MOTORING & MOTORISTS

Evening Star, Issue 19050, 19 September 1925, Page 16

MOTORING & MOTORISTS

[BY RADIATOR.]

LIGHTING-UP TIMES. To-day G.2G Sunday ... (i. 28 Monday 6.21) Tuesday 6.30 Wednesday 6,31, Thursday 6.82 Friday 6.33 —Fixture.— October 3.—0.M.0. annual meeting. ‘‘SH A NDY-GA FF ’’ PETROL. COMPLAINTS IN MELBOURNE. Complaints by the motoring public in Victoria that unscrupulous garage proprietors adulterated petrol sold in bulk, thereby supplying an inferior grade of spirit to motor car owners, have been considered by the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce. At a recent meeting of the garage proprietors’ and oil and petrol sections of the chamber the following motion was agreed to:— "That this committee seeks the legal advice of the Crown Law Department and asks that action bo taken to protect the honest trader and the buyer in so far as the sale of motor spirit and lubricating oils is concerned, and that the Crown Law Department bo requested to accept the preferred assistance of the oil and petrol section of the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce, with a view to classifying (he various brands of motor spirits and lubricating oils.” This motion was brought to the notice of tho/ftA ttorney-Goneral, Mr Eggleston, subsequently, by a. deputation representing the sections of the chamber affected. The general secretary, Mr E. K. Varcoo, said that for many months the public had been complaining of the practice of "shandy-gaff-ing” petrol. Tho adulteration of lubricating oil was even worse than that of motor spirit. Oil purchased for 2s (id a gallon was sometimes sold at 8s a gallon, and considerable damage resulted to motor car engines. Mr W. .1. Orr, sales manager of the British Imperial Oil Company, said that tho practice of " shandy-galling ” petrol was rife in Melbourne and its suburbs. The public should be protected by tho appointment of inspectors whose duty it should he to sec that the tanks of the kerb potrol pumps contained none but the spirit indicated. Mr Eggleston: What adulterant is used? Water?

Mr Orr: No; not water, but a lower grade spirit. Mr G. S. Gordon, sales manager of the Vacuum Oil Company Proprietary, Ltd., said that tlie practice of selling an inferior grade motor spirit at the price usually charged for a first-class article was very common. It was suggested that petrol pumps should hear a disc indicating the class of spirit retailed. Most of the oil companies, it was- stated, sold three grades of petrol, and it was the practice of the dishonest trader to mix a largo quantity of third-grade spirit with the first-grade quality. In other instances third-grade spirit was sold directly as the superior grade. Mr Eggleston: We can only prosecute a man for selling something oilier than that which ho purports to sell. Each company apparently makes different grades of oil, and the first-grade product of one company mpy not bo equal in quality to the first-grade of another. A hoard or committee appointed to fix. standards might be faced with the very invidious task of classifying the first-grade petrol of one company with the second-grade petrol of a rival concern.

Mr W. I'l. Peverill; The margin of grades is very small. Mr Eggleston: Would the rompanies agree to have tlioir brands graded? Mr Gordon; Certainly not. Mr Eggleston said that Cabinet was considering the question, and was anxious to deal with it during the present session. “ 1 gather that there will he a good deal of difficulty in framing grades,” lie added, “and I will bare the matter considered very carefully.” SPEED. A remarkable speed was recently attained on 11 rook la mis track (England) on the occasion of a sporting match lor £SOO aside between two of England s greatest competition drivers. contestants were J. G. Thomas (e ,2G6 c.c. Lcvland) and E. A. Eldridgo (21,714 c.c'. Eiat), the distance being three laps (eight and a-balf miles). Ibo pace was terrific from the start, the monster Fiat jumping away with the lead. Both were driving high up the banking. After a hair-raising speed exhibition, Thomas won by 200yds, finishing at a speed of over 130 m.p.h. The Leylaufl, which was shod with Dunlop tyres, covered its fastest lap at 129 l-o m.p.h. The Fiat’s best was 126$ m.p.h. Thomas subsequently established now fi(Hires for the world’s hour record, the new mileage being 110 miles 1,221yd5. The previous best was Thomas s own record, he having in 1924 covered 109 miles 160yds in 60min, DUSTY ROAD DANGERS. Road dust, besides being a general nuisance, is now found to he a fciti.o source of skidding.” The statement occurs in a booklet issued this week by, the British Portland Cement Association, which is intended to give definite information on the subject of concrete roads and their development m this country. . ~. The danger of dust as a causa of skiddin" arises from the fact that when wot tho”small particles form a slippery film over the surface, which thua becomes a grave peril to both motorists and “ third parties.” This serious, fault, inseparable from the old-fashioned type of road, is absent in the case of concrete roads, whose hard is almost incapable of disintegration into dust. Further, the pamphlet explains, aa the “ aggregate ” of concrete is of a gritty nature, the concrete ijoad affords a good grip for hoof or tyre* and never wears slippery. Tests have beon_ made fjper various classes of roadway in the Ignited States which already possess 32,Q00 miles of all-concrete road—and figuoas quoted in the booklet show that an incalculable saving can bo effected fw ratepayers and road users by concrete»«onstmction. Apart from the immense reduction in the cost of maintenance, a. big economy is provided for the vehicles using the road. The amount of pnR necessary to keep a vehicle in motion after it has been started is considerably less on concrete than on any other form of road surface, and this fact has,, 'an important bearing on the question? of fuel economy. _____ ROAD THROUGH 6BJ& ISLAND, The secretary of the Otago Motor Club has received a latter from the .clerk of the Green island Borough Council stating that at the last mooting of tho council it resolved that afche work of filling in fro potholes with metal on the Main Smith road through Green Island be proceeded with. Lookout Point Hill and Brown’s Hill have been completed, and the work on the level portion of the do ad, starting from Concord, has been commenced. The ■ writer further stated that as a result nl MsefcMoM

Brief accounts of boßday trips, roads, and places of interest af® invited for this column.

ways Board and the Dunedin City Council, the Taieri County Council, and the Green Island Borough Council efforts are being made to have that portion of tho Alain South road through Green Island tar-scaled, and ho trusted that ho would bo able to advise the club, in tho near future that these negotiations bad resulted in tho Main South road being laid down with a permanent surface. In connection with this road, the district engineer of tho Public Works Department has written to the secretary of tho Motor Club stating that the Main Highways Board contributes £ for £2 towards the cost of maintenance of main highways, bub as regards tho main road through Green Island the hoard has offered to increase tho subsidy £ for £ if tho Green Island borough is prepared to undertake the tar-sealing of the road. The borough has tills proposal under consideration, and its carrying out appears to be contingent on the willingness of the Taieri County Council and tho Dunedin City Council to contribute towards tho cost.

PETROL AND STATIC ELECTRICITY.

The question of the generation of static electricity by the passage of petrol through metallic funnels* into metallic tanks is answered very practically in the official instructions which have been issued to tho various police and fire departments in the State of Massachusetts. Tho Massachusetts rules follow:

1. In drawing petrol from a pump into a can the metal of the can should always bo in electrical contact with the metal of the pump, so that any electricity that may be generated can pass off quietly through the pump to the ground. Wooden handles or other insulating substances on tho hails of cans should be removed at once, so that when a can is hung by tho bail on tho pump hook all parts of the can will ho in electrical contact with the pump. Wo know of two fires that have been caused by neglect of this precaution. 2. In filling the tank of a motor vehicle with petrol from a can through a metal funnel containing a chamois skin strainer, care should be taken to have the metal of the funnel in electrical contact with the metal of the tank, and also to have the can from which tho petrol is poured kept in electrical contact with either the tank or the funnel. If it is inconvenient to rest the mouth of tho can directly upon the edge of the funnel during the act of pouring, a piece of clean copper chain should bo soldered to the mouth of tho can used for this purpose, and the end of the chain should bo allowed to rest in electrical contact with tho tank or the funnel, and preferably with both of them. Blocks of wood or other insulating substances should never bo placed around tho filling hole of the tank to make tho funnel stand upright during tho process of filling, because they insulate the funnel from the tank, arid allow electricity to accumulate in the metal of tho funnel, when it would otherwise pass off harmlessly as fast ns formed to tho metal of the vehicle. It has been observed that when a man stands on the rubber covering of the running board of a motor vehicle and fills the tank with petrol from a can which ho holds in the air, sufficient electricity may bo generated by the friction of tho petrol passing out of the mouth of the can to cause a spark and resultant fire, when the can is brought near any metal substance; bonce tho necessity of the copper chain, and of electrical contact with the funnel and the tank during filling. Neglect of these precautions has resulted in at least five fires.

3. In filling tho tank of a motor vehicle with gasoline from a pump with a hose having a metal nozzle, fires have been known to occur from frictional electricity generated by the passage of the gasoline through tho rubber hose and collecting in dangerous intensity in tho metal nozzle, from which it is discharged by means of a spark when tho nozzle is brought near to any metal substance. During the process of filling in this manner the metal nozzle should bo kept iu electrical contact with the car tank, or a hose with a metal lining should bo used. A bare copper wire passed through the inside of tho hose and soldered io the metal the nozzle at one end and to tho metal of the pump connection at the other end, prevents the accumulation of electricity in the petrol inside of the hose by conducting it off to the ground. At least two fires have been caused by neglecting these precautions.—Big Tree * Bulletin.’

ROAD SIGNS. AMERICA WARNS “HOGS.” America undoubtedly leads the world in the wording of roadside warnings to motorists. Those following are selected from many recently erected at United States danger spots:— Speed limit in this towni Fifteen miles au hour. One day for every mile over that. Over 1,700,000 injured in 1923. Keep out of this census. Don’t run up your mileage with skids. Keep your hands on the wheel. Lot your girl hug herself. Don't try to think with yonr brake. There are three grades of eggs. There is but one grade of crossing, and that’s dangerous. The glass in your windshield is tho same stuff they put in hospital windows. Look through one or the other. Don’t try to scare locomotives with your Horn, Accident insurance is a good thing to have without the accident. A road hog roots up macadam with his nose. A circus is the place for clowning. Our roads are wide and smooth, hut some drivers are narrow and rough. We have seven good hotels and one gaol. Take your ‘pick. Your grandfather lived to be ninety because he bad sense, and so did thd horse. ,» Act like Pullman • porter on curves. Give wide swingers a wide berth. There is room for two hands on a, wheel. No more and no less. Fifteen miles an hour may bo a chill, but fifty is a fever. You are approaching our insane asylum. Be yourself. You wouldn’t travel on a freight train, so don*t try to travel under one, Tho minute you save may- ha jour last one. CAMP FOR MOTORISTS. The action of the Otago Motor Club in acquiring the use of Tahuna Park after the Summer Show as a camp site for motorists during the Exhibition Eeriod has brought a sheaf of inquiries •om all quarters to the club secretary (Mr P- H- Power). The South Canterbury Automobile Association writes string for full particulars for the benefit of its members. The Ashburton' Motor Cycling Club docs likewise. The Taranaki Automobile - Association congratulates the Otago Motor Club on its good work in this direction, asks for information, and states a desire to encourage any action wim £

taken. Tho Auckland Automobile Association writes stating that no doubt quite a number of Auckland motorists will lie visiting Dunedin during the Exhibition, and will wish to avail themselves of the provisions offered. The letter also states that the association is endeavoring to see that its members carry an A.A.A. transfer on their windshields. The Southland Motor Association asks information, and states that the subject lias excited yjuite an amount of interest in Invercargill, and, judging by inquiries already made, the facilities to be offered will bo in great demand. ROLLING RESISTANCE. Experiments in America have shown that the rolling resistance of the highpressure cord motor tyro is loss than that of balloon tyres. As a basis of comparison, inflation pressures of SOlb for balloons and 451 b, COlb, and 601 b respectively for 31in, 4m, and sin liigbpressuro tyres wore taken. Resistances wore found to bo 11.81 b (per I,ooolb axle load) for high-pressure tyros, and 13.51 b for balloons, and 17.11 b for covers made from canvas casings. It also was found that a difference in tyre resistance of 11b per ],ooolb axle load resulted in a 1 to 2 per cent, differences in fuel consumption. The maximum probable difference in fuel consumption, under normal conditions, was found to he between 6 and 12 per cent, under various road and wind conditions. As far as the balloon tyre is concerned, there is an off-setting factor to its higher resistance in its reduction of energy losses from vertical movements of the car body. An indeterminable amount of energy is absorbed by the springy, snubbers, etc., which varies with the degree of road roughness, spring stiffness, and other factors. The saying in energy by the balloon tyres in their greater cushioning properties counteracts their increased rolling resistance. MASS PRODUCTION. WONDERFUL MACHINES. (By Major F. A. Forbes-Leith, author or ‘By Road To India.’) The following interesting article on the motor ear industry appeared recently in the ‘ Glasgow Herald.’ Major Forbes-Leith is a recognised authority in the motor world, and his account of how cars can bo turned out cheaply, but thoroughly reliable, gives a vivid insight into the scientific methods of production which have given America so high a placo in the manufacturing world:—

In a recent article I expressed astonishment at tho fact that in America, where wages are nearly three times us high as at Horae, it is possible to turn out a good car at less than half tho price of our own products. I have just had the interesting experience of looking over a famous work at Detroit, Michigan, which is tho greatest motor-building centre in the world. Here I have seen something of the marvellous system that enables tho apparently impossible to bo achieved.

Detroit is a comparatively modern city, which has grown with the motor industry. It is now populated by over 1,000,000 inhabitants, practically every one of whom is connected with the motor industry. The impression on a stranger arriving in Detroit is extraordinary. Walking as a moans of transit has almost ceased to exist—everyone is awheel. Every side street may be used as a parking ground, and miles and miles of cars or every description are lined up in these streets to interminable lilies.

Strange to say, there is little traffic congestion, because of the excellent system of control, and it is possible to cover ground in considerably better time than iu either New York or London. In the main street quite a good speed can be maintained, because, by law, no vehicle may come from a side street into tho rain road without first stopping dead. This excellent rule does away with practically all risk of collision at cross-roads.

When I arrived at the works, where over 7,000 men produce 60,000 cars per annum, I expected to find the rush and hustle which wo Britons are led to believe is tho general method of life and work in the United States. I was expecting to see struggling and perspiring workmen racking to keep up with a fast-moving platform, with bullying foremen screwing the last ounce of energy out of thorn. I was completely disillusioned. Work, of course, was very real, and everyone was concentrated on his particular duty, but tho speed and output are dun entirely to the astonishing system of machinery, which does everything, and seems even capable of thought. One thing was immediately obvious—namolv, that the skilled mechanic has nearly ceased to exist hero, and his place has been taken by expert handlers of machines. I have heard many of my British friends argue that this system does away with individual skill and crafts-

man ship. True, ifc docs; but if an individual craftsman in our own country can earn £3 10s weekly after a long apprenticeship, and a craftsman who is an expert machine handler can earn throe times this wage, where is the reward of being skilled in a craft P Lot it bo remembered, also, that this system makes it possible to, produce an article that is within the means of the masses, whereas in Britain to own a car is the privilege of only the fairly affluent.

The first process I saw was in the handling of eight cylinder-blocks as they came from the foundry in the rough. They contain two key-holes, which control their position on each jig. The first machine is a milling machine, which receives the block ami, by four operations, taking about five minutes, tiro top, bottom, and sides of the block aro milled straight and true. One man operates this machine. The block is then moved on rollers to another machine, where a forest of lovely drills drop on it and, in one operation, bore all the bolt-holes on the top of the block. The filings are blown away by a compressed-air jot, and by_ pulling a lever the taps are dropped into these holes and thready them. The next machine performs a similar operation on the reverse side. From hero, the cylinder moves on to twentythroe different machines, each of which performs the functions of drilling and boring cylinders, valve-stem guideholders, etc. Those twenty-three machines were controlled by only twentylive men, and the whole. time taken in the process of completing a cylinder block is loss than an hour, although after the second cylinder-boring operation each block is given a rest of fortyeight hours to allow the metal to settle after the rough and heating process of boring. Each cylinder block is then tested to half a thousandth part of an inch. If out in the smallest degree it it corrected by a special machine, and, if bad, out it goes on to the scrap heap. A crankcase goes into a machine which, in two operations, drills and taps fiftyihreo holt holes. I have not space to describe details, but every piece of the machine is dealt with just as quickly and efficiently. In the stamping room, mudguards, brackets, cylinder head covers, crankcase oil chambers, etc., go into machines as sheet metal and come out complete at the rate of hundreds each hour.

In another department white r etal bearings in the rough aro pressed into their positions in the crank chamber, and the whole of them bored true to a l-2000th part of an inch in one operation. Connecting rods are treated likewise; and finally tho skeleton of tho engine is placed on a trolley on lines that encircle the assembling room There each man does his part of the job, adding this or that, screwing or holting, and as he completes his allotted part the trolley is pushed to tho next man. Each engine, when complete, is taken to a testing room and

given a three-hour run on a bonffi. Any engine that is not perfect is sent to another department, where it is broken up and reassembled after locating the fault. Thus proceeds the work. Every promss follows the fundamental principles here revealed. One may denounce repetition work, and put up a good case for the retention of the skilled craftsman who knows his trade from A to Z, but ono must not lose sight of tho result, which, as I have seen over and over again, is tho equipment of tho masses with serviceable cars at prices which aro within their # means. O.M.C. YEAR BOOK. The 1925-26 official year book of the Otago Motor Club is a credit to the compilers. It contains some ninetysix pages, and is printed on excellent paper. There are numerous photographs and diagrams, and interesting articles. Tho activities of the club aro attractively set out and described by the president (Mr A. E. Ansell), whose photograph appears on one of tho early pages. Police traffic signals and drivers’ signals are clearly shown by means of half-page photographs. Tho city bylaws, the Main Highways Act, and extracts from the Motor .Vehicles Act are also included. Places worth v' c u;ng, and short runs from town occupy further space, and there are numerous hints and tips in connection with motoring. Club members will find this year book most interesting and useful. A SENSIBLE SCHEME. • A scheme is to be inaugurated by the Canterbury Automobile Association to obviate the necessity for police and motor inspectors stopping motorists to see if they have their drivers’ _certificates. The association is issuing to each member a transfer to bo affixed to the windscreen of his car upon condition that ho produces his driver’s certificate and gives a written undertaking that ho will not allow any person who has not a driver’s license to drive the car. It is understood that the Christchurch City Council is prepared, on tho above conditions, to take it as evidence when tho transfer is affixed to the car that the driver has a certificate. Jf other associations and chibs can make the same arrangement with local authorities in their respective districts it will moan the saving of a great deal of annoyance and inconvenience to their members. The transfer is a 4in diameter c : rcle in blue and gold, with a wheel as an inner circle. Around tho inner circumference is the wording. “ Canterbury Automobile Association,” and in the centre of the -wheel is C.A.A. A scroll across tho top of the circle contains the. word “Member.” Tho whole transfer is exceedingly neat, and will not disfigure the windscreen. GEAR SHIFTING. Many car owners who thought they knew the car from A to Z aro just discovering that there aro three kinds of gear shifting as regulated by the clutch (states a motoring journal). Those are positive, semi-positive, and non-positive. Probably the average driver has never heard of it, imagining that the only difference in shifting lies in the arrangement of tho gears so as to require different positions of tho shift lever when gears aro in mesh. With a positive shift the driver must be deliberate when he is going from one speed to another. There must he no hesitation, no feejing around for the “ catch ” of the gears, and no wailing for the “ clicks.” With the non-positive typo, known also under other names, it is necessary to hesitate a moment in neutral before completing a shift. Unless this is done there is a clash. Tho semi-positive typo is just what its name implies. Ofton.it is the most difficult to get on to because the clement of time is so very important. If the driver is too hasty or too slow he will not make it. MOTORISTS FOOLED. Automatic windshield wipers that operate on onginq suction have their own little peculiarities that have fooled more than one motorist (states a writer in a motoring journal). In ono instance an owner spent much of his spare time trying to figure out why the wiper slowed down and sometimes stopped when the car was climbing a bill. Ho thought it was because the wiper, being then in more of a slanting position, was hearing too hard against the windshield. He was ready to admit that there arc many more chapters to he written to the story of the automobile’s peculiari-

lies when lie was later shown that the wiper must slow down when the throttle is wide open, since suction is then mainly through the carburettor, and hut slightly through the suction übe.

CANADIAN MOTOR INDUSTRY. Recent trade journals reveal a very large importation of motor cars Irani Canada. This is due 01116117 to the growth of the British Ford industry m the sister dominion. During the last, six months of all motor cars imported from Canada over 770 per cent were Canadian-made Fords, It is interesting to note that in the manufacture of a Ford over 80 per cent, of the materials are of British origin, after following each article back to its raw product source. The capital of the company is practically all British, and its offices, staff, amf workmen are British. 01; the total value of a Ford car sold in New Zealand, loss than £lO goes into the pockets of other than citizens of the Empire. EARLY CARS. A correspondent writes Dear sir,— Being a Now Zoalandor ; and taking an interest in our Exhibition, naturally I. desire to give you any information I can to make the exhibit a success. Having seen your notes in Saturday’s ‘ Star,’ I thought I -would write you those few lines’to lot you know there was a very crude motor car on exhibition at Invercargill, in a motor window, opposite the Post Office. This was about three years ago, when they hold the jubilee celebrations of Invercargill. If I remember rightly, it was one of the first motor cars, as per ticket on same. I can’t give you the name oi the firm, hut from this information, it should be possible for you or some of the Motor Committee to got into touch with some entliusiast_ in Invercargill, and make full inquiries regarding it. There was a new motor along side the old one showing the progress made in the manufacture of motor cars. |My correspondent refers to an appeal by the Motor Traders’ Association tor particulars of ’ early cars suitable to show the march of progress in the manufacture of motor cars in the motor section of the Exhibition. I thank the writer for his information, and will pass it on to the association interested. —“ Radiator.”] SAFETY FENDER DEVICE. A demonstration of a safely fender for automobiles was Held recently in New York under the auspices of the Bureau of Public Safety. The device consists of a steel grill scoop with rubber fonder attached to the front of the frame by guide plates ami automatic latches. A 61b blow on the fender will lower the safety scoop to within a few inches of the ground, preventing the victim from being thrown or dragged beneath the wheels. Tests were made with a seven-passenger car and a three and a-half ton truck, operated .at various speeds from five to twenty-five miles an hour by a man who walked in front of the moving vehicle. A speed governor resembling a taxicab meter was also demonstrated by its inventor. If sot at fifteen miles, for example, it automatically blows a horn and Hashes a red light when the car exceeds that speed. OTAGO MOTOR CLUB. ANNUAL REPORT. The thirteenth annual report of the Otago Motor Club, to bo presented at the annual meeting to bo held in the club rooms, Moray place, on October 3, states that the year under review has been a successful one, 402 now members having joined up. Danger and direction signs have received attention during the year, and many have been erected in various localities in town and country. The club’s activities have been largely directed towards Government Legislation as passed, and as it affects motor owners, this matter_ has been given much thought, and it is hoped that the efforts of the executive will attain its objective. Country roads and bridges have been subsidised by the club, and thanks are due to the various county councils for their courtesy and assistance. Motorists will be pleased to . know that tin Alain North road, from the Upper Junction to Waitati, has been declared by the Highways .Board a Government road. Operations in connection with the reconstruction of this most important work have been commenced, and the result must appeal to all motorists. Tiio executive has put in much time with matters connected with the road referred to, and looks forward shortly to having an entrance from and to the north worthy of the city. One competition was hold during the year—-a motor car and motor cycle hill ('•limb; much interest was shown in the events, a largo number of spectators attending. The club is now installed in the new premises in Moray place. Members will find the rooms very convenient, and they will fill a long felt want. Members are requested to propose their motoring friends as members of the club, ana thus assist in building up a strong organisation, the same being necessary to safeguard their interests, MOTOR CAR ARITHMETIC,, _At_iho moment considerable discussion is in progress concerning renewed assaults to bo made on the twenty-four-hour record on the ■ Montlohcry track, near Paris. It is interesting in this connection to illustrate by actual figures what such an achievement means. These are some figures of the achievement of the engine of the six-cylinder A.G. car which made a double twelvehour run under official Royal Automobile Club observation in June, 1924, on Brooklands track, at an average speed of over sixty-seven miles per hour. The magneto hearings revolved 5,400,000 times, and the sparks omitted totalled 10,800,000. The gas sucked in through the valve ports would be represented by a column of gas Ift square, reaching to a height of -twenty-six miles. Each valve opened and closed 1,800,000 times, and the number of engine revolutions was 3,600,000. The velocity of the car relative to the track was at an average speed pf sixtyseven miles per hour, and it is interesting to remelnber that the top of the wheels were progressing at the rate of double this amount, or 134 miles per hour, while the peripheral speed of the fly-wheel relative to the car was at least two miles per minute, in addition to its motion through the air relative to the track, which was, of course, the same .as the speed of the car itself. Those figures are striking because of their magnitude, hut in addition _to that they are interesting as showing that the car which attempts such a gruelling test as a double twelve-hour run like this must bo exactly perfect in every respect, otherwise, -with each event happening so many million times something would be bound to go wrong. HERE AND THERE. When driving over wet or loose sand the great thing to remember is to keep going as fast as possible at all costs, since a car will run easily enough over wet sand into which it will at once sink if stopped for even a few seconds. « * * Considerable progress in the direction of popularising unsplinterablo glass for wind screens and car windows has taken place, and it is expected that several leading car makers in Britain shortly will adopt this safety-first measure as standard equipment, * * « » A cablegram from London states that as the result of further negotiations between the Austin Company and General Motors. Ltd., the latter has withdrawn its offer.

A copy of the booklet, ‘Motor Cycler and How to Manage Them,’ was the appropriate supplement to the prize for fastest time in a freak hill climb recently held in England. » >.:■ * » According to figures recently issued in England, there are over 28,000 people employed in the various Dunlop Rubber Companies throughout the world. In England 1,200 are working at Fort Dunlop, where the huge plant covers 420 acres. The . Australian Company employs 2,000; whilst the other 14,000 are spread over plants in France, America, Canada, Japan. It is interesting to note what a huge output the English concern now has. The average weekly output is 52,000 motor covers (they are now making 70,000 a week), 150,000 motor tubes, 16,000 motor cycle tyres, 70,000 cycle tyres, 4,000 solid vehicle tyres, and 10,000 dozen golf balls. It is stated that the standard equipment on 95 per cent, of the cars sold in Great Britain is the Dunlop.