THE MOTOR SHOW.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 931, 29 November 1933, Page 11

THE MOTOR SHOW.

British Exports. The motor industry here has, like other trades, suffered from lack of confidence, but this has been succeeded during the past year by an assurance i well founded. It has been a year of i enterprise, writes the motoring corresj pondent of the London “ Times.” Exi port has naturally been affected by the ! general economic position, but it was j satisfactory that the industry was able ; virtually to maintain its place during [ the last year. For example, the phyI sical volume of all the motor vehicles j exported increased in 1932 by 15,586, |or 65.26 per cent over 1931. In 1932 the excess of exports over imports in regard to motor vehicles, including tractors, amounted to £4,608,459. Even in the home market it is little more than two years since if one firm sold, say, 100 more cars another produced, or at any rate dispatched, 100 fewer. To-day the state of affairs is quite different, though no efforts should be relaxed to increase output and sales, especially abroad and overseas. This country has exported 15.6 per cent of its total private car production; the United States figure is but 3.6. The Board of Trade has been of great help in endeavouring to secure the entry of British - car manufactured goods into various countries under favourable conditions, but there is no question that it is the industry i.tself which deserves full credit for surmounting its many difficulties, some of which were thrust upon it —and not always justly—and making progress which should be lasting. It was thought in some quarters that the reduced value of the dollar would result in increased oversea sales of American cars at the expense of British cars, but I do not think this has happened. For example, a month after the United States came off the gold standard, one well-known Birmingham firm reported that, so far from any falling-off in business overseas, &n actual increase occurred during the four weeks. The British light car—which in its present attractive form represents one of the most forceful answers of British industry to the prevailing state of economics—is fast being established abroad, and, even if the large American car costs a foreigner a little less than it did, the saving in first cost does not compensate for the efficiency and economy of the British product. This is evidently being widely realised. Three months ago the company mentioned reported that their export sales were over 50 per cent above these for the corresponding period of the previous year, the sales in Australia were double those of last season, and very satisfactory increases were reported in the demands from the West Indies, China, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and Holland. APPRECIATION. “Sure to Join” writes: “I, amongst many others, visited the opening run of the new motor-cycle club held recently. We had a very enjoyable day and the events, thanks to the energetic committees of both trade and private owners, were run off without a hitch. Now my object in writing this letter is to thank the various firms who kindly gave the donations for the events and also the committee for their hard work to ensure a really good daj r ’s pleasure for the crowd who attended the opening run. I, for one, hope that it will not only be an annual affair. If kept up to that standard the club should not want for members.”