HERE and THERE, August 1931

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BRITISH motor manufacturers are pleased by the news from Spain that the Spanish Cabinet has decided to reduce by 50% the duty on motorcar chassis and parts imported into the country for erection by native labour. It will mean a definite expansion of British trade for, as Mr. Sidgreaves, Managing Director of Rolls-Royce, points out, Spain has always been one of the best markets for British cars, especially in the luxury class. Now cars will be produced in Spain at lower prices and there will be demands for British machines of other grades. Already the Riley concern, realising how great are the possibilities of the Spanish market, has been contemplating the establishment of an erection factory in Madrid to attack the extensive Spanish markets.

In addition to new scope being given to car manufacturers it is likely that the action of the Spanish Government, says Major H. R. Watling, of the Motorcycle Manufacturers Union, will result in attracting further orders of British components.

“Even Germany, which produces so many makes of its own, uses British components when it comes to building machines on the assembly system,” he said :—” So also do Denmark, Czecho-Slovakia, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria and Italy.” .

British automobile development abroad has increased very rapidly during the last few years. New showrooms and offices connected with various British manufacturers have been opened in all parts of the world to deal with the distribution of the cars in and around the localities in which they are situated. One of the largest firms concerned with car exportation and distribution abroad is Messrs. Rootes, Ltd., who are, of course, world exporters of Humber and Hillman cars and Commer commercial vehicles, with headquarters at Devonshire House, Piccadilly, London, and who have distributors in every quarter of the globe.

A new enterprise—Rootes Argentina S.A.—was recently successfully launched in South America, while in Switzerland, where already there was quite strong Humber-Hillman representation, further distributors— at Neuchatel—have recently been appointed in order to improve still further the distribution arrangements in Western Switzerland.

The pessimists who persistently cry that the small British car is “unsuitable for overseas” will be shocked by the news that in New South Wales, at any rate, the type has proved itself most suitable and efficient. During the last twelve months or so one make alone, the Triumph Super Seven, has won 34 cups and trophies in open contests. Included in the trophies are the Challenge Shield for the 24 hours’ winter trial—the most strenuous in New South Wales—and the Wakefield

Trophy for 1930. The latter is offered annually for the highest aggregate score in ten trials organised by the R.A.C. of Australia and it was won by the little British car in competition with foreigners of many times the size. So much for the pessimists.

There are no party politics in the Crusade which is being undertaken by twelve young Jewish athletes. Theirs is a” sports crusade ” and they are motorcycling all over Europe to foster Jewish interest in a huge Olympiad which it is proposed to hold next summer at Tel Aviv, Palestine.

Already they have visited Vienna, Paris and other European centres and at present they are in England. Of their twelve machines only two, unfortunately, are of British manufacture. These two are Ariels and when the Crusaders were in the Midlands they paid a surprise visit to the Ariel works. Their trip round the factory, during which they displayed great interest in the moving assembly track and other modern production methods, may be considered in the nature of a respite, for when it was completed they leapt into their saddles, like the Crusaders of old, and set forth once more on their selfimposed task.

Crusading by Motorcycle.

The Small Car “Down Under.”

Developments Abroad.

Spanish Impetus for British Motor Trade.