NOTES.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19735, 27 September 1929, Page 4

NOTES.

A donation of £35 was made to the Agricultural and Pastoral Association for the purpose of having a ladies bathroom and other confluences installed at the Metropolitan Show Grounds at Addington (states the annual report of the Canterbury Automobile Association). This ground is becoming mora P°P vear, and it is voted to be the best in tie Dominion. A donation of £5 5s was made towards the Pelorus Bridge crmoine ground. A sum of £25 Was aiven for the purpose of building a caretaker's cottage on the HundaUe lleserve at Goose Bay, and a further sum of £ls for this purpose has been agreed to. It is hoped shortly to arrange for a suitable camping ground at Hanmor. A donation of £7 ?s w»a made to the Pines Beach Association. A sum of £5 5s has been presented to the Waikuku Beach Improvement Association. and £lO to the Peel fcorest Board towards the cost of improveroents to camping _ facilities. This is on« of the favourite resorts ol Asnburton members. Symbolic road signs were generally considered an improvement by members at llie meeting of the executive of thfc Taranaki Automobile Association last states the "Taranaki News. The old sign-post, the president pointed out, merely said, "bad bend, but the symbolic sign-post not only warned the driver of the bend, but indicated whether the bend was to the right or to the left. The custom of laying no tar on the inside corners of roads at bends was a distinct source of danger, accordins to Mr P H Blundell. 'fa keep on the tar surface the motorist swung naturally outwards instead of hugging the corner. It was stated that roads made more recently were much better in this respect. More and more people ore taking to motoring every year. Other pursuits and pastimes come in and go out of public favour, but the motor goes on advancing. The truth is that the car is key to so many things that it has become indispensable to an ever-ifi-creasing number of people. As soon as a person determines to do something or other, or has the means or the opportunity for doing so, then the car enters as a necessary part of the proceedings. It is prophesied by the Bureau of Street Traffic Research of Harvard University (US.A.) that 50,000,000 automobiles will be on American roads within a few years in con-, trast to the 35.000.000 now used This forecast, the bureau states, reveals the importance to cities of careful street traffic planning by qualified engineers, in order that the great increase of cars may bo properly handled The Waimairi County Council is to be congratulated upon thp laying down of the first concrete section of a main highway in the South Island (states the annual report of the Canterbury Automobile Association). This has been followed by two sections on the Main South road laid down by the Paparua County Council between Rockburn and Rolleston- Two more sections are now under construction, one by the Ilangiora County Council, between Kaiapoi and Woodend- and one by the Eyre County Council, between the new cut of the Waimakariri and Kaiapoi, now making a total of 11 miles concrete and pi miles bitumen of highway pavements leading into Christchurch. It is far from impossible that rubber brake linings may join those made of fabric and fibres. As a matter of fact, one of the most prominent research departments in the automotive field is now experimenting with a rubberised if not actually a rubber lining. The research is based upon a very successful application of rubber by the same company in another feature of the motorcar. One of the anticipated results of the new lining, once it is perfected, is the elimination of brake screeching. A dog's love for its mistress caused her death at Namur. Mile. Gilloteaux was driving a motor-car with her dog by her side, when the dog suddenly jumped up to lick her face. Mile. Gilloteaux lost control of the car, which dashed into a tree, killing her instantly. The air strangler fitted to the dashboard of the car fulfils the function of excluding the air from the carburetter so that a richer mixture of petrol shall be supplied to obtain prompt ignition whori the starting switch is pressed. Normally it should not be necessary to operate the air strangler, but tardiness in the first flow of petrol is apt to occur when starting from cold. Before pressing the switch, the spark should be fully advanced and the throttle opened. Tests have shown that from 25 to 30 per cent, more mileage may be obtained by keeping tyres inflated to the pressure recommended by manufacturers.