MOTORING

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21085, 9 February 1934, Page 15

MOTORING

"Roadster" invites articles and paragraphs of interest to motorists for this page.

NOTES It is just as important to have the car inspected after the engine has been overhauled as when breaking in a new car. Adjustments are necessary to bearings and valves.

The purpose of the lens in headlights is to throw the light downward to the road and off to the side, in that way illuminating the entire roadway. It is possible to carry proper lenses and still deluge the highway with their glare, because unless the lenses are in proper position they are of little use. See that they are kept right side up.

Recent financial statements of American motor manufacturers reflect a marked upward change. The Chrysler firm, for the third quarter of 1933, reported net profit of 7,190,149 dollars, bringing nine months' earnings to 11,937,083 dollars, compared with a deficit of 6,226,578 dollars in the same period of 1932. Chrysler sales in the period were 387,366 cars and trucks, compared with 174,530 in 1932. Third quarter sales of 169,652 units were increased more than five times.

Most motorists carry a selection of spare nuts and washers, but only too often they are left in the tool locker, where they are apt not only to rattle but also to get lost or damaged. An excellent way of carrying them is to thread them on a long bolt, where they can be held tightly in position by the nut belonging to the bolt. The whole assembly may then be wrapped in a rag and stowed away in an odd corner of the tool box.

Always keep the nuts of chassis parts such as wings and running boards well tightened, for the majority of the squeaks and rattles which sometime's develop in a car after it has covered several thousand miles are due to nuts and bolts working loose. Much can be done to prevent this by giving each nut, washer, and the exposed part of the threads a coat of shcllacvarnish after tightening.

An American racing driver. Harry Hartz, claims a gain of 20 per cent, in road performance at top speeds for a conventional sedan in which seating, steering, and transmission have been reversed, so that in high gear the' car is driven backwards. In theory this agrees with the fact, well known in aeronautics, that the blunt end of a moving object should come first and the tapering end last, in order to minimise wind resistance at high speeds.

Difficulty is sometimes experienced in holding very small screws so that they can be entered into their holes. Forceps or small, round-nosed pliers are useful in this connexion, but are not always to hand. A very effective method, available at all times, is to push the screw through a piece of thin card or stiff paper, which will hold it quite well enough to enable it to be entered into the hole and given a turn or two with a screwdriver. The card is then torn away and the screw driven fully home. A similar scheme, useful when the screw has to be held at some distance, is f'o form nn eye m a length of soft copper wire, which, when the screw is partly "home.'' can be pulled away.

There arc some unorthodox uses for split pin; If. for instance, a very small pair of pliers is required, take :j split pin '>f fairly large si/.e and slip on a washer which fits a little loosely. Open the pin, grasp the i'mall item to be held, and push up the washer until the pin closes suflieiently to secure it. A split pin of suitable size can also be employed for making a plug-in connexion. The wire can be attached to the loop and secured by means of insulation tipc. If the pin be of the correct size it will remain Arm in the plug.

It is not a fact, as many drivers appear to believe, that better fuel consumption can always be obtained by fitting a smaller jet. In many cases a larger jet than that already fitted gives improved results. The reason is that more work, such as hill-climbing, can be done on top gear. It is a mistake to set the carburetter for abnormally good fuel consumption. Frequent gear-changing is necessary; knocking is more pronounced, and the engine gets over-hot, while the valves pit, burn and become distorted more readily.

The engine is often blamed when the car has power on the level, but seems to lack it on a hill. First examine the clutch, and find out whether it is slipping, as this will make the engine appear to lack power.

When your car is parked between two others, the easiest way to get out is to move first in the direction of the greater space—forward, if there is more room between you and the car ahead; backward if the opposite is the case.

Running for a short distance in second gear with the spark partially retarded, is an old, but still effective way to speed up the engine warming process on a cold day. Even after allowance has been made for warming the engine before starting, this practice is a good one. IN REVERSE MOTORIST MUST GET USED TO CAR'S BEHAVIOUR Every motorist should understand that a car behaves in a totally different manner when being reversed. There are two reasons for this. The first and most important is that when a car is travelling in a circle the rear wheels describe a smaller circle than the front. That is why if the front wheels are taken too close to the kerb in turning a corner in the normal way the rear wheels will actually run over the pavement. Everyone knows this, but a beginner does not always realise that the opposite is the case when the car is driven backwards: that is to say, the last part of the car to pass a given ' point (in this case the front wheels) will describe an arc of greater radius. The radiator actually swings bodily sideways when reversing. The second point which must be grasped, is that it is by no means easy to steer a straight course backwards unless travelling comparatively slowly, for there is a tendency for the steering to "take charge" and to send the wheels over to the full lock. Once a driver has become thoroughly accustomed to these two characteristics of travelling backwards he will never find himself completely fit S6&, although* nsturally, he may not be able to place his car exactly where he wants it at the first attempt until he has had a little exway to set about learning to reverse is to find a quiet road and pick a straight stretch well away from any bends or side turnings Hence a driver can familiarise himself with the feeling of going astern, and he should at first try to steer a dead straight course, afterwards practising reversing into a gateway.

BY. « ROADSTER.'*

WARNING DEVICES ABUSED

ASSOCIATION'S ADVICE

MOTORISTS SHOULD DEPEND MORE ON BRAKES

"Many motorists place too much dependence on the motor-car warning device and not enough on the brakes," says the latest safety flrst message from the Canterbury Automobile Association.

"This observation applies equally to novice drivers and to those of long experience. The horn should not be depended on in emergency. While it is often helpful in avoiding accidents, it should never be used imperiously to shunt people out of the way at the last moment. A person may not hear the horn, and even if he does he may be panicked into jumping into your path instead of out of it. "The horn is one of the most abused adjuncts of motoring. Far too many motorists drive on the horn, thinking by some strange process that continual horn-sounding compensates for high speed and poor brakes, and therefore yields immunity from accident. All the warning devices in the world will not give a man the right of way at an intersection, if that right of way belongs to another driver. The bylaw expects the horn to be sounded at the approach to an intersection, but that action does not mean that the speed approaching or over the intersection shall be excessive. There is no necessity for sounding a horn raucously for seconds on end when near an intersection.

"Do not over-emphasise tlie use of the horn; do not blast your way through traffic. Travel at a speed that is safe. Travel as if your car had no horn at all. Good drivers are known by their use of the horn." PERMANENT JACKS SEVERAL TYPES IX USE The jacking-up of a wheel in the event of a puncture is a task from which most drivers instinctively .shrink: yet, in spite of the dependability of modern tyres, it is one which every motorist must undertake from time t6 time. Unfortunately, car engineers seem to have been so occupied with the bettering of engines and transmissions that they have not been able to devote their attention so closely to in-built jacking systems, although several simple and practical devices of that sort are now available. The jack should be easy to manipulate, and in its closed position should be short enough to permit of its insertion under either axle after the complete deflation of a tyre. It should have good extension and a long handle, so that it can be operated without undue discomfort. But 110 jack which must be "jockeyed" into position is as satisfactory as one that forms part of the standard equipment of the car. and can be operated without difficulty whenever a wheel must be raised. Such permanent jacking systems are now to be found on a number of cars, and it is thought that ultimately public demand will lead to their introduction as standard equipment on even the cheapest models.

Mechanical Fitting

Om- titling of this sort accepted by car manufacturers is entirely mechanical. ft consists of three jacks fitted to the axles, one being placed in a central position at the front of the car, and two at either side of the rear axle. By this means a rigid threepoint lift is provided, and when not in use the jacks are enclosed in steel casings, which protect them from mud, water, and rust. A long operating handle is provided, so that the motorist can carry out the work of raising the car in comfort.

In addition to mechanical systems, there is an hydraulic sort, which consists of four jacks permanently lixed to the axles. These communicate with a central oil reservoir and distributor box, khich is situated underneath the floor boards. The main pump is operated by means of a small, detachable lever, and any pair of wheels, or all four, can be raised at will. A commendable feature of this fitting is that the driver can jack up the car without leaving the seat. When the recent developments in motor engineering practice are considered, it seems clear that the motoring public will demand better facilities with regard to wheel-jacking, and since mechanical permanent jacks can now be installed as "extras" for less than £4 (in England), it seems certain that they wili eventually become standard equipment on most cars.

A COSTLY HABIT UNNECESSARY WORK FOR ENGINE It is impossible to supply a simple definition of a good motorist, but there is one common habit which certainly precludes any driver from a claim to the full title—the habit of letting the engine run unnecessarily when the car is at a standstill. Quite apart from the question of economy (engines idle at a most expensive rate), there is the fact that engines are not designed to operate for long periods on the rich mixture drawn through the idling jet. The nractice encourages overheating, two reasons being t'he slow burning of the fuel and the immobility of the car. Before the days of self-starters this habit was usually due to laziness or a violent dislike of "cranking up, both understandable as human weaknesses. Nowadays, however, only run-down batteries and a dislike of the starting handle should be excuses. At idling speeds a rich mixture is drawn in by the engine, which in case of cool or cold engines means unvaporised petrol passing into the cylinders, displacing the lubricating oil and corrupting the oil in the crankcase. Undue slothfulness leads, especially if the engine is hot, to the formation of soot inside the cylinders. This is frequently the cause of misfiring, as a result of a thin veneer of oil covering the exposed part of the insulation of the sparking plugs. If an engine has been still for some time, the driver should certainly let it run for a few minutes before driving away, especially in cold weather. Otherwise, every second of idling is unnecessarily costing money. In any case even if the motorist is indifferent to expense and well-being of his engine he might reasonably be asked to have a care for the peace of his neighbours. ]

A shilling advertisement in the classified section of "The Press" will sell your goods. Try it. 12 words Is. three insertions 2s Bd.—6

ROAD LIGHTING

SUCCESSFUL NEW SYSTEM DANGEROUS DISADVANTAGES BANISHED Astounding but well-authenticated claims have been made for a new form Of road lighting which promises to be a cure for a great number of traffic risks associated with motoring at night. The common practice now is to make use of metallic filament lamps of high candle-power, suspended either at the side of, or in the centre of, the highway. No matter how carefully these are placed and screened, it is impossible to secure complete and well-diffused lighting, but instead, and notably in wet weather on a dark-surfaced road, there are dazzling patches of light with relatively obscure sections intervening. Motoring associations have counselled drivers always to keep their headlamps switched on and not to trust only to the parking lamps, so as to avoid the risk of collision with pedestrians or unlighted vehicles. Another common fault found in present road lighting systems is that even when the lamp is screened it may dazzle an approaching driver, and all screening tends to limit the area of illumination, so that an effect known as "pool lighting" is produced. Non Glaring Lamps With the latest type of lamp, those dangerous disadvantages are banished, and non-glaring and complete illumination can be secured without appreciable increase in current consumption. The new unit, which has an outer and ail. inner bulb, is known as a gas-discharge lamp, and. as its name suggests, functions on similar lines to neon signs. It has no filament which might fuse or fracture, and it is stated that it will give three times as much light as a filament bulb drawing a similar amount of current. For example, a 400-watt. gas-discharge lamp will produce the same illumination as a number of filament type bulbs which require more than 1000 watts, and the light supplied by the former has, it is claimed, superior qualities. It is asserted that it, on the basis of current consumption, compared with illumination, is five times as efficient as a comparable filament bulb.

In the gas-disctiarge lamp there is an inner bulb filled with a rare gas. such as neon, and a small amount of mercury or sodium, and having an electrode at either end. It is encased in the outer bulb from which the air is exhausted, so that the actual source of light, the inner bulb, is well insulated from the armosphere. Only a comparatively low voltage is required, and, whereas the neon signs require a high, "stepped up" pressure of 5000 volts or more, the gas-dis-charge lamp works satisfactorily from the normal supply system available. Large-scale Production Such lights are now being produced commercially by three of the leading electrical companies in England, and in every case the same principle is applied, although there are certain minor dii Terences in design, and in one ease heater coils are provided for the electrodes of the inner tube m order to accelerate t'he discharge effect upon which the generation of the light depends. When first switched on the lamps do not at once burn brilliantly, but glow for some minutes. When the mercury or sodium in the inner bulb has been well vaporised they burn brightly and emit a characteristic and penetrating light. According to oversea reports, there is excellent diffusion, and one can stare at close range at a gas-discharge lamp and then suddenly avert one's gaze without any disturbance ol vision. It is also said that eveiy object lighted has some shade of yellow imparted to it. and that normally red colours .appear tu be brownish, so that a somewhat pallid effect is produced. With the sodium light exceptionally sharp contrasts are obtained, but with the mercury sort, although the contrasts are not .so pronounced, definition is wondet fully clear, and the illumination approaches more nearly to natural light, fcxpeiiments have shown that, on roads on which the new lighting system has been placed, the entire highway is evenly lighted, and pedestrians can be easily seen, without the help ot the headlamps, from 500 yards or more. An improvement which lias recently been evolved by one of the manufacturing firms is a lantern m which the bulb unit is housed, so that where lamps are placed at both side;, of a road, the great proportion ot illumination from each can be projected along the highway m the direction in which traffic is travclhn;,. Successful installations of gas-dis-dharge lamps have been made m several parts of London and in othei cities, including Hull, Torquay, and Belfast.

THE BLUE BIRD SUGGESTION FOR SIXWHEELER Sir Malcolm Campbell's famous Blue Bird car is now being redesigned in preparation for his next attempt on the land-speed record, and there have been many conjectures about wh«it will be the radical alterations carried out with a view to raising the recoid to 300 miles an hour. In all previous reports, emphasis has been placed on the problem created by insufficient track adhesion with the rear-wheel drive which has been used, and it is common knowledge that there is no good prospect of his breaking his own record unless a new drive is adoptedMr R. A. R'ailton, who designed tho Blue Bird, recently gave an address before the Institute of Automotive Engineers, London, in which he expressed the opinion that the limits of track adhesion with two-wheel drive were reached last year by sir Malcolm Campbell on Daytona Bead). He explained that on that occasion the Influence of wheel-spin on hard, damp sand raised the revolutions of the driving wheels to 3300 revolutions a minute, whereas the normal revolutions at a speed of 270 miles an hour "■ith the 37-inch tyres used would be only 2400 revolutions a minute. That meant that there was a rate of slip which at times was equivalent to 100 miles an hour. He also expressed his profound admiration of the durability of the special plain-tread racing tyres which had stood up without mishap against such devastating treatment. Discussing the question of substituting a more efficic.! form of drive, Mr Railton said thnf. i'rom the scientific standpoint, a four-wheel front and rear drive should be the best; not only would it ensure much better track adhesion, but it would also permit of the use of powerful four-wheel brakes. But it was thought that such a system might affect the behaviour of tho vehicle under extreme conditions, and that a better alternative would be to employ a six-wheeled vehicle with four-wheel rear dive.

MARKED ECONOMY SECURED

COMPRESSION IGNITION MANY DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME Many conflicting forecasts have been made about the future of the diesel, or compression-ignition, engine in its application to motor transport. Some experts believe that even the latest and highly improved power units of that sort cannot possess the flexibility and smooth running of the petrol engine, but recent developments and favourable criticisms indicate that remarkable progress has been made and that on the basis of intrinsic merit alone, apart from fuel economy and other characteristics, the compression-igni-tion engine might within the next few years become a serious rival of tne ordinary internal combustion units used in present-day cars. The great problems with which designers have been confronted are power-weight ratio, flexibility, and exhaust fumes. At one time it appealed that the compression-ignition unit was not suitable even for heavy motor transport, in that it was hard to start, would not idle well, had a low ' peak rate revolution, and in p roportiort to its developed power, was heavy and cumbersome. All that hag been changed and various achievements have revealed that the modern diesel, to give it its popular name, has been improved exceedingly. Its power-weight ratio now approaches that of the petrol engine, it can run well at relatively high revolutions, and it has been adopted as either optional or standard equipment by many manufacturers of motor-truck and motor-bus chassis.

Problem of Injection

One of the greatest difficulties was the perfecting of a fuel injection system which would ensure that at all speeds a minute but accurate charge of heavy oil fuel should be injected into the cylinders. The need for precision in respect of that was paramount, for upon the proper measuring of the charge the flexibility, good idling, and acceleration of a compres-sion-ignition engine depend. It can now be asserted that the. major problems of fuel .injection have been solved, and in all manufacturing countries a high standard of efficiency has been achieved. Compression-ignition engines have been used successfully in passenger car chassis, and have been adopted by many transport interests, including motor-bus companies, and it is predicted that in the near future they will be found in several private car chassis. It is a mistake to suppose that fuel economy will be the principal cause of their adoption, for in many cases the high costs of petrol fuel are due largely to severe taxation, and it seems that if compression-ignition engines become so popular as to have a serious effect on that source of revenue the taxation on the fuel which they use would be drastic. Records of Service One could point to many examples of the profitable application of such units in the place of those driven by petrol, and a report issued recently by an American transport company is enlightening. This concern operates a service between two cities. 375 miles apart, and in the early part of last year placed two compression-ignition trucks on that run. During the period reviewed those vehicles covered more than 150,000 miles, and were found capable of making the trip with full pay-loads in 13A hours. ±„..utical vehicles with six-cylinder petrol engines of similar capacity, it is stated, had to run to a schedule of 15J hours, the longer time being due to less haul-ing-power and slower hill-climbing. Although the time gained by the use of compression-ignition engines is important, the present saving in fuel costs is equally valuable. On each round trip of 750 miles the average consumption of heavy fuel-oil was 134 gallons a truck, cos-ting in America 29s lOd. With similar types of petrol-driven truck.'; Die amount of fuel used averaged sbout £OO gallons, and eo.st almost £5 10s. On each trip the saving was thus about £4, and a.s the two diesel trucks made 200 journeys during the seven months' period, operating cos's were approximately reduced by £BOO.

While it is impossible to foresee what might be the future price of fuel-oil in (he event of compression-ignition engines coming into more general use, it. is probable that in all circumstances the charges for fuel would be considerably lower than those for petrol, and lliat iC the same good performance can be obtained from such engines as from the petrol type, they will become increasingly popular, as no electrical ignition system is required and the fuel used is not dangerously inflammable. TYRE PUNCTURES EFFECTING ROADSIDE REPAIRS Provided the walls of the tyres have not weakened or their treads worn down excessively, the motorist seldom meets with two punctures in quick succession. He can, therefore, generally content himself with the spare wheel, leaving the repair of the damaged inner tube to the nearest service station. But those who tour in districts where public garages are few and far between should always carry one or two extra inner tubes and a puncture repair outfit. In the event of a blow-out or a puncture caused by a large nail or other sharp object, the tyre deflates suddenly and there is no difficulty in tracing tho source of the damage, but gradual deflation is often deceptive and it should not be assumed that the inner tube is punctured merely because the tyre has subsided slowly overnight or during the day's run. The nipple of the tyre valve should first be inspected. A deformed or displaced washer in the head of the nipple might have pressed down the plunger of the valve so that there is a slow but continuous escape of air. A faulty valve "inside" is another likely cause. It might be that the tyre was inflated with a pump from whose attachment grit and dirt had not been driven by giving a tew stroke's with the handle before connecting the pump to the tyre valve; so that a particle of grit lodges on the small valve seating, with a result that there is a slow leakage. Sometimes, too, the base nut of the tyre valve loosens so that the assembly is not a tight fit. When a tyre has not become deflated quickly it is often worth while to reinflate it partially and then test the valve by moistening a finger and smearing the valve orifice, when, if air is escaping, a bubble will form. Old inner tubes tend to become porous and there may be a gradual drop in the inflation pressure not attributable to an actual puncture. For example, it often happens that if a well-used inner tube is inflated to, say, 351b, and the ear garaged for a few days, the reading will drop to 251b or less.

Test for Leakage

If wayside repairs are necessary, certain precautions should be observed. Alter removal the inner tube should be carefully tested, preferably under water, to find if the leakage is from some part of the valve assembly or from a puncture. If any perforation is detected, the spot 6hould be marked with a pencil or by a scratch and the surrounding area carefully dried. The patch applied should be big enough to reinforce the tube in the neighbourhood of the puncture, but should not be unecenssarily large. A vulcanised patch is naturally more satisfactory than one which is merely cemented, but if the latter sort of patch is applied carefully it should withstand hard usage. The danger is that a

poor patch will lift" when the tyre becomes heated.

When the area near the puncture is dry, the surface should be wiped with petrol applied on a clean rag and then roughened with glass paper or the scraper, which will be found in most repair outfits. The cementing solution can be put on, but it should not be applied thickly and should always be allowed to dry for several minutes until it becomes "tacky." To avoid any risk of greasjness, it is best to spread it with a penknife or match stick and not with a finger. The patch should be cut to size before its protective covering is peeled off and should then be pressed on the puncture. It is a good plan to stretch the tube over some curved surface such as a mudguard so that it can be conveniently put on from the centre outwards; after which it should be weighted or clamped in position for at least ten minutes, while the cement hardens. Before a tube is replaced in a tyre, a thorough inspection should be made to see that the original cause of the puncture has been removed, for frequently it happens that a deeply embedded nail or piece of metal which has not been noticed will soon puncture the repaired tube again.

GREAT PIPE LINE

AN ARABIAN VENTURE One of the most remarkable enterprises of 'modern times —the laying of petroleum pipe lines across the Arabian Desert from the Kirkuk oil field (Iraq) to Tripoli and Haifa, on the Mediterranean Sea —a work that involved an expenditure of about £lo,ooo,ooo—has been successfully completed. Wonderful transport work, made possible by the use of large section balloon tyres on fleets of motorvehicles, played a major part in the completion of this huge undertaking. The pipe line to Tripoli was laid for 700 miles, and that to Haifa for 780 miles. On both routes the 12-mch steel pipes, each 40 feet long, were sunk in trenches for the full distance, including a stretch of 300 miles of sand. The pipes were electrically welded at their joints, then painted, tarred, and wrapped in asphalt-treated canvas to prevent corrosion when buried under two feet of soil or sand. While installing the pipe lines, water and food supplies had to be transported by motor-vehicles to meet the needs of 6500 people. The contract for laying the pipe lines was let towards the end of 1932, and called for completion of that work by the end of 1933. Thanks to the fine work done by large fleets of motor-vehicles, the task was completed on time. Work is now progressing on the building of 12 permanent pumping plants along the routes, employing 4 C > Diesel oilengines of 500 horse-power each, and the erection of necessary workshops and residences for the staff that will have charge of the enterprise. This work is to be finished by next January, when, for the first time, oil from the Kirkuk field will flow at about two miles an hour through steel pipes to the two Mediterranean ports, thus avoiding the payment of heavy dues (about £1,000,000 a year) c;i the Iraq Petroleum Company's oil tankers passing through the Suez Canal.

MOTOR-CYCLING

PIONEER SPORTS CLUB FIXTURES February 11 —Social run to Ashley river. February 12—Meeting o£ general committee. February 17, 18—Major reliability trial. March 10 —Grass track meeting. March 17—New Zealand Grand Prix. March 18—Social pillion trial. March 30—Easter camp at Hanmer. April—Beach championships. April 22—Sports day. May 20—Sporting trial.

Intending competitors in the major reliability trial, to be held on February 17 and 18 by the Pioneer Sports Club, are reminded that entries close at 9.30 this evening. The trial will start from the clubhouse at 2 p.m., and will be over the following course: From the clubhouse follow Oxford terrace, Durham, Brougham, and Colombo streets and Dyer's Pass road to the Sign of the Kiwi; thence to Governor's Bay and Teddington. From Teddington follow the coast road to Purau; in places where a newlyformed road deviates from the low road competitors must in all cases take the upper road. At Purau take the right-hand turn, opposite the waterfront, and traverse the range to Port Levy. Check here opposite the church. From check proceed up the western valley to the summit; down the other side to foot, and continue on the road to Little River until the first turn to the left is reached. From the left, where the road deviates, take the lower road to the right. Follow on till the main Little River-Akaroa road is reached, and follow straight on, leaving the main road at the foot of the hill, and proceed up the cattle track to Hilltop. Then follow the main road to the foot (Barry's Bay), turn to the right, and proceed to Wainui. Approximately 50 yards before reaching the Wainui wharf turn to the right up the Jubilee track and follow to summit; then turn to the right and proceed along the Summit road until the first turn to the right is reached. Turn to the right down Okuti Valley to Little River, and check in opposite the railway station. From Little River follow the mam road to the Show Grounds, Addmgton. and check in, and proceed under control to Haworth and Thomas s garage, Tuam street, where the machines are to remain over-night The route for Sunday will be from here starting at 8 a.m., along Oxford terrace, Riccarton road, to the Mam West road; follow the main road past the Yaldhurst Hotel, and instead of taking the next bend to the left continue straight along the old West Coast road through Courtenay to Sheffield. Keep on the right side of the railway until the last crossing before Springfield is reached. Cross the lines and check in at Springfield store. From Springfield continue over Porter's Pass to Craigieburn. Check here on the bank of the stream. From Craigieburn proceed to Bealey; past the hotel proceed on till the Waimakariri ford is reached. Lunch check on the bank of the river.

The homeward route to be followed ia via the outward route to Haworth and Thomas's garage, Tuam street. Saturday's run should finish at 7.15 p.m. and Sunday's at 5.23 p.m. The trial is open to members of clubs affiliated with the North or South Island Motor Unions. Riders will be dispatched in pairs at oneminute intervals. Competitors and officials will meet at the clubhouse at 7 p.m. on Thursday to go through the conditions. On Sunday next the club will hold a social run to the Ashley river, leaving the clubhouse at 9.30 a.m. A very comprehensive programme has been drawn up for the grass track meeting and will be published next week. CANTERBURY AUTO-CYCLE ; CLUB FIXTURES February 11—Club run to Motukarar*. February 24—Track meeting. March 11 —Pillion and side-car social reliability trial to Lei th field beach. The club run to be held on Sunday will cater for athletic and motor events, on the same lines as previously held at Burnham. Points will be awarded in the motor section for the trophy previously allotted for gymkhana events. Members will assemble at the Gloucester parking station at 10 a.m. sharp. Mr J. McGregor, of the Heathcote Arms Hotel, has given the club an option of a lease for five years at a peppercorn rental over his track at Heathcote. The first meeting will be held on Saturday, February 24, at 2.30 p.m., when attempts will be made to establish both mile and half-mile records for the track. This will be open to club members only, and intending competitors can meet at the track on Thursday, February 22, at 6.30 p.m. for practice. No dope will be allowed, with the exception of petrol-benzol.

The pillion and side-car trial which -was postponed on January 28 will be held on Sunday March