MOTOR ROAD CONTEST.

SYDNEY, February 21.

The Dunlop reliability motor contest from Sydney to Melbourne started to-day, when 23 cars and 12 motor cycles started on the first section fiom Sydney to Goulburn, 129 miles. The first to arrive was H. L. Steven's (Victoria) 12 horse-power Darracq car, covering the distance in ohr 37£ mm ; followed, by E. P. Maillard's (New South Wales) 12 horse-power Brazier car in shr 54min, and. H. Gard's (Victoria)

6% torse-power Brown motor cycle in 6hr . 16£min. February 22. The weather was fine and the loads in good order for the second stage of the motor contest from Goulbum to Gandagai, 121 miles. The event excited great interest, and there were crowds in the towns en route. Two contestants broke their wheels, and were unable to finish. .Stevens maintained his advantage, covering the distance in 4hrs 18min actual riding time, followed by B. James (Victoria), If horse -power Minerva motor cycle, shrs 15min ; W. S. Ross (Victoria), •10 horse-power Argyle ear, shis s(Hmin. Stevens' s average was 25 miles an hour for over 250 miles from Sydney. February 23.

The contest over the third section of the motor car race from Gundagai to 'Albury, a distance of 121 miles, took place to-day. The weather and roads V/ere good. A high wind dead ahead considerably retarded the competitors. Guard and James arrived together first. The former's riding time was 6hr 16min, and James's 6hr 19min. Stevens, who was Jiext, covered the distance in shr 23min. He was absolutely the last of the competitors to leave. J. W. Moffatt (Victoria), ':with a 9 horse-power Talbot car, did the .journey in shr 28min. On level ground some cars made 48 miles an hour. Several including the official car (which came to ■grief yesterday and was patched up again), broke down, but there were no serious mishaps.

F-ebruary 24.

The competition over the fourth section of the motor car race from Albury to lEuroa, 101 miles, took place to-day. The roadfe were the best for all the stage owing to the rain laying the dust. B. James was tlie first to arrive, his time being shr 2min. Gard was second, but his time is not stated. Stevens came third, his time being 4hr l2min.

February 25.

In the competition over the fourth sec- - tton of the motor car race from Albany to •Euroa,. 101 miles, Gard's time was shr 3min.

MELBOinHSTE, February 26. A big, enthusiastic crowd (including the State Governor, who congratulated the contestants) assembled to witness the finish pi the motor contests. The first to arrive was Stevens, who covered the last stage

Hs was fol-

of 100 miles in 3hr 24min.

lowed by C. S. Kello'w (Victoria), with a -,7 horse-power Talbot car, in 4hr 14min. Maillard (New South Wales), with a 12 ~ (horse-power Brazier car, was next, in 3hr

27min. The first of the motor cycles, ridden by Withers and James (Victorians), tame in 81 and 84 minutes respectively

Jbehind

Stevens, whose average for the

-whole journey was 24 miles. The maxiKhum points, 2590, according to the conditions of the contest, were secured in the various sections by Stevens, Ross, and Tarrant (heavy cars), Craven, Coleman, »nd flail (light cars), and James and Gard '- '(motor cycles). All being victorious, a contest from Melbourne to Ballarat to enable a final decision to be made -is to be arranged.