Assembling English Vehicles in the Irish Free State
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VirlITHIN recent W years the Irish Free State Government, to protect Irish motof traders and to relieve ' unemployment, has intensified its campaign against the marketing of imported vehicles completely assembled. Thus the present rate of customs duty on imported vehicles is high, increasing the selling prices of machines, in some cases, by 20 per cent. The rate of duty on imported mechanical parts, on the other hand, is comparatively low, so that many manufacturers send components across to their distributors in the Irish Free State to be assembled.
The Government is encouraging the latter system and, in addition to lightening the tariff duty, it allows a considerable rebate on the annual road tax payable in respect of all commercial vehicles assembled in the Free State and equipped with bodies constructed in the country. Apart from these advantages, several Irish insurance companies are offering reduced rates for certain makes of commercial vehicle assembled in the Free State,
As a result of the Government's policy, the value of motor vehicles im
ported into the Free State fell from 4501,392 in 1932 to £398,247 in 1933, whilst the value of imported parts and accessories increased from £482,599 in 1932 to £695,262 last year. About 50 per cent, of the total number of commercial vehicles sold in the country are Irish-built and, in many cases, the bodies are of Irish design and consfruction.
The makes of commercial vehicle at present being assembled in the Irish Free State include Adler, Bedford, Commer, Dodge, Federal, Ford, Guy, Lath, Leyland, • Morris-Commercial and Studebaker,, The Electricar, manufactured by Electricars, Ltd., Birmingham, and assembled and distributed in the Irish Free State by the Electrical Transport and Equipment Co., Ltd., Leinster Street, Dublin, is proving to be popular. A novel fea
ture of these electric vehicles is that the Irish-built models are being equipped with Drumm batteries. The complete ranges of Bedford, Dodge, Ford, Leyland and MorrisCommercial vehicles are now being assembled in the Free State. Electricars of 10-15-cwt. capacity are also available, and it is the intention of the distributor' to place on the market Irish-built Electricars up to 6-ton capacity. Recent contracts for Irish-built vehicles include 16 Leyland forwardcontrol six-wheelers for the Great Southern Railways and six Leyland Tigers for the Great Northern Railway. An order for 6-8-ton trailers. valued at £20,000, has been placed with Messrs,' Thomas Thompson and Son, Dublin, also by the Great Southern Railways.