1930-09-24 — Page 2

2

The Price They Paid.

During 100 the automobile firms of Americs paid the railway, com- panies £39,150,000 for transporting cars and spare parts:

Parking Accommodation.

According to the A.A.. adequat parking accommodation is now pr vided in 483 towns in Great Britain, exclusive of Greater London.

Touring in Mexics.........

Incorrect Measure.

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1930.

MOTOR

The Mexican Government has It is stated that of 485 petrol recently established a National pumps examined by the Warwick Tourist Commission to encourageshire County Council officials dur- and facilitate, touring in Mexico by ing the past quarter 90 were found

to be incorrect. foreign visitors.

Australian Motorists.

It is stated that there are now nearly 300,000 motor vehicles in On Australia"ver six years old. December 31, 1999, 615,761 vehicles were registered in that country, as compared with 350,405 in June, loss,

The

47

To Assist the Blind.

A blind man has suggested to the Council Liverpool Safety First that the blind should carry white walking-sticks as an indication to traffic and pedestrians of their in- firmity.

WISE BIRD

SOCONY

GASTILINE

picks

SOCONY GASOLINE

MICHELIN

FOR

RELIABILITY & ECONOMY

CHELIN

Distributors

A. GOEKE & CO.

CHINA BUILDING, 4TH FLOOR.

TELEPROSE: 22221

Depot: —FIAT GARAGE;

DES VEUX ROAD CENTRAL.

TELEPHONE: 24821

܀

Not this Year, Anyway.

The German Motor Show which was to have taken place at Berlin from Novmber 6 to 16, has been postponed until February of next year; the actual date, it appears, has not yet been decided upon.. Towar Cars,

According to recens registration figures the number of new motor vehicles placed on the read in June was 27,933, compared with 31,963 during the same month. last year. Cars taxed on horse power show decrease from 16.723 to 13,594. In Emergency.

G

View, Unimpaired.

NOTES.

In connection with the Dorking townplanning scheme, it is under. stood that the fields in the valley below Box Hill, Surrey, are to re- main as farm lands and be proserv ed from buildings which might spoil the view from the hill, a be auty spot which is visited by many motorists.

Saving Official Time.

In renewing their ear registra- tions New Zealand owners are ask ed to stato the mileage of their vehicles for the rear, the total mileage of each ear, and the "data when it was first put on the road.. This is for statistical purposes, Canvas signs which, rolled UF, can "bo easily carried by road although accurate patrols, have been introduced by ly be expected. turps can bard- the AA. in order that guides mayBrightar Motoring.", notify motorists of alternative emer- gency routes. They can be fixed or hung on trees immediately a patrol is aware of trouble on or near his beat.

Central Travel Bureau,

In order to meet the convenienee of tourists, all the various offices in Paris dealing with travel and touring matters have lately been centralised in a new building at 55, Avenue Georges V., near the Champs Elysées, known as Maison de France.

the

Roadside Telephone Boxes in

Switzerland. "Following the example of the A.A. in England, the Automobile Club of Switzerland, in conjunction with the Swiss pcstal authorities, is setting up a series of telephone boxes, on

chief roads

Helvetia.

the

of

Swiss Traffic Regulations.

It is estimated that there are now 55,149 cars in use is Switzerland. The Swiss Federal Council issued not long ago a new set of traffic regulations. Care appears to have been taken to make road signs as simple and intelligible as possible to foreign motorists."

Long, Long Trail.

to match

car

Coloured tyres bodies are, it is reported, to be among new ideas, embodied in the 1981 modela of some American cars. The research department of a De- troit factory is said to have deve- loped a process by which balloon tyres can be brought out in any desired buc.

Preference for British Cars.

Following the higher duties im- posed by New Zealand on imported Canadian motor vehicles, a preler- ence is likely to be shown for British cars. These, it is reported, will henceforth be charged only half the duties levied on Canadian and American vehicles. It is under- stood, however, that the increased duties may only be temporary. Parking and Insurance.

The municipal authorities of Orleans, France, hate recently or ganised a number of parking places in the town. Although a charge is made, for the use of the parks, each user is given a ticket on the back of which it is announced that the local authorities give a guarantee up to £320 against the car being stolen, and up to £40 in respect of accessories, only furs, jewellery, trunks and handbags being exclud ed.

"So We Go On."

from

There are some 838,000 miles of surfaced roads in Europe, exclusiye

Three young women who deelar of city streets, as against 169,000 in North America, of which 150,000ed their intention of showing that miles are in the United Stated. It it is no longer necessary for the is estimated that for every mile of fair sex to be accompanied in surfaced road in America there are Africa by a guard of armed men, 364 cars, while in Europe the figure recently travelled by car

Cape Town to the north, whonec is 6.5 care.

it was their intention to continue the journey to England with their Apart vehicle, a Morris-Oxford. from very bad roads in Tang- anyika, no undue difficultie, have so far been encountered. Now Reaping Process,

Concession to Foreigners, -

A Sub-Committes of the League of Nations, which met at The Eague to consider the taxation of foreign touring "cars, has approved with slight modifications a draft conven- tion exempting such vehicles from taxation. These details will be sub- the mitted to the Council of

League, which may decide to call a general conference to deal with

the matter.

Italian Import Duty Based.

A new refining process. for mo- tor spirit is announced, and is said to reduce refining costs by at least 50 per cent. It has been perfected by M. André Bruzic, and it is also claimed that it removes the injuri cus elements but leaves behind all the desirable qualities to make an It is understood that consterna- tion has been caused among Ameri-efficient fuel. It application to can car manufacturers by the ar- lubricating oils has the same effect. "nouncement that the Italian Gov. as it produces not only an excep- ernment has decided to increase the tionally pure oil, but import duty on cars by 110 to 130 noticeable increase in viscosity. per cent. It is believed that the Mothballs No Goed, heavy duties are a form of retalia- tion against the new American tariff schedule.

State Road Scheme.

shows

B

An overseas motorist was recent by the victim of a practical joke.. His cogine stopped, and absolute- I refused to restart. The plus wires, and carburetter "proved to be in order, and when the owner was questioned about his petrol he' aid that he had been running on the same tankful for some time. After a long discussion he admitted that, at the suggestion of a friend, he had added a doren mothballs to eliminate knock" The petrol was changed and all was well.

Berlin's Auto-Hotel.

NEW WORLD WAR FOR MOTOR MARKETS.

MORE FACTORIES IN BRITAIN.

DRASTIC CUTS IN PRICES EXPECTED.

Britain is on the eve of the development of a new world battle of motor-car prices. The two great motor shows, the Paris Salon and Olympis, take place in October.. In preparación for these events motor-car manufacturers of all nations are now engaged in fixing up their programmes for 1931.

During the present year the motor-mar industry has suffered an almost world-wide slump due to "general trade conditions..

Baby cars will be roomier and better ventilated. The view of the industry is that production has maximum at the reached its moment under existing conditions, and that it can only be increased by reaching the pockets of those who hitherto, could not afford. the pastime.

Although the motor car industry in Great Britain has not suffered to the extent of other powerful industries it is one of the first to recognise that a new economic level

Production figures of many great firms have shown a falling off com-1 is called for. pared with the previous two years.

Two courses are open to manu- facturer.

British Optimism. :

A highly optimistic statement was issued by the British manufacturers One is to raise prices and be con-section of the Society of Motor teat with smaller sales and higher Manufacturers and Traders, Ltd., profits.

The other is to reduce prices and hope for bigger sales and lower profits.

The latter is the policy that is going to be followed by the leaders of the industry in Britain and abroad.

It is eaticipated that reduced prices and greater value for money will lead to a revival in buying, and that new markets will be opened up.

One of the first moves in the new battle is being taken by the Citroen Company in England.

An important conference bas just taken place. The question under discussion was whether the firm should enter what is known as the Ford market-that is, the cheap car market. The price of the Ford motor-car in Britain is £193.

The new push will come from the Citroen factory at Slough, cetab lished some time ago for the build- ing of French moter-cars in Eng land.

The great new Ford factory Dagenham is rapidly moving to wards completion. It is proposed to increase production at Slough with the aid of British accessory manufacturers, and a great duel is Ekely to develop between the British-built Ford and the British- built Citroen.

When the plans materialise Bri tish labour on a greatly increased scale will be employed at Slough...

These factories are a monument to the benefits of the McKenna duties. In the meantime

3 two well- known American manufacturers are about to set up factories in

Land.

Price Burprises.

relating to the British motor trade

"Both at home and in the wider markets Overseas British motor vehicles are finding an increasing proportion of the market, and pro- gress is being maintained despite the period of financial difficulty which is apparent in Australia, and other markets," it slates.

Expanding Trade,

"The Sgures of total imports and exports of all motor products for the seven months of 1930, as com pared with those for the corre- sponding period of 1929 are:-

Imports. Exports. 1999 £6,974,010 £9,527,950 1330 £3,040,072 £8,608,005 The industry, it is stated, is to be represented by eighteen British Exhibition at Buenos Aires, where motor firms at the British Trade 30,000 square feet have been allce- ated."

It is added: "We cannot afford to be blind to the important.com- follow the sequences that may forthcoming Imperial Conference, and arrangements have been made tween representatives of the motor for discussions to take place be- industry and the Dominion ant Colonial Government authorities.

"The executive committee of the section has emphasised at all times! the essential importance of the development of closer trade rela- tionships between the home country and every section of the Empire, and they feel that, it is in that. direction, more than in any other, that the difficulties which confront not only this country, but every part of the British Commonwealth of Nationa, can best be overcome.

"It is satisfactory to note that both Australia and New Zealand. in recent months have increased the measure of the British prefer ential tariff."

Cara Cheaper Than In America. News of the great bid British moter-car manufacturers are about Engake for new markets at home

As the programmes of the vari- oug great manufacturing firms materialise it will be seen that British manufacturers have taken an optimistic view of the situation.

"Encouraging buying by price reductions" is their maxim

A Deputation from the All-Par- tieg Road and Bridges Committee was recently received at the House of Commons, by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Minister of Transport, to discuss proposals sub mitted by the Committee for sup- plementing the Government's trunk road programme now being carried out by local authorities A sugger- tion put forward at the reception

An "auto-hotel was recently was that the State should build a number of arterial road to serve opened in the Saldaerstrasse, Ber- between points of national import in. The building is a combination ance, and designed to accommodate of hotel and large garage, which national traffic. The deputation is the firet establishment of this W18 informed that all posible kind to be erected in the German stopa

boing taken by capital. fhe whole hotel yard has the Government to accelerate the been fitted out as a garage, and on carrying out of the programme of three floors some 120 cars can be road work already authorised.. garaged, while the smaller floor contains cubicle garages, which are Unilateral Trafic Scheme.

locked by sliding wire-grating It is understood that the Chief doors. As the prices in this hotel Constable of Newcastle is considerare low single room with break. ing the adtion of the unilateral fast costs 6s, and-garage £s, ed. system for the control of stationary per day it should become popularing closed cars less stuffy. traffic. It will be remembered that with visitors arriving by car. with this arrangement motoriste

were

are not permitted to leave their Road Construction in South Africa.. cars standing in such a manner as The Department of Labour- 'of to impede two sides of a street, the Union of South Africa has enly are aido being available for issued a statement which indicatos stationary vehicles. In connection the present position of rond work with obstruction cattsed by stand in the various provinces, as au- ing motor vehicle, a novel method thorised under the grant cade by has been adopted by the Newcastle the Government last year. The. 7ཐ authorities. Constables will be pro total grant, payment of which vided with a book of tear-out warn to be distributed over a period of ings, and whenever an unoccunied three years amounts to £1,000,000.- car has been standing longer than Of prosent work authorised, the is considered necessary the constable value in hand in 2588,045, of which will fill in the slip with his own £230,182 is being spent in the police number, that of the car, time Transvaal, 204,000 in the Orange and date, and afix it to the vehicle. Free State 204.463 in Natal, and On the back of the label motorists are asked to avoid causing an ob struction, and so facilitate the movement of traffic, while there is also given a list of the authorized parking places in the town

170,000 in the Cape Province. The estimated mileage of roads to be constructed includes 270 in the Transvaal,208 in the Cape Pro- vines, 125 in Natal, and 90 in the Orange Free Blate.

The new programme of the Stan- dard Motor Company includes the production, of a cheap six-cylinder and the possibility of a Morris Major 12 to 14 hp. six-cylinder car at about £200.***

and abroad by reducing prices "în the hope of increasing sales bas orented profound interest in the United States.

The details of the new plane were cabled extensively to Detroit and other American centres of the in dustry.

Agents of the American manufac turers have been warned to watch the situation dosely, and to cable immediately they have the new production programmes.

American car prices are fixed on January 1 of each year. They are based on a year's production, and are rarely changed throughout the year.

"The full Morris and Wolseley programmes will contain value-for- money propositions that will come

Production plans are based on as a surprise to the public.

Incidentally, we shall set in the the lowest possible economic level,

A Great Achievement. Last year medium-powered Bri- tish cars, for the first time in motor ing history, compared favourably in price with the cars produced by Britain's most formidable competi tors. In some cases prices were below the American level.

..

This year, speaking generally, British cars of the popular medium- powered type will be lower, in price. than those of their competitors, ex- cept in one or two cases where foreign cars are made by British labour in England. -

Considering the state of affairs only a few years ago, this repre- sents a magnificent achievement on the part of the British industry.

One of the fret important price announced Tast reductions mooth. It relates to a medium-

powered car which cost about £195 two years ago, was £375 at the beginning of this year, and is now six- offered for £ess. This car is a cylinder vehicle.

Increased Production. Another leading British Arm, who recently reduced the prices of their medium-powered vehicle to a level that every one thought had reach- make further reductions. When ed rock bottom, have decided to this car was reduced in price re- cently it was hailed as a direct challenge to similar vehicles im- ported from abroad.

Some idea of the optimistic atti- tude adopted by the British motor industry towards the future may be gained by the fact that one of the leading British firms has arranged for a greatly increased production programme in 1831.

The Austin Motor Car Company, which has turned out something: like 60,000 cars this year, is bud- geting for approximately 50,000 cars. in 1931.

Prices of Austin cars were re-

duced to a low level this season.

Sir Herbert Austin stated:-"As far as my firm is concerned we have not had any reason for pessimism even during the worst period of the general slump-in trade.

For the past three months our sales have increased by 29 per cent. compared with the corresponding three months of 1929."

SERVICE

-REAL SERVICE!

Latest Machinery. Expert Mechanics European Supervision

MAY WE SERVICE YOUR CAR?

NO JOB TOO SMALL NO PROBLEM TOO INTRICATE.

MAIN

CE STATION.

WANCHAT

LANE

THE PEAK

PEAK GARAGE

23193

29208

IN CASE OF

EMERGENCY

23193

LANE, CRAWFORD, L

new models a great extension of the and there is little room left for MODERN MOTOR SERVICE ideas introduced last year for mak-redactions until the new year's pro.

gramme is put into operation:

MOTOR OILS

SHELL MOTOR

Every drop tells.