MOTOR-CYCLING

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22306, 21 January 1938, Page 8

MOTOR-CYCLING

♦ ■ CANTERBURY CLUB PROGRAMME FOR THE YEAR At the last committee meeting of the Canterbury Auto-Cycle Club the following programme was approved of for the.ensuing half-year:—January 30. social run (Horseshoe Cliffs, Journey's End*; February 6, inter-club rally (Ashburton): February 12. solo and pillion social trial; February 19, South Island Beach Championships (Waimairi); March 5, treasure hunt (solo and pillion); March 19, mystery afternoon (solo and pillion); April 2, Flying halfmile speed trials; April 16, 18, New Zealand Grand Prix; April 30, novelty event; May 8, experts and invitation sporting trial; June 9, King's Birthday trial. The opening social run will be held to Horseshoe Cliffs, Loburn, approximately 30 miles from Christchurch. This should be very popular as there are excellent bathing facilities and plenty of shelter for picnickers. The South Island beach championships are arousing enthusiasm among the followers of motor-cycle racing and it is anticipated that a record entry will be received for all classes. Races for the three classes —250 c.c. 350 c.c. and 500 c.c. —will be held, the distances being eight miles, 12 miles, and 20 miles. The first two classes race over a two-mile lap, and the third over a four-mile lap. In the 250 c.c. and 350 c.c. classes, a minimum of four entries will be required. CORSAIR CLUB A sports meeting of much interest to motor-cyclists and car owners will be run by the Corsair Motor Club, at the Motukarara race track to-morrow The programme will include races for cars as well as motor-cycles. The distance of the track is one mile and a furlong, and it has unusually wide bends. Some exciting racing is expected. The motor-car owner will be well provided for and as this type of racing is given little scope in New Zealand, motorists are urged to avail themselves of the chance of seeing, off the main highway, how fast their cars really are. The first event is timed lo start at 2 p.m. sharp. THEFT OF PETROL FROM TANK PRECAUTIONS WHICH MAY BE TAKEN The stealing of petrol from the tanks of unattended cars is one of the meanest forms of petty thieving, and one that is far more prevalent than many people believe. It is, too, a particularly nasty trick, as it is likely to strand a driver on his way home late, when service stations arc closed. As a car's petrol is taken by inserting a rubber tube in the filler pipe and syphoning the fuel into a container, the obvious remedy is to fit a tank cap provided with a lock. It is to be hoped that this will sooner or later be a standard fitting on all cars. The distributors of many of the most popular models stock special caps in which a lock is incorporated. Where it is not possible to obtain a special lock of this sort, an alternative is to drill a hole through the cap near one edge, and another through the filler pipe, and through the two holes'the "U" shank of a padlock can be passed. But it seems a little unfair to ask' the motorist to fit a lock himself. It is so necessary, that it should be one of the next things provided as standard equipment. A chain to the cap itself, so that the pump attendant cannot leave it in his pocket, when the car drives away, is another.