MOTOR-CYCLING

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22466, 29 July 1938, Page 16

MOTOR-CYCLING

PIONEER MOTOR CLUB A large party of members went to Timaru last Saturday for the South Canterbury Motor-cycle Club's annual ball, and a most enjoyable time was spent as the South Canterbury Club's guests. The party returned to Christc'.urch on Sunday. One of the largest social functions of any kind to be promoted by the motor-cycling fraternity of Christchurch for many years is the Pioneer Motor Club's annual ball, which will be held in the Mayfair lounge next Thursday evening, August 4. At this function the cups and other prizes won by competitors during the year will be presented. Prize-winners are reminded that their complimentary tickets are obtainable from the secretary. Dance tickets are also available from members of the committee, and members may reserve alcoves up to 5 p.m. tomorrow. Details of the new season's programme, which will be one of the most ambitious for many years, will be announced in the course of the next few days. Many new and popular events, in addition to a wide selection of established forms of competition, will be incorporated, and both the sporting and social departments are to receive special attention from their respective sub-committees. In accordance with the policy announced at the annual general meeting, an effort will be made to increase further the value of prizes and trophies to be competed for during the coming season, and the club's road safety scheme, on which much time and energy is being spent, will be still further developed. A very active season is forecast by the committee. The club is pleased to report the enrolment of many new members.

Motor-cyclists! A minute for safety is better than a month for repairs.—Combined Clubs' Safety First Campaign.

CANTERBURY AUTO-CYCLE CLUB Members and their friends are again reminded that seats for the theatre party next Wednesday evening must be reserved at any of the motor shops. The recent request for suggestions from members has met with a good response, and many interesting ideas have been submitted. One suggestion which will receive consideration at a meeting of the committee next Monday evening is that of an accident benefit fund, for v/hich an extra charge would be placed on all entry fees and set aside for members who may have the misfortune to injure themselves while riding in events. Many congratulatory letters have beer received from members about the inauguration of the road service patrol, and it is anticipated that this service will fill a long felt want. ROAD AND RAIL CO-OPERATION In the last few years there has been much more co-operation than formerly between road and rail services in Great Britain, and special containers for the carriage of <*oods have been designed which fit equally well on motor-truck bodies and on rail trucks. In 1928 the British railways had in service 1574 of these containers. Today 13,800 are in regular use. Some years ago railway country lorry services were introduced experimentally in certain rural districts. These have been extended considerably, and now provide augmented services to country shops, dairy establishments, estates, farms, and private houses in practically every part of the country. Modern motor-trucks are used for these purposes, and they operate from 2751 railway stations. In the last 10 years the number of motor-vehicles operated by the British railways has increased from 3466 to 10,000 vehicles. These are mainly of two and four tons capacity, although light delivery vehicles are also • used, and there are some special 12 tonners for very heavy work. WORLD PRODUCTION

It is estimated that the production of motor-vehicles this year will be very much less than it was last year, the decrease being due mainly to the big drop in production in the United States and Canada. Last year, motor-car manufacturing countries produced a total of 6,277,451 motor-vehicles, of which 5,015,975 were produced in North America. Experts predict that this year the United States and Canada will produce between them only about 2,000,000 vehicles, a tremendous drop, which will reduce the world output to approximately 3,250,000. a decrease of 48 per cent. The position is regarded as serious because there ai- so many industries which depend largely on the automobile industry to keep them going. Of these, one of the most important is the tyre industry, which, this year, will lose the profits on 16,000,000 tyres which will not now be needed for fitting to new cars in .North America. This loss will be compensated for partly by a bigger demand for replacement tyres, as the total number of motor-vehicles in use throughout -the world, 42,000,000, is the highest on record. MODERN ROAD BUILDING A most interesting machine has been developing overseas for the purpose of< speeding up the construction of concrete roads. It is mounted on a truck and actually mixes the concrete while the vehicle is in motion. A special mixing drum' is the main part of the machinery, apd this is revolved by a connexion the power take-off on the truck's gearbox, this thoroughly mixing the ingredients of the concrete. When the ruck is about one mile from its destination, water from another drum is poured into the mixture so that upon arrival at the scene of operations the concrete is ready for pouring on to. the road surface. This is achieved by changing the direction of the drum's rotation, the concrete pouring out from the rear of the vehicle down a nine-foot chute. This has'a universal action, so that it can be directed on to the required part of the road. As concrete sets half an hour after it is mixed, this method should save a great deal of time in road construction work.