BRITISH OR AMERICAN?

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 192, 16 August 1927, Page 12

BRITISH OR AMERICAN?

~;y COUNCIL'S CHOICE OF CAR. The question of the purchase pf a :motor- car came before.the Works Committee of the Matamata County Council at this month's meeting and the council decided to buy an American car. During the discussion on the report, Crv.CoK..stated- that'the committee had gone y^ l "y carefylly into the matter and although they \vould have liked to have purchased a- Britieh car none.- of them were coupcil's requirej-' ments. Tie spring adjustments were especially; , vdeieita ve.; In a ".year "pi , two's ti^e,whep v British manufacturers had time te. act oil "the-recent motor delegation's recommendations, he had no doubt they, would-produce a. car suitable for the conditions. 'It is interesting to note, however, that at the. same meeting, when the question of lorries came under consideration, the council decided to purchase two British two-ton- trucks. ■•'. - - '"■:■■ \\ ± '■■ -. •- >''

. rt; A GEAR-CffANGING HINT. , ' i I

J r ...'.\.,. ,-• : :.4/' - .; h has beeii sounded; in detailing' the writfrp* trouß&liia, jnastering the art of loia.i' We have become used to; conj-plainte-from noyijbefowners who. e.ncejdiQiculty.in changing down silently!; but ".these-»ivails have decreased ui Irtiength" and frequency since double decltitcMrig lias -. been practised, for tibia •system permits a, considerable margin of Without creating nasty uproars, i I jivget more complaints thoijufoblemqt securing a eilerit ganger JJo'isy] upward changed are -almost in variably due to changing up too soon, before the,engine revoluhave dropped sufficiently low; and I tiling that for novices the inclination to hurry the upward, changes has been enhanced by double declutching. The anxious' , driver - grows subconsciously accustomed to a fair amount of exhaust noise on: the downward changes j. and automatically expects a similar sound when ■ changing., up. In most cases the engine' should sink almost to the inaudible' point" before a change-up is made. ♦ *. Further, a good many cars arc built without.'dutch stops, and- with the fastrunning engines of- to-day and light .flywheels » really, long wait is needed 'after a fast, burst on second before a silent

change lip. is possible, unless a dlutch stop is iise'tf, and used hard.

; > A SPEEDER DEFINED- .■■"** i :-'"i '""" * «- ; '■ V ' i" I " ...

ihink-that there is a single phase of moderft life which giyes a per-son■such-frequent or excellent opportimitiesilot ejercising self-control as driving a njotibr car (says a well-known autho- ■ tendency and ? sometimes, the"- dctiveV desire is to show the oth«|r felloJFWhat lie'QUght-to be. made to do, and. spnie.times to force him to do it. Some.pne'ims,siid that theepeeder is a persbint!wßic» w4)Ste l to sget there and has nothing'to do when he.arrives, and that is the most admirable way of characterising can think-trf.. <? ] | factors . Wjhich teftte,r 3pßfes.._tlii( the;rules of the roivd—his lack of self-control anil his love of a -thrilL* More than fljOjJer the sijeedfng ia dule; n<rt so much to tfie driver's need~for getting sonie-W'hete-trtav certain i time as to his human