MOTORING

Evening Star, Issue 16197, 19 August 1916, Page 10

MOTORING

[By C'ABBURETTOB.]

Mr P. 11. Power, a gentleman well and favorably known to members of the various local sporting bodies, has been appointed secretary of the Otago Motor Club. Personally I regret that Mr I<\ W. Oakden has resigned the position, as I found him at all times courteous and obliging, and a colleague with whom one could work harmoniously. But a bodyconsisting of some 400 or 500 membors entails so much work that a' business man whose regular line is not secretarial work must find great demands made upon his time.

I understand that notice of motion is being given for consideration at the club's annual meeting with the object of providing for honorary members. From time to time there are motor car and motor cycle members who, from private or other reasons, find themselves without the need of a motor. Now, the direct ■ benefits of such an organisation as the O.M.C. must be almost entirely absent in the ca-se of the motorist who becomes, whether temporarily or otherwise, a non-motorist. And such a member, although he may realise the vast amount of good the club are doing, must feel that in these strenuous times guineas and half-guineas take some getting. It is suggested that members may, a-t the nominal subscription of 5s per annum, become honorary members during the period in which they are not owning and using ia motor, la this way members would be enabled to keep :n touch with the sport and with the c.'nb, and help in a small degree to further the interests of motorists.

Word lias just been received from .the Heudee Manufacturing Company that between 4,500 and 5,C00 Indian motor cycles have been shipped to the various allied Governments. It is ' claimed that thjs number is. four times greater, than the ■number of any other one make of American motor cycles supplied to tne Allies. The genus '-'road heg" is causing annoyance to people in tho south end. Or Thursday afternoon one motor cyclist tore up Cargill road at a very dangerous speed. Just at dusk another one, with a rider oh the earner, did over "twenty" along the same road. Now, while one of the objects of this column may be said to bo fair deal for motorists," motorists should endeavor to give a " fair deal" to other people. The road hog does not do this.

I have' been asked to mention the fact that a. dog in Ravensbournc is making itself decidedly obnoxious and dangerous to motorists who" use the Dimediu-Port road. Another dog near tho bad bend on the north side of Saddlo Hill will be' rssponsible for a serious accident if the owner does not look after it. Unfortunately a large nnmber of dog owners seem indifferent to the annoyance and danger their dogs are. both to neighbors and "to users of the Ring's highways.

Coming towards town from the scntth last Saturday night I was struck by the number of unlighted vehicles that "were to bo seen. Near Mosgiel Junction I mot a dogcart; at the Coach and Horses I passed a van with a- bicycle lamp iu front, showing no rear light; and, coming nearer town, unlighted bicycles and traps ve-e far too numerous. Just this side of Lookout Point there were two stray horses in charge of the road. How the responsible authorities permit such a state of affairs. in view of tho .frequent accidents pud fatalities arising therefrom, is a problem that manv people cannot solve. Messrs"W. IT. Elliott .(Sutton), 0. P. Phillips (Stoneburn), and H. Bullock (Cromwell) have purchased six-cylinder Bnicks, while Messrs J. Culling' (Hillgrove), and A. Eiach (Mosgiel) have purchased "four-cylinder models of the same cars.

Mr D. Wilkinson has purchased a Harley-Davklsoii and side car.

According to Mr Ward Price, ofnuia-1 British Press representative iu the. Ba.lkans, an army of French mechanics is rebuilding the Zeppelin L 55. The remains of the machine were extracted from the marshes bordering on the river Vardar and conveyed to Salonika.