MODERN MOTORING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 173, 24 July 1928, Page 17

MODERN MOTORING.

WHEN STUCK IN THE MUD.

NEW ZEALAND'S GIFT PLANE

PRICE OF PETROL OVERSEAS

"FILL YOUR TANK FREE."

WHY WASH ? A TALE OF WOE FROM AN OWNER. NOW HE LETS THE RAIN DO IT. As the period of ownership prows longer so in direct ratio to his powers of observation and assimilation do the knowledge and experience of the average motorist become wider. For instance, the longer I motor the more firmly convinced do I become that to wash a car regularly is a gross waste of time. When the first new car arrived, resplendent in the glory of speckless paint and shining nickel, I felt it incumbent upon me to maintain as far as possible the pristine finish—at all events, during the early days of ownership. This selfassumed obligation naturally involved the expenditure of many hours with hose and polishing cloth—hours whirti, even 1 at that early stage, I grudgingly devoted to the attainment of a mirror-like sheen. Occasionally, under pressure of work or as the result of uncurbed laziness, I would allow a real coating of mud to spread first of all over the wheels and axles, then over the more exposed parts of the body, continuing the process of masterly inactivity until I was all but ashamed to take the dirty car out.

Then with a rearmed gesture of martyrdom I would spend several hours of my precious leisure in removing layer after layer of thick brown mud and in carefully polishing the whole car afresh until it was once again in presentable condition.

What would happen next? Almost invariably it rained; either I was forced to take the ear out in a violent rain storm immediately after the laborious cleaning processes had been completed, or rain would fall an hour or so after I left home with the beautifully polished body and accessories. In each case the result was identical; almost before the rebeautified car had reached the highway it was again smothered in mud and grime and my strenuous efforts had gone for nought. This all happened not once, not twice, nor even three times; it became a regular sequence of events that for me to sally forth with the newly cleaned and polished car was equivalent to provoking Tain within a very short space of time.

Not just an ordinary shower, but rain in large quantities for hours on end. I think i r t will be admitted by most owners who have any active connection with the cleaning of their vehicles that all this can prove a little trying when the wearisome process has been repeated to the

"nth" degree. My use" of the past tense in describing my cleaning operations may have been observed. It is intentional; I am now quite converted to the tenets of the lazyminded; I have completely given up this time-wasting practice!

I now rely upon the rain—my onetime enemy in this respect—to provide the sum total of the cleansing that my hardly treated car ever receives.

Motorists frequently in the winter months, and occasionally even at other times of the year, get their cars into places where, when they attempt to start, the wheels, instead of gripping the surface merely spin round in mud, sand, or on some slippery surface. Racing the engine in such cases and letting the clutch in usually only adds to the trouble, as the car, instead of jumping forward, digs itself in. and the position mav soon become serious. It is necessary to provide a surface that will grip, and as a rule a sack or something of that kind, if procurable, generally acts very well. The slower the wheels are revolved the better is the chance of clearing oneself from the bad patch. There is a simpler method, however, which in most cases will provide relief at once. As soon as wheel spin is experienced, and it is obvious that the ear may dig in, engage either reverse gear or low gear and take to the crank handle. As a rule the car can be wound out of the mud without difliculty. In the case of a car with high compression engines the removal of the spark plugs will make the operation easier. This will be found a quicker method of relief than hunting around for a spade, shovel, sacks, and what not.

"When you get on a patch of soft ground Where the back wheels won't grip, but buzz round. Just engage the first gear. Then you're sure to get clear When the handle is • wound, I have found."

The world generally and Australia and New Zealand in particular is interested at the present in aviation to a verv great extent. Australia has ptoduoed%ome of the finest pilots in the world, in Hawker, Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith, Parer and Macintosh, Wilkins, Hinkler, King-sford Smith and Ulm and others who have established Australia among the leaders ot a\iation. This ha.s not "been accomplished without the very generous support of British and Australian benefactors. Among* i them there in probably no more outstanding figure than the generous Britisher, Sir 0. Wakefield. Bait. Sii Charles has presented three aeroplanes in the Empire this year, the latest being an offer of a lignt "plane to the New Zealand Government to aid in the development of civil aviation within the Dominion. Needless to say the offer war- gratefully accepted by the Prime Minister, who. in expressing his thanks, stated that this generous gift would, he hoped, prove «n incentive to civil aviation clubs and help in promoting an enthusiastic air in New Zealand.

Petrol was selling at Rid a gallon in the L T nited States on January 1. IP2S. while in Italy the price was 2/2* a gallon, in Spain 1/11, in Britain llid, and in France 1/4. A tax of 4}d per gallon w.as added to all petrol in Great Gritain on April 2.">, which makes the present price about 1/4 per gallon. New Zealand motorists still pay top price with the exception of Italy, where it is lid dearer.

! There must be a huge margin of ' profit in food and drink in Belgium, Holland, and Fiance, for many roadside restaurants in those countries arc offering free petrol to motorists who patronise them. One sign hears the open invitation. "Stop for lunch, and fill your task free."