MOTOR IMPORTATIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1933, Page 7

MOTOR IMPORTATIONS

DECLINE FOR HALF YEAR lowest for eleven years. BIG SWING TO ENGLISH CARS. Motor vehicle imports into New Zealand during the first half of 1933 were smaller than they have been for any corresponding period in the last eleven years. The total dutiable value of toe 1387 cars, chassis, trucks and other commercial motors imported in the first six months of this year was £191,018. The decrease on the total imports in the first half of 1932 was nearly 500 vehicles. The small recent imports indicate that motor dealers are taking no risks with large stocks. On several occasions the New Zealand Motor Trade Association has issued warnings against the building up of large stocks, and motor importers were advised to give more attention to the repair side of the trade. Importers hope that the coming summer will reveal an upward trend in motor sales. The imports in the first six months of this year comprised 1165 cars and car chassis, and 222 trucks, vans, buses and commercial chassis* The dutiable values of the two groups were £155,173 and £35,845 respectively. In the following tables the figures quoted represent the current domestic values in the countries of export, plus 10 per cent. The actual retail value of the imports in New Zealand would involve the added consideration of Customs duties, rates of exchange, freight and dealers’ profits. Following are details of the dutiable values and numbers of all types of cars, car chassis, and commercial vehicles imported in the first six months of every

BRITISH MOTORS PREDOMINATE. For the third time in succession motor vehicles from Great Britain held first place in the imports. In 1930 United Kingdom products were third on the list. The general decline in motor sales has affected British cars least, and imports from all other sources have suffered heavily. Imports from Continental countries have never been large, and in the first six months of this year Great Britain, the United States, and Canada were closely represented. The following figures show the values, according, to origin, of motor vehicles of all type imported into New Zealand during the first

£388,032 £267,143 £191,018 An analysis on a numerical basis of the imports since 1930 shows that on half-yearly figures the decline in cars and in chassis is about 84 per cent., with a similar fall in commercial vehicles. The most striking thing over the last four years is that imports from Canada show, in the half-year comparison, a fall of well over 1000 for every 100 decrease in British car imports. The following figures show the numbers of cars and car chassis and commercial vehicles imported in the first six months of 1930, 1931, 1932 and 1933:—

year since 1922:— Value. Number. Half-Year. £ £ 1922 , 276,123 1,078 1923 ............ , 1,007,828 5,587 1924 . 1,705,511 9,332 1925 , 2,264,650 11,924 1926 , 2,155,598 13,198 1927 , 1,071,519 6,856 6,313 1928 , 984,096 1929 .. , 2,055,517 15,072 1930 , 1,375,158 8,983 1931 ....... , 388,032 2,629 1932 , 267,143 , 191,018 1,883 1933 1,387

half of each year:— 1932. 1933. £ 1931. £ Great Britain .. 257,275 247,575 175,674 U S.A 66,132 19,206 8,147 Canada 63,229 143 7,197 Belgium 594 — France •«••••«• 159 — Italy 530 60 — Germany ...... 272 —

CARS. 1930 No. 1931 No. 1932 No. 1933 No. Great Britain . . 1401 1457 1415 1102 U.S.A . 2415 327 130 30 Canada . 3752 472 2 33 Belgium 2 1 ■M. France ..... . 4 — 2 2 2 1 . i mi i ■ «» ' I 7576 2259 1550 1165 COMMERCIAL VEHICLES. 1930 1931 1932 1933 No. No. No. No. Great Britain .. 158 108 288 158 USA ...... .. 422 111 45 34 .. 824 150 30 Belgium .... .. 2 — : ' .. 1 o - 1 — — ■ ■ 1 II »w 1 1 ■ 1407 370 333 222