bd 2 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, January 9, 1990 "Challenging year for the auto business" GM vehicle sales off in December by 23.7' General Motors of Canada dealers sold a total of 30,263 passenger cars and trucks in December, a decrease of 23.7 per- cent from the 39.641 units delivered in the same month a year ago, Bill Atkinson, vice president of Marketing, said last Thursday. Combined sales of General Motors passenger cars and trucks for the 1989 calendar year were reported at 509,737 vehicles. This represents a decrease of 8.8 per- cent from the 558,735 units sold in the 1988 calendar year. Truck sales in December of 10,921 were down 19.9 percent from the 13,641 sold in December, 1988. However, these sales represented the third best record of truck sales in the month of December for General Motors in the past 13 years. For the 1989 calendar year, truck sales of 169,461 are 5.4 percent below the 179,146 sold in the same period in 1988. Passenger car deliveries in December of 19,342 were down EEE 25.6 percent from the 26,000 sold in the same month last year. For the 1989 calendar year, passenger car sales of 340,276 are 10.4 per- cent below the 379,589 units sold in 1988. Atkinson noted that '1989 was a challenging year for the automobile business. Consumer spending for the first three quarters of 1989 was so strong that some economic contraction was inevitable in the fourth quarter. "The automobile industry is very interest rate sensitive and continued high rates have con- tributed to the slowdown. Relief in this area certainly would help to reignite consumer activity," con- tinued Atkinson. Atkinson remarked that, "while there has been a slowdown in automobile sales overall, con- " sumers, as they begin to cope with a slowing economy, are showing a preference towards smaller less expensive cars. Our Chevrolet Sprint, Cavalier, and Corsica. as well as, the Pontiac Firefly and Tempest, are doing very well in this extremely competitive seg- ment of the market." Commenting on the future, Atkinson remarked, "We're ready for whatever awaits in 1990. Our product expenditures are focussed directly on new product development - on delivering pro- ducts to the marketplace that the customers want, and at prices they can afford. Last fall we in- troduced a whole new line of "peo- ple movers" - the Chevrolet Lumina APV and the Pontiac Transport as well as a wide selec- tion of mid-size cars with the four- door Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and Pontiac Grand Prix, and two- door Chevrolet Lumina to men- tion only a few. Shortly we'll fur- ther enhance our product lineup with a four-door Regal, a four- door Jimmy and Blazer compact utility vehicle, as well as the com- pletely new 1991 'Chevrolet Caprice." Township to lose its only Provincial Court due to lack of space Scugog Township is losing the only Provincial Court held within its boundaries. "The Township has been informed that the Provincial Court that used to be held twice monthly in the municipal of- fices on Perry St., will be re-located to Whitby. In a letter to the Township, provincial Attorney General Ian Scott said the re-location was necessary when the de- partment was not able to find suitable space in Port Perry - for the court. Scugog Township declined to renew the lease with the Minis fective the end of 1989. for use of the council chambers as court space, ef- Faced with a severe space crunch at the municipal of- fice, Township council decided not to renew the lease for the court to free up the chambers on those two days for munici- pal business and committee meetings. . x, Over the years, the court in Port Perry heard cases un- der the Provincial Offenses Act. There were no criminal cas- es heard in Port Perry. In his letter to the council, dated December 22, Mr. Scott notes there is court room space available in Whitby for this function. "While my Ministry appreciates that the relocation of these court sittings may create some inconvenience to those people required to attend, I am confident this relocation will provide more efficient use of existing facilities and of judicial and staff resources, which in turn will result in an improved service to the users of the system, the bar, and the public," said theletter. The letter does not specify exactly when the relocation will take effect. THE FELDENKRAIS METHOD AWARENESS THROUGH MOVEMENT with HAROLD TAUSCH A series of gentle, relaxing éxercises designed to: -- improve your posture, flexibility, and breathing -- reduce stiffness and pain -- relieve stress and increase vitality 10 Classes for $65.00 Single Classes $8.00 PEE EE EE TUESDAYS 8:30 to 9:30 PM starting January 16th, 1990 TUESDAYS 3:00 to 4:00 PM starting January 23rd, 1990 at the ANGLICAN CHURCH 274 North Street, Port Perry For further information please call: 985-4274 £ Bs ST i