MOTOR CAR WINS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 2, 3 January 1931, Page 7

MOTOR CAR WINS.

RACE WITH LIMITED.

WELLINGTON TO AUCKLAND

AVERAGE SPEED OF 32.9 MILES,

A Rover 10 h.p. standard stock fourseater ealoon car set out from Wellington last night to race the. Limited express to Auckland and succeeded in covering the distance of 407 miles before the Limited drew into Auckland station. The co-drivers of the car were Messrs. Bert Power and A. T. Barrow, and they stated on arrival that they did not exceed the legal speed limit in any town or borough on the way. The average speed of the car for the full iounley was 32.9 miles, and it averaged 33 miles to the gallon. Last evening the car started from outside the Thorndon station as soon as the Limited express pulled out at 7.15 p.m. The running time to the various centres en route was:—Wanga-nui 3h 25m; Hawera, 5h 10m; Mokau Bridge, Sh 15m; Te Kuiti, lOli sm; Hamilton, llh 53m. The Auckland railway station was reached at 9.27 a.m. The Limited express arrived at 9.54 a.m. Mr. Power said that heavy holiday traffic was met near Wellington, and near Wanganui they had to pass mobs of sheep. There were many. cars all along the route and he said he had never seen so many on the road before. Bad weather was encountered at Eltham and from there to Te Kuiti the motorists were driving through exceptionally heavy rain and white fog. Stops were made at Wanganui, Mount Messenger and Te Kuiti. for refuelling, and the travellers were held up three times on the road from Te Kuiti to Auckland with carburettor trouble. The petrol they obtained at one station was full of paint, which caused three holdups and the loss of 20 minutes. There were the only stops, the motorists making the journey without a puncture. Mr. Barrow said that from Wellington to Waitara the roads were perfect, but from Te Kuiti to Auckland they were atrocious, being full of ruts and potholes. This naturally causcd loss of time, but they picked it up again once they reached the concrete.