South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-06-25
AUTOMOBILE FIELD
In SOUTH AFRICA
CONSIDERED GOOD
Cars Imported Between 1917
and 1921 Numbered More
Than $4,000.
BY louis LUDLOW.

WASHINGTON. d. c.. June III
American automobile manufacturers
would do we'll 20 cultivate the South
African market, according TO infor-
nation conveyed to Sec'y of Com
mercs Herbert Hoover by Perry J.
Stevenson. trade Commissioner at
johannesburg.
That there are more car owners
in proportion 20 population in South
Africa than IN any OF the countries
OF Europe is one OF the surprising
statements in the trade commission
er's report.
During 1920. especially when i'm
ports were running into large figures
fears were often expressed that the
market was dangerously nea- the
saturation point and that future
sales would consist only OF replace
ments," says the report. 'Investiga-
ton. however, reveals a wide mar
gin between the present number of
cars and the potential market for
automotive products.
Import Large Numbers.
Statistics show that during the
FIVE years. 1917-1921. the union of
South Africa comprising the Trans
vaal. Orange Free State. Cape Col
ony and Natal) imported 24,265 mo-
tor cars Making allowances for cars
reexported and those held in bond.
II appears that the motor trade In
the past five years has sold on the
average 1885 passenger cars 375
chassis and fS5 trucks grand to-
tai OF 5.046 motor cars per year.
Relying on these figures and on the
1920 census. when there were s5.0s4
cars in the union. II Is estimated
that there are now approximately
$4,000 motor cars in operation.
''On the basis OF white popula-
ton" the report continues. this
makes South Africa the larges. car
market per capita IN the world out
side OF the United States, Canada
and New Zealand. One in every so
white people owns a car In South
Africa. as compared with one in 96
IN Great Britain, one in 152 in
France. one in $50 IN Belgium. one
in 1850 in the Dutch East Indies,
one IN SIS in Australia and ono in
~ in New Zealand
more and more progressive and are
adopting labor-savlng devices OF all
kinds As the cost OF labor rises
and the supp becomes less ahund-
ant. the tendency toward use Of cars
and trucks will steadily increase.
Purchase T. Numerous
TN addition TO the potential buy
ers on farms there are in the cities
some 42.5O0 possible purchasers of
motor cars. with salaries ranging
from four hundred pounds to one
thousand pounds per year. Fur
thermore. a large percentage OF the
Il 900 motorcycle owners in the un-
ion may gradually enter into the car
owning class. Outside OF this Il Is
estimated that the increase In pCpu-
lation. amounting 20 lis percent in
the 1e11-1921 period. will add in the
next year another $500 motorists 20
the present number. This appears
the more probable as the high COM
missioner for South Africa in Lon
don reports that most or the pres
ent immigrants are we'll supplied
with motorists. but any estimate
"fA'N@ va N+AD-4 HUNN- mia Na9Ai tVN
er Il. for the present. more academic
than commercial
Price Is one OF the importan. fac
tors favorable 10 the marketing OF
American cars and that advantage
should not be Iissipated American
manufacturers must scrutinize and
regulate the price Of cars In South
Africa u a grea:er extent. since low
ct prices Will widen the market"