DEMAND FOR MOTORS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19514, 17 February 1926, Page 2

DEMAND FOR MOTORS

IMPORTS STILL INCREASE. 22,000 VEHICLES FOR YEAR. TOTAL VALVE OF £4,143,000. Motor-vehicles were imported into New Zealand last year at an average rate of 61 for every day in the year. This information is obtained from a return specially compiled by the Comptroller of Customs, and the figures show that motor-vehicles are being imported into the country at an ever-increasing rate. The total importations for 1925 were 22,326 vehicles, compared with 18,629 for the previous year, an increase of 3697. In .1923, there were 14,006 vehicles imported, and in 1922, only 3999. The figures include cars, lorries, vans, trucks and buses, and also chassis for which bodies were built in the Dominion. The value of the vehicles imported last year totalled £4,143,623, compared with £3.537,578 for 1924, an increase of £606,045. These figures arc the current domestic values in the country of export plus 10 per cent. Canada still supplies New Zealand with more vehicles than any other country, although the United States of America is almost as important a supplier. During the year, 9935 vehicles came from Canada and 8502 from the United States. The fact that the English car is coming more and more into demand is obvious, as 3442 cars came into the country from the United Kingdom last year, against 1015 in .1924 and 496 in 1923. These figures constitute a 1 feature of the returns, as they indicate that the local demand for the British product has increased threefold during the .12 months. Italy, France and Belgium supply vehicles in lesser quantities.

Another interesting point is revealed by the returns, this being the number of chassis imported for which bodies are built locally. During the year, 6681 chassis were imported, half being for cars and half for lorries, trucks, buses or vans. In 1924, 4201 chassis were imported.