RECORD BROKEN

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 120, 14 February 1920, Page 8

RECORD BROKEN

AUCKLAND TO WELLINGTON

MOTOR JOURNEY IN SIXTEEN HOURS

The record for a motor journey between Auckland and Wellington was broken yesterday by a car driven by Mr. W. S. Miller. The journey was completed in sixteen hours, the actual running time being about fourteen hours. The previous rccoid was 22 hours running time, spread over a period of three days. Mr. Miller, despite the extraordinarily bad roads to bo traversed in the South Auckland district, beat the time of the through express trains in las dash from city to city.

Speaking to a Dominion reporter after his arrival, Mr. Miller said that he left Auckland at 3 a.m. with two companions, his departure being checked by the secretary of the Auckland Automobile Association. He travelled via Hamilton, To Kuiti, New Plymouth, Wanganui, and Levin. The distance covered was 4G5 miles, the actual running timo was 11 hours 8 minutes, and tho average speed. was slightly over 33 miles an hour. The engine of the ear was not stopped during the journey.' Short 6tays were made at several towns, and tyre troubles, duo to the high speed on very bad roads, caused some stops. The reads wore reasonably good for the first id miles south of Auckland. Then tihey became extraordinarily bad, and remained bad until tho car got into Taranaki. The Taranaki roads were very good, and tho Wellington roads gave no c.iusd for complaint. "I could not describe some of tho roads," said Mr. Miller.- "They, were not roads at all. They wero bullock tracks through the bush. The car had to climb stairs, bump over obstacles, wallow in creeks, and dash over hills and hollows. The ruts often were so deep that the; body of the car touched the road. There were places where wo could not exceed a speed of five miles nil hour. In order to maintain the overage we had to travel much faster in other places, and the car was flunp about in' a'manner that would scarcely be believed. It was a journey never to bo forgotten, ami its completion without a breakdown was a remarkable tribute to the endurance and efficiency of tho far." The party reported itself <iu arrival to the officer in charge of the Wellington Post Office and to the officials of the Wellington Autgmobilo Association.