MOTOR IMPORTATIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19846, 21 May 1927, Page 10

MOTOR IMPORTATIONS

BIG FALLING OFF BODY-BUILDERS LEFT In the first quarter of 1926 the motor-car importations in New Zealand established record figures, but the first quarter of this year shows a very considerable decrease, a falling-off of about 48 per cent. Apparently the importers correctly anticipated the fal-ling-off in sales which has been recorded for the three months, while the position is explained somewhat by the considerable number of new models, no motor selling firm having any liking for a big stock of new cars on hand when it knows that there is a new model to follow within a few weeks. Compared with the first three months of 1926, 1927 showed the following importation of chasses into the Dominion. Details were:

A feature of the statistics is that only a small percentage of the importations were of bare chasses. Only 298 were without bodies, so that the new rates calculated to assist local body-builders have had no immediate result. Last year’s quarter showed 3,075 of the 6,954 importations as being bare chasses. Of the 298, 170 of the incomplete cars were from England, France and Italy. Commercial Vehicles, Commercial vehicles did not share in the decline, and the table concerning them shows the following:—

From. 1926. 1927. United States .. . . .. 2,135 1,528 Canada . .. 3,892 1,110 United Kingdom . . .. 805 764 .Italy . .. 87 181 France . .. 33 Belgium . . . .. . 2 — Total .. . .. 6,954 3,608 Value, £1,032,171 £564,208

From 1926. 1927. United States .. .. ■ .. .. 264 333 Canada . .. .. 145 489 Great Britain .. .. .. .. 146 60 France .. .. . . .. 9 2 Italy 4 — Belgium .... 3 2 Totals .. .. 571 886