workless, and by trade within the Empire wo can find vvdrk for them. Conditions at Home are on the mend, and with the aid of the Dominions we oan hasten the process and 1 cannot sea why wo should not have free trade within the Empire.''