Bookshelf Pioneering Days In N.Z.

Press, Issue 32345, 10 July 1970, Page 16

Bookshelf Pioneering Days In N.Z.

THE early days of motorA cycling in New Zealand were colourful - ones indeed and the tales to be told of this pioneering era are endless. In her recently published book. Vintage Motor Cycling (Hedley’s Bookshop, Ltd, 148 pp), Mrs M. A. Bull successfully captures some of the more fascinating moments of this period. The book, as she explains in her preface, is not a technical publication on motor-cycles but is an honest endeavour to record the history of these machines from their introduction to New Zealand in 1899 to the end of the vintage period. December, 1931. For those seeking information about by-gone times, this book is invaluable. Mrs Bull has obviously put a tremendous amount of research into the subjects she discusses and although some of the passages are a little “heavy going” for the reader, the finished product is quite outstanding considering her interest in motorcycles did not develop until 1965. Some parts of the book would no doubt have been more attractive if Mrs Bull had not reproduced quite so

faithfully the wording in old newspaper articles, magazines and documents. Journalism has altered considerably since before the turn of the century and Mrs Bull would possibly have been better to have told some of the stories in her own words. But this is a minor criticism of a book which fills a large gap in New Zealand motor-cycling literature. In its opening chapter, “A Broad Outline.” it tells of the invention of the motorcycle by an Englishman, Edward Butler, in 1884, and its early development. A chapter on “Pioneer Motorists in New Zealand” follows and in this is re-

corded the purchase by a Mr Acton-Adams, of Christchurch, of a motor-tricycle in 1899. One of the country's pioneer motor-cyclists, Mr Acton-Adams imported the machine from France at a total cost of about £133. In succeeding chapters, the book recalls the days when oil and fuel were bought in tins or cases, when speeding was described as “travelling at a rate faster than walking pace" and when streets were so badly cut up by horses and carts that motor-cyclists were forced to ride on the footpaths. It is not surprising to discover that Richard Pearse, of Timaru, who is perhaps better remembered as one of the first in the world to construct and fly a heavier-than-air machine, also produced one of New Zealand's first complete motor-cycles. He constructed the machine some time between 1905 and 1910. The reminiscences of Mr. S. W. Moult, who built the first of three “Maori” motorcycles shortly after the turn of the century, are particularly interesting. A complete chapter on beach racing has been contributed by the Christchurch motorcycling personality, Mr Geoff Hockley. He recalls the times when New Brighton beach was a favourite venue for this once thriving branch of motor-cycle sport. Reliability trials, grass track racing and speedway are all covered in the book. There is even reference to motor-cycle racing on Lancaster Park—one can imagine the outcry if this was suggested today. A statistical record of registrations is quite enlightening. It shows a peak of 37.404 motor-cycles registered in the Dominion in 1930. There are about 25.000 at present registered in New Zealand, slightly less than in the early 19605. This book should appeal not only to veteran and vintage enthusiasts, but to all with more than a superficial interest in motorcycling. There is no finer

record of the history of New Zealand motor-cycling than “Vintage Motor Cycling."