ROAD TRANSPORT IN OTHER LANDS
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Items of News Intended to Stimulate the Interest of British Makers in Overseas Markets.
Analysing Canada's Lorry Exports.
CANADA. exported 23,776 commercial motors last year, their total value being $8,696,324. This represents a considerable increase over 1927, when 17,514 such vehicles, valued at 86,252,500, were exported. The average unit value was $357 in 1927 and
$365.7 in 1928. . ".
Apart from the magnitude of they figures, as Compared With those of the exports from this country, they are worthy of study, if only to show how the Dominion is being utilized by American manufacturers • to circumvent the preferential tariffs that many . British countries accord to Empire products.
Out of the total of 23,776 commercial vehicles exported in 1928, all but 2,110 went to 23 countries. 'Thirteen a these countries ware British Empire units and they absorbed 77 per cent. of the vehicles definitely' allocated. The particulars are given below in tabular form :— Motor Imports In the Sugar Islands. DETAILS of the imports of private cars and commercial motors into the Dutch East Indies during the year 1928 have just, become available and they show that there has been a very rapid increase recently in the use of motor vehicles in these wealthy and prosperous islands. Whereas during 1027 3,052 commercial motors were imported, no fewer than 4.404 units entered the Dutch East Indies in 1928. Of this figure America supplied 3,953 units, Canada 300 and Great Britain 19; Italy
supplied 57 chassis. An interesting sidelight on the growth of the motor industry in Japan is revealed by the fact that this country shipped 12 commercial chassis to Java last year—very nearly• as many as were supplied by Britain.
In the same year the Dutch East Indies imported 11,898 private motorcars, of which 8,872 came from America, 1,469 came from Canada and 163 were supplied by Great Britain.
More South American News.
WH have frequently drawl) attention to figures relating to the use of coin-. mercial motors in various parts of South America, illustrating the phenomenal advances that are being made ill that part of the world. Some figures just to hand from Santiago give a very good idea of the developments in Chili. In 1921, 298 motor vehicles were imported into the country. The business has steadily increased year by year, so that in 1927, 1,508 vehicles were imported. The estimated imports for 1928 reached the astounding figure of 5,000 units.
It is said that the remarkable increase in the past 12 months has been partly due to the reduction in import duties, which was brought into force in February of last year. Reports from Chili are to the effect that the market is largely in the hands of the Americans and that it would be difficult and costly for European manufacturers to obtain even a small share Of the trade. The principal demand is said to be for motor lorries of 15 cwt. to 1 ton capacity. Incidentally, we learn that an international road and railway exhibition is to be held in Santiago from December 10th to 31st next.
A Commercial Vehicle Show in • Ceylon.
THE exhibition of commercial vehicles, which was held in Colombo in March, was the first of its kind ever held in the island. Nine local bodybuilding firms sent in exhibits and as many as 100 vehicles of all descriptions were to be seen. Cold-storage vans, heavy lorries, tea-leaf lorries, open chars-ii-bancs and buses were on show, and the exhibits comprised many American makes. The British Albion chassis was exhibited.
Government .returns show that at-the end of January there were in use in .Ceylon 2,345 motorbuses, 2,408 goods • vehicles and 21 tractors.
Rapid Increase in German Production.
"ACCORDING to Der Motorwagen, of Berlin, there are now only 22 concerns in Germany building motor lorries, vans and buses, as compared with "33 in 1W25. On the other hand, the number of different models has increased l'rom 56 to 77. Thu annual production of vehicles in 1925 is given as -17,446; in 1926 there was a slump to 10,932 vehicles.; since then, however, there has been a rapid growth in output, a total of 22,086 being recorded in 1927, whilst for last year the production is estimated to have amounted to 41,60Q vehicles, or nearly four times the number produced in 1926.
German Vans for Dutch Postal Service.
FROM Amsterdam we learn that the Dutch postal authorities have lately placed an order for a fleet of 32 Opel (German) vans. In a recent issue ' we mentioned that the same department had acquired a fleet of Morris and Morris-Commercial vans for service in 'Utrecht.
The South African Market.
AN official report states that 241 motorbuses and 2,831 goods vehicles were registered in the Union of Smith Africa during the year 1928, and we publish these figures with the particular object of indicating to British manufacturers the great importance of the goods vehicle in the Union.