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Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18923, 11 February 1927, Page 4

• 4 Roadster" invites articles and paragraphs of interest to motorists for this pago. NOTES. The I'iimccr Sports Club will hold its ;<iititi;> 1 hill-climbing contest at Hoon Hnv to-morrow, mid as the event usually attracts a huge amount of public intcrbst, will no doubt bo witnessed l»v n considerable number of the public, No vehicles other than those participating in the contest will be allowed on the ground. A London motor correspondent writes that the Ford Company's adoption of the British Ounlop pattern well-base rim has put the cat among the tyre trade pigeons. One of tho largest European tyre makers (a onc-tune .stron;' advocate of the old lieaded-edge type) has now officially announced his capitulation nnd his adoption of tho wi red-edge and well-base principle in trvc and rim manufacture. London motor trade circles arc all agog with the news. They believe in speed in all things in America. Within ten minutes of collidii- in his motor-car with another vehicle, a Baltimore man was fined £5 by a justice of tho peace for reckless driving. It is announced in Fleet Orders that nrrnngcmciits have been approved for instruction in motoring at home ports for a limited number of men of Atlantic Fleet ships during lenvc periods. It is stated that Duesenberg, Inc., intend to produce tho most expensive '•ar in tho world. Purchasers "ill select their own types of body, and bodymakers. and will chooso their own colours. The price will probably ho 18.01)0 dollars, no matter what model from racer to limousine. If liocesswv, all cars sold will he ennable of attaining a soeed of 120 m.n.fi. The production will be limited, and each car will carry with it a warranty of 15 years. The first of tho six-wheeled omm buses which may bo introduced in Birmingham to solve the problem of carrying the crowds of city workers to and from their homes has lately boon undergoing tests. This vehicle ;s 30 feet long, and has seating nt-commo'i!'-tiofi for GO passengers and room for 12 standing. Tho present fotir-whec'ed omnibuses carry 50 passenger* nnd have standing room for six. < Another sixwheeled omnibus, which is being built, will sent 06 people. Both vehicles lrnve covered tops and are fitted with pneumatic tyres. It is interesting to note that Crossley cars will ho used by their Highnesses tho Duke and Duchess of York and Staff during each of tho forthcoming Australian and New Zealand tours. The typo of car selected is tho well-known si>:-cylinder model. For Australia a licet of twelve will he utilised, and for New Zealand a Meet of seven. They comprise enclosed limousines, enclosed landnulottes, and open touring cars. An enclosed limousine lias been specially prepnrcd for the personal use of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duclices of York. The enrs will l>e shipped to Australia and New Zealand so as to arrive n short time before the commencement of tho tours. Tho Crossley car has a very remarkablo record in connexion with Royal tours. They were tho only official cars used by H.R.H. tho Prince of Wales during his series of Dominion tours. A fleet carried the Prince and suite throughout his Australian tour in 1919-20, during his great. Indian tour 1920-21, and again through South Africa 1924-25. American cor designers and dealers are happy when they are indiflging in some novel performance to demonstrate -the capabilities of their cars. Britain has its Brookland track and test hills, and even an occasional reliability trial, but American ingenuity devises stranger ways of attracting attention to a car. Tho latest dealers' "stunt" was to harness a light six to an electric tram. The tram was 16 times the weight of the automobile, and much pride was taken in tho _ motor-car's ability to draw the load in top gear. Civic authorities seem to encourage these novel advertising moves. i In three years traffic on class A roads in Great Britain has doubled. The Ministry of Transport traffic census foi August, 1925, shows that the highest tonnage recorded nt any point during a sixtcen-hour period was 31,829 on the London-Bath road at Chiswick, W. On the Great North road the average daily weight of traffic increased between 1922 and 1925 from 1552 tons to 3058 tons, and on the London-Worthing road from 2278 to 5213. The highest average daily weight wtw on the LondonShoeburyncss road near the iron bridge over the River Lea —45,486 tons—but this was recorded over a 24-hour period. Cars are taxed in Spain in a rather complicated woy, there being a "luxury" tax, a tax on the number of seats, and a horse-power tax, the result being higher than the tax in England. For example, a 15 h.p. car, with 5senter body, would pay in Madrid about £lB 10s annually. It would seem, however, that tho inventors of taxes in Spain have been getting busy again, as yet another tax on motor vehicles has been p.nnounced. It is called a "road ta\," probably because it sounds attractive (it is applied to horse-drawn vehicles as well), and because sixty-five per cent, of tho proceeds will go towards the direct upkeep of the roads (and they need it!).