Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-03
HIGHWAY PROGRAM
ADOPTED BY JAPAN
Auto c. of C. Representative
Reports on Progress
Found in Far East.

Adoption Of a national road program
by the japanese government is one Of
the many signs of progress in motor
transport observed by Walton Schmidt
representative of the National Auto
mobile Chamber of Commerce. who re-
turned this week from a years trip in
the Far East. This highway program
will be built from bond issues, with
the maintenance charges cared for by
motor vehicle taxes.
Record sales of cars in New Zealand,
the adoption of uniform motor code
in the Dutch East Indies and growth
in the motor bus business in most Far
East countries are among the new
trends which Mr.. Schmidt noted.
Mr.. Schmidt's tour. which is the sec
ond in that territory. was undertaken
at the request of automotiVe groups
abroad seeking data on the methods
which have been used to develop motor
transport in the United States. He ap-
peared before Government officials and
motor clubs of most of the large cities
in Japan, Manchuria, China Philippine
Islands, Malaga, Java. Australia and
New Zealand. His lectures embraced
the latest information on road building,
taxation. regulation, finance, accident
prevention and traffic control.
Wide Usage by Public.
About 90 per cent of the motor cars
operating in Japan are used as buses
or for-hire vehicles" said Mr.. Schmidt.
Because of this wide usage by the pub
lie, taxation on common carriers is
lower than on private cars There IS
a simila: heavy bus patronage in Man.
churia.
In China there are nov about
$4,000 miles of roads over which cars
can travel in favorable seasons of the
year. The new government Is busy with
reconstruction and road building as one
OF the major means by which 1t Is
hoped to unity the country, bring back
prosperity and prevent famines. At
Shanghai there are more than $4,000
passenger cars and trucks, while many
individual operators are establishing
bus lines into the interior.
Sales in Manchuria in 1928 were
so per cent in advance of the previous
year, with markets especially active
in Iairen, Hardin and Moukdin. In
Hardin there is good technical school
for motor car mechanics, operating
under the auspices of the Y. M. c. A.
Though markets were relatively
quiet in Malaga during the past year
because Of the rubber situation, both
registrations and road building are on
the increase. Singapore, the chief
city in this country, is notable for its
good roads. and road building is going
ahead rapidly all through the Malay
Peninsula.
Australia Outlook Improves.
Labor difficulties have hampered
prosperity in Australia during the past
year, but the outlook is brighter for
1929. Heavy taxation on commercial
vehicles Is an obstacle to commercial
is one of the largest buyers of motor
vehicles in the world.
During 1928 the Government spent
more than ten and a half million dol
lars on roads and bridges in the Philip
pine Islands. These highways are
opening up entirely new sections for
cultivation, into which hundreds of
thousands Of persons are moving from
sections which were overpopulated
There are more than 5000 motor
buses in this country Of total of about
30 900 motor vehicles of all kinds"
In Japan the motor vehicle, tire
and accessory dealers have united to
form national league motor organi-
cation. Under the auspices OF this
group Mr.. Schmidt delivered over IA
lectures illustrated with motion pic
lures in Japan. There are about
$4,000 motor vehicles in that country,
which is adding yearly to its registra-
ton figures. A major problem at the
present time Is the need for facilities
for buying cars on time payment and
for better protection OF finance COM
panies. Toxic is a leader of the world
in its highway policies, Mr.. Schmidt
pointed out. as 1t is building 200-foot
roads radiating from the city in
various directions. not hesitating to
tear down whole blocks of buildings In
order to create these avenues.