CHRISTCHURCH TO BLENHEIM. A ONE-DAY MOTOR TEIP.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 51, 2 March 1911, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH TO BLENHEIM. A ONE-DAY MOTOR TEIP.

TUX TELBGaAPH — SPECIAL TO THE POST.] CHRISTCHUKCH, This Day;. Tho first one-day trip from Christ church to Blenheim by road, a distance of 240 miles, was accomplished last month in a very successful manner by Mr. G. P. Andrews, of Birch Hill. On 14th February Mr. Andrews set out from the Christchurch: General Post Office in his- 16-20 h.p. Siddeley motor-car, with the intention of seeing whether the trip could be done. His car is a two-seater, and he was accompanied by an experienced chauffeur from Christchurch. The road to Blenheim from the city is considered to be ono of tho hardest in New Zealand, owing to the number oi shingly and ever-shifting river-b§ds, and the bad hills in. many parts. The roads during the trip were found to be in very good order A but the rivers were exceptionally soft, the Conway being especially bad. The car reached Waiau at 7.45 a.m., an hour's stop being made for breakfast, and a start was then made for Kaikoura. The only road stop was made on that portion of the journey, the large volume of water in the Conway necessitating a halt. Kaikoura 1 was, however, successfully reached, and lunch was taken there, while a two and a,-half hours rest was a welcome break. A start was then made for Blenheim, and the town was reached about &^ p.m. There was no trouble with tho cugine, and the tires behaved splendidly, the actual time spent on the road being 10 hours 28 minutes, which- is looked on in motoring circles as an excellent allrouiid performance. After the trip the i expert who was with Andrews expressed the opinion that the ride was one of the best that he had experienced, and added that the record had been well worth establishing.' SHIPBUILDING. BUSY TIMES IN AUCKLAND. [BT TEr,EG.BArH — SPECIAL TO TUB i'OST.] , AUCKLAND, This Day. The shipbuilding* 1 industry is very busy in Auckland at present. During the past week contracts have been letinvolving an expenditure of something like £35,000. This ie apart from various small work which is taxing the capacity of all the yard.';, and which will keep shipbuilders busy for months to come "Had we adequate accommodation," remarked several of them, "we could do ac much work again." The sheds are cramped as it is, and when, a new boat is- ordered for immediate delivery the most advanced boat on the stocks has to be hurried along to make room for her. The biggest contract has been let out by the Devonport Ferry Company, whose expenditure on two boats will run into about £20,000. One of the largest boats built in Auckland for some years will be placed on the stocks by Mr. C. Bailey, junior, towards the end of the year. The order was given to him last week, but he cannot possibly cope with it until the end of the year. The vessel, which is to be a steamer, is intended for trade beyond Auckland, and will be of about 300 tens register, co&ting about £15,000.