KEEPING UP APPEARANCES

The Labour Government’s purchase of 60 American Chrysler Windsor C-38W saloons in 1947 caused far-reaching ripples in the community and the parliamentary debating chamber. Why did buying these American ‘luxury’ cars for ministerial use happen in the post–World War II era of low dollar reserves when New Zealand’s import policy favoured buying British?

Two years later in 1949 some newspapers continued to run articles on the perceived extravagance of these cars. Correspondents to The Gisborne Herald had the price as between £800 each (now $68,900) and £1650 each (now $141,700), with the number purchased as possibly 150.

When the National opposition originally raised the question in Parliament in July 1947, six of the Chryslers had formed part of the vehicle entourage accompanying Viscount Bernard Montgomery of Alamein on his New Zealand tour. The Field Marshal, or