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Story: Transport – overview

Motor car, 1918

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Motor car, 1918

The advent of the motor car in the late 19th century offered travellers greater freedom to go where and when they pleased. However, poor roads were a major obstacle at first. This scene of motorists posing proudly beside their car in 1918 is picturesque, but it also reveals the rough road surface they had to travel on.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: 1/2-019439-G

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

James Watson, Transport – overview – Transport trends, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/24974/motor-car-1918 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by James Watson, published 10 June 2013.