ROAD AND GARAGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 March 1922, Page 3

ROAD AND GARAGE

GENERAL MOTOR NOTES.

(By “Crankshaft.”)

The visit of the Hon. J. G. Coates to Punakaiki to-morrow will, if all hopes are fulfilled, mark as an epoch in the history of motoring on the Coast. The Ministerial tour as far as the Punakaiki road is concerned could hot have been better planned. The Minister will first see the wonderful blow-hole, the nikau palms and fern bushes, and last but not least, the lovely Purari beach. While the glory of the scenery is fresh in his mind and lie is formulating plans for another visit he will experience the bumps and jolts of the primitive road and the discom fortune of the unbridged creeks. It is to be earnestly hoped that the marvellous immunity from accident for which the road, since the first car travelled it, has been remarkable will continue, as under the best of conditions the disgraceful -and neglected state of that part of it on the other side of Ten Mile will be obvious enough to the Minister. An increase is noticeable in the. number of tourists motoring to South Westland and the Glaciers. The majority are from other centres, but a great many local residents are also alive to the attractions of their own province. Everyone is enraptured with the scenery and the roads are in fair order. Miss Annette Kellerman motored to Punakaiki the other day in company with the Mayoress (Mrs. J. I). Lynch). Site was deeply impressed with the

scenery, which she said was comparable to that of the west coast of Jamaica. There was nothing like it in either Australia or America and she could only describe it as wonderful. Business in the local garages is still steady, and there have been enquiries for both new and second-hand cars. Last week there was a scarcity of aeccs- . series but the position has since been eased somewhat by a consignment of , English makes coming to hand. British brands seem to bo getting a fair footing of competition with American, and it is to he hoped that it will benefit both. It sets one thinking when one is charged £5 for the common black American leather of which wind-screens for the cheap cars .are made.

(hie of our readers has been casting his eye around. lie says: Dear . Crankshaft.—Those old gentlemen “Pro bono publico" and “Old Subscriber'’ ought to got busy. 1 daresay these little dollop.s of earth and sand scattered ar. tind th? si reels are good fun for the juvenile cyclists; in fact, judging by the marks of their wheels there is no doubt that I hey are. Bui, liowrer inclined I may be to be tolerable lor a. day or so. I can't see the. I’uii in being side-tracked and jolted every tune I. pull up on I he side of the street . Of course, I should really look out of the way, but 1 am so busy dodging tar boihrs and young citizens who don't know a borough foolpath from a borough road, that I sometimes forget. In any case, I had a faint notion that the toads were built (?) for traffic, not as gravel pits , and cement yards. Tours etc., WILLIAM Aboo. The Danneiirke “News" says:— A story is going the round locally concerning the ungratefulness of a motorist. It is alleged that a well-known “punter’' was returning to Palmerston North by car from the races when he got bogged in the road, which is under repair near the Maharaliara bridge. After endeavouring unsuccessfully for some time to extricate the car the. .motorist secured the services of a couple of farmers, who, with the aid of a stalwarl team, got I he car back again on to the road. The owner then boarded it\and resumed his. interrupted journey, without even, it: is said, a word of acl; nowledgi nicnf. ;l rid the (aimers returned to their homes pondering upon the manners of some motorists, .-.nd the one they had befriended in particular. A car recently started out from New York to make a 70,000 miles world tour. This is the official scout car of the Illinois Automobile Club, and the Illinois Motorist. driven by Dr. E. T, Jolley and Donald AlcArtor. It arrived in San Francisco a few weeks ago, having completed 5000 miles of its journey. It is anticipated that ' the trip will fake two years to complete, It has now’ left for Panama

via New Orleans, and then right down South America. Shipping from South America to Cape Town, the plan is to push right through into Rhodesia, and as far into the interior as possible. After this the travellers will sail to Spain and motor through that country ’ Belgium, Germany and France, and I then across the channel by boat io 1 England. After touring through ' Europe again, toward the East, they ’ will ship for Australia. The trail L then leads to the Philippines. China, ’ Korea, and Japan. They will then - sail for British Columbia. A. long trip across Canada, passing through. ’ Winnipeg, Toronto, and Quebec, and then back to U.S.A, will complete the world tour. One notion of perfect traffic manners is exemplified by that Loudon taxi driver, who, when a pedestrian stopped and stood directly iiTthe way of the cab horse, leaned over and asked : “Hi say, sir, may I aw.sk what are your plans?”