MISHAP AT HUNTLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 253, 25 October 1932, Page 11

MISHAP AT HUNTLY.

MOTOR CYCLIST INJURED. Mr. Richard Spence Shippo, aged 2:2 years, of 3, King Street, Newmarket, was thrown from his motor cycle near Huntly yesterday afternoon and suffered a compound fracture of his right ankle. A pillion rider, Mies R. Wood, aged 20, of 3, Lee Street, Parnell, sustained only slight abrasions. A St. John Ambulance car, which was returning from Putavuru, brought thtt young man and woman to Auckland, where Mr. Shippc was admitted to the Auckland Hospital. Miss Wood was able to go home.

certainly never been lower. To-day a slight hardening tendency is apparent, particularly in the case of those cars affected by increased duties, and the advice to jump in now and buy can quite honestly be given. Light Cars Popular. The all-important question to the novice is what type of car to buy, and in this respect he should know something . of the present tendencies in the New Zealand market, so that he' can form an opinion nk to the best proposition offering. The demand for economy, plus tlie excellent* service they have givert, has made 'the lighter type -of car, and particularly the light English car, more and more' popular, until to-day they are dominating- the sales in >the Dominion. Good roads have become Bo general .that. light cars offer sufficient comfort, and are particularly welcomed because of their economy in running costs. • Moreover, the English light car has'a resale value higher than any other type of car on the market to-day in fact, it is not too much to say that they represent a perfectly safe investment, as there has l)°eii a ready sale right through the darkest days of depression. The i man who wishes to go motor camping, though, and who lias a family, must riot let the economy idea dominate his purchase .to the exclusion of common sense, which dictates that the car will be large enough to take the family in coin.fort and to carry the necessary gear. > Comfort and Preparedness. Broadly speaking, then the light car, and particularly the light English car, offers the best purchase in the secondhand field, provided care is taken to'see that comfort is not sacrificed to economy. There are ways and means of improving the carrying capacity of all cars, and these are particularly needed with cars of .the. "baby" class, "it is inost unwise, for instance, not to have some form of luggage carrier on these light cars, and by far the best is the rear carrier. The box type is very useful on the larger cars/where a big box can be used, but with the small cars these boxes seldom hold enough for a motor camping holiday, so that the best proposition i< undoubtedly the plain type of rear carrier, with a canvas bag, if desired.

Much of the .motor camping gear is bulky, but not weighty, .and with a carrier as described any amount of bulk can be packed away. Cheap folding carriers can be obtained to fit on the running board. Forget them —they are more; nuisance than they are worth, and almost invariably cause damage to the running board. If a few hook-eyes are screwed in on the top of the hood (in the case of a closed-in car) they will allow blankets and tent, etc.. to bo roped on to the top, but this should be done in such a way as not to offer too great resistance to the wind.

generally, and thus straighten out any rattles that may have developed, and prevent others from becoming apparent.

Many motorists expect a set of sparking plugs to last out the whole life of the car, but they don't, and a new set is often quite a sensible provision, although I rather doubt the truth of the American idea that 10,000 miles should be the limit for a set of sparking plugs. In any case it is a really good idea to have a spare plug or two with you, so that they can be changed if there is any oiling up or other trouble.

Inefficiency, so far as the engine is concerned, may easily be due to valve trouble, and it may pay you to have your valves ground in before you start. If you intend going to any of the tourist resorts that take you over mountainous country you want the car Avorking. at the highest pitch of efficiency, and you won't have this if the engine is clogged up with carbon. Valve grinding prices are pretty low to-day, and if you can do the job yourself, the only cost is a shilling or two for the paste. Odds and Ends. With summer running the battery is usually in good order, but if you intend running a tent light from the battery it will be advisable to have it fully charged before starting. The tyres should be gone over also, and any holes likely to give trouble filled with tyre stopper. It is a good plan not to rely entirely on the spare wheel, but also to carry an extra tube. No one likes having to do running repairs by the roadside nowadays, but if you have two punctures in quick succession it is easier to insert a new tube than to patch the old one by the roadside. A puncture mending outfit should, of course, be carried in any case.

To some the suggestions made above will doubtless sound silly, because they have always carried them into effect; for others they will seem like the ideas of a euper-peesimist. Actually, a little attention along the lines indicated will make certain that the car is. fitted for the trip, and will ersure ji pleasurable holiday, whicli might or might not be secured were they neglected.