The Commercial Motor in New Zealand.
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From Our Own Correspondent.
'ommercial motors do not as yet play a prominent part in New Zealand, but they will. Their competi tzon with horse-drawn vehicles is not sufficient to compel attention, nor have the possibilities been realized. When considered at all, the majority of capable purchasers still view them with grave doubt as to reliability, economy and efficiency, mingled with some slight contempt. This attitude has been induced by the tribulations of those pioneers whose perception was keen enough to recognize the value of commercial motors, but whose short purse or shortsightedness led them to purchase unsuitable articles —usually much-worn, out-of-date pleasure cars, converted.
Want of example is another reason, but this cause a few successful vehicles would speedily remove. Timidity also plays its part. It certainly requires more courage for New Zealand purchasers to take the plunge than Britishers. They have not the manufacturer at their doors to back up his salesman's assertions by actual demonstration, nor the manufacturer to come upon to make good defects. When an enterprising merchant contemplates importing a motor vehicle, he feels that he is taking a big risk : he, therefore, is reluctant to move. When a salesman approaches a prospective buyer, he still has thrown at him the recent unsatisfactory position of some of the London omnibus companies, and the potential buyer still argues that it is unlikely he can make a success of the venture where these companies fail with all the advantages of being right in the heart of the industry. It takes a good many present successes to wipe away the effect produced by the long list of past failures. A hard point to controvert is the fact that horses, feed and stabling are considerably cheaper in New Zealand than in England. An extensive horse-drawn plant, which is turning in a profit. is viewed by the possessor as a concrete fact, and he ridicules the idea of replacing the whole with a motor plant—to him, an expensive and unknown quantity. All the same, he is watching keenly the dawn of the mechanical age, and in some instances sample motor vehicles have been ordered. The New Zealand Express Co. one of the largest carrying companies in New Zealand, recently purchased a second-hand, two-ton, 20 h.p. Argyll lorry, originally imported by the Scott Motor Agency of Wellington. ft has been running, in Invercargill, for some time successfully. The trial has evidently impressed the owners with the capabilities of the commercial motor, as they recently placed their order with Messrs. A. W. Smith and Co., of Christchurch, for a two-ton " Coramer " chassis for use in Dunedin. Commercial motors will come in New Zealand, as they must come wherever conditions are favourable to their satisfactory employment, but, if they are to come with anything like rapidity, more pioneering work will have to be done. There is no doubt that the firm which 'undertake this pioneering, if their goods are suitable and their deliveries right, will secure the bulk of the business.
While on the subject of pioneering, it will be well to give the gist of a conversation with Mr. G. H. Scott, of the Scott Motor Agency, a gentleman of wide experience in the motor business. Mr. Scott states that, from a business point of view, there is not sufficient inducement offered by English manufacturers to firms in the Colonies to undertake the uphill fight of placing commercial motors on the market. Pleasure cars are infinitely more saleable, the active field at present being larger, and the profit greater. Endless time, ability and determination are essential to force the recognition of the advantages of the commercial motor upon the public, and the results are totally inadequate. A demonstration motor is an absolute necessity, but the manufacturers will not increase their rebates one fraction on a machine purchased for demonstration purposes. If manufacturers would only recognize that their other efforts are practically worthless without backing by demonstration work, they would spend a little in the way of extra rebates to firms on this side on demonstration vehicles, and reap a rapid return.
After hard and protracted battling, the Scott Motor Agency have placed with Will's Laundry Co., of Wellington, a two-ton "Commer " chassis. A suitable body is being built locally, by Messrs. Rouse, Black and Co., who have turned out work &malty as good and cheap as any imported. Its future is to be watched with interest. Another sale by the Scott Agency is a 12 Isis Renault to Messrs. Hill and Barton, of Wellington, the exporters of the well4thows, "Daphne" butter. Messrs. Hill and Barton state that they are well satisfied with their venture, and, apart from the advertisement which it has undoubtedly been, it has proved most economical. The " Daphne " wagon frequently runs double trips daily to all parts of the suburbs with 30 cwt. of butter. It has to negotiate some stiff grades, but, so far, has not had the slightest trouble. The " Daphne " van is widely known : the body is also built by Messrs. Rouse, Black and Co. The increasing popularity of the Louriug car is, no doubt, responsible for the growing confictence in the reliability of the commercial motor, but the difference in selling the two articles lies in the fact that a man is prepared to pay for his pleasure, whereas he views the commeretal vehicle as a business proposition, and therefore promptly descends to calculations in tractions. In Christchurch, a splendid motor chassis has been lying in a motor garage unsold, although the price asked has been ridiculously low. This is not encouraging, but one is bound to admit that, at present, 1C. is not altogether a matter of price : it has hardly got that far. In Auckland and Wellington, also Christchurch and Dunedin, a vast quantity of heavy goods is carried by horse-drawn vehicles, as the following figures supplied by the Secretary of the Wellington Harbour Board show. For the 12 months ended the 30th September, 19t0, the general cargo handled at Wellington was: inwards, 435,493 tons ; outwards, 161,235 tons ; wool (bales), 252332; coal, 150,000 tons ; timber, 14,000,000 cub. ft. -These figures are exclusive of transhipments and Government coal. Auckland handles a similar quantity, but timber plays a more important part. It will be well to note that frozen meat, wool (bales) and flax are all conveyed by steam traction trains to the country railway stations, and thence are railed to the ship's side.
The New Zealand Government was one of the first to experiment with the commercial motor. At first, they ran two 20 h.p. touring cars converted into delivery vans, but these, proving unsuitable, were replaced with an Albion two-ton lorry. This proved very successful, and was followed by another. The Government consider these lorries have been a great. success, and there is no doubt that they will be shortly followed by others. Upon the experience of the Post. Office, the Union Steamship Co. have not been slow to act, and they have lately become the possessors of an Albion which is kept hard at it between their ships and stores in Wellington. It is certain that one will riot satisfy their requirements, if the initial one proves all right. Messrs. Wardell Bros., large provision merchants, have passed the experimental state and may fairly claim to be a firm of some experience. In Christchurch, which is an ideal city for motors on account of flat country and perfect roads, they have in use four motor vehicles for delivery work. They started with two 10 h.p. Wolseley touring chassis, converted into delivery vans. They were well worn when first acquired, and there is no doubt they added quite a few wrinkles to the chief's brow. Still, it speaks highly for the general results when the firm took a further step and purchased a 20 h.p. Daimler touring car and converted it to delivery work. It is now an undoubtedly fine van. This machine has done good work, and has proved a sound investment. Mr. H. Wardell advises me that, on the whole, this fleet has not shown a conspicuous balance in its favour as against horse-drawn vehicles, but they have been the means
of giving rapid transitand have proved a splendid advertisement. One cannot help thinking that the advantages given must have been fairly substantial, as the .rirtu have just purchased a new Albion lorry. This is the first real commercial vehicle they have acquired, and there is no doubt that now they are well on the way to receive a good return for their early experiences. In questioning Mr. NV a,rdell as to why he had not adopted commercial motors for their extensive businesses in both Wellington and Dunedin, he stated that he was doubtful of the satisfaction they would give in such hilly country. Their deliveries extend into the outlying suburbs, which would necessitate a fair amount of hill work, Dunedin being very severe. If any manufacturer feels confidera that his vehicles are suitable for hilly country and this class of work, let them satisfy Messrs. Wardell Bros. and business awaits them.
There is business to be done with one-ton and twoton delivery vans, as soon as firms are satisfied that they are efficient and reliable. There is also business waiting for the British manufacturer who can put on this market a 10 h.p. light, reliable, four-cylinder vehicle, fitted with a plain but not ugly body, to carry commercial travellers' samples, the whole to retail in New Zealand at £300 to £325 complete. There is large scope for a car of this description. Can it be done'? The configuration of the country and the general conditions of settlement throughout the colony render the use of self-contained transport, in some form or other, a necessity for travelling business representatives.