SMITH’S THREAT

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11539, 16 January 1932, Page 5

SMITH’S THREAT

WANTS MORE CONSIDERATION. OR SPEED TRIALS WILL BE REMOVED TO FLORIDA, ALLEGED HINDRANCE BY LOCAL RESIDENTS. (Special To . Tlic .Times). AUCKLAND, < Jan. 15. Tho. Star says:- v* “Unless Smith ‘receives more consideration Lour-the residents of the Ninety Mil© : Bdach district, lie has stated that ho - will cancel all arrangements to attempt the world land 'speed record in New 'Zealand, and take the Enterprise to Daytona Bqr.eh, Florida; ' •

‘ ‘Members of Smith ’ s party a ss'er fc that ever since they arrived at-Ni niftyMile Beach they have been hindered in their arrangements by-people insisting on going on the beach. The people of .'the district contended that all and , sundry /should be allowed oh the beach when the racing car was out on tests or trials,' but Smith maintained that if people wore allowed to wander at will they would endanger their own lives and also his own. Hu'paid it was immaterial to him whether he took his ear to Daytona, or stayed in New Zealand. lie earn© hero to be loyal to tho ; Auckland Automobile Association, a body which had done so much for him. ' “Smith said the manner in which the public were treating officials was unreasonable. The offiicals were men who had given up a- tremendous amount of their time, and it had cost them, personally a lot of money. 'Tbo only reward they were looking for was to place New Zealand on the map, and so benefit tho very people who wero doing their best to hinder them. The officials intended to sec the event through at ail costs.” denial of the be pout. (Special to the'Times) . AUCKLAND. Jan. 15. Advice from tho Ninety Mile Beach states that “Wizard” Smith denies tho report that he has threatened to cancel his New Zealand arrangements and take It is car to Daytona. “UNDESIRABLE.” STATEMENTS OF 300 MILES AN HOUR. HARKNESS REBUKES “WIZARD” SMITH. (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright) SYDNEY, Jan. 15. ' Mr. Don Harkness informed the press that lie definitely dissociates himself from any claim that Mr. Norman (“Wizard”) Smith’s car is designed or intended to achieve speeds in the vicinity of 300 miles an hour. “W r e are dealing with many unknown factors,” he said, “and it would he unwise to make any prediction. My mission has been to build a car to better the existing record, but I have not yet aimed at such a high rate of speed as is freely reported. It is undesirable that" such ambitious statements should be mode aiid circulated, although if the Stewart Enterprise is . successful, as I hope it will be, its gearing may he modified to attain still more phenomenal speeds.” MAXIMUM OF 263 MILES AN HOUR, MR. HARKNESS’ OPINION. “WOULD BE AMAZING.” ( Special To The Times). . AUCKLAND, Jan. 14. Before Mr. Harkness left Auckland for Sydney, says the Star, ho stated that the Enterprise was not designed to do 300 miles an hour. He mid he had designed the car to travel at a maximum spaed of 203 miles an Lour. It was unreasonable for anyone to claim that the 300 mark would be reached. Even Sir M. Campbell’s Bluebird, with all improvements over the Golden Arrow, knocked only 14 miles off Sir H. Sograve’s record. “I will he delighted if the record i« beaten by 13 miles an hour/’ said Mr. Harkness. “A speed of 245 miles •an hour is terrific, and if tho Enterprise does 265 miles I twill consider that sho has accomplished wonders. On on© occasion it took mo weeks to increase the speed of an ordinary racing car by five miles an hour. It v'ould bo amazing if I could build a car that would travel 55 miles an hour' faster than the Bluebird.” BEACH NOW IN BAD STATE. TESTS UNLIKELY TILL FEBRUARY 9 OR 10. (Special To Tho limes). AUCKLAND, Jan. 15. “It is unlikely that Smith will make any attempt on the records until February 9 or 10,” said Mr. H. J. Butcher, chairman of tho Auckland Automobile Racing Club, who has returned to Auckland. “February and March have always been regarded as tho most suitable 'months. At present the beach is in an impossible state. Thor© was a heavy downpour for 48 hours just before Xmas, and the water is still coming down on to tho beach. The 17-milo stretch, which includes the measured milo, is at present the worst part of the beach. It is unlikely that tho beach will improve enough by next spring tides for the trials to bo held.” RACING CAR’S TRIAL FIRST RUN OF GOLJJEN RACER “WIZAJRJty” SMITH SATISFIED. A WONDERFUL SIGHT. ‘/I am more than pleased with the Stewart"'Enterprise, which travelled 125 miles an hour at a mere touch of the throttle,” said Mr. Norman Smith, on Monday afternoon, immediately after having completed his first trial run' with the. golden racer. ‘ ‘The car behaved magnificently in every respect,' the new radiator giving every .satisfaction.” Mr. Smith’s party visited the beach eafly on Monday when the tide was fairly high, and the beach showed a v slight' improvement. / The racer

was prepared in case the beach should permit the start of tho trial, and Mr. Smith took his own car at 65 (miles an hour along the beach, which had been flagged for a distance of. six miles/ v On -his return ho announced that tho trial would bo made and as tho car was ready it was towed out on to the sand by the special three-axle truck, and taken about half a mile north of tho garage, where it was turned until facing southward.

As the engine had been (running shortly before leaving the garage, Mr Smith' considered it unnecessary to use the auxiliary starting mechanism again on the beach, and the racer, Which was using road tyres, was towed southward by the truck.. In (fchefirst- few yaerds the: engine commenced ’to fife intermittently, the racer drawing. ahead of th© truck and running alongside. Then the Napier engine stopped and the racer Was again taken in tow. By this time the car and truck had passed the eager crowd waiting near the garage, and it Was not until another half-mile had been covered that the racing engine commenced to fire regularly. The tpw rope was cast loose, and th© moment the truck was clear a cloud of blue smoke came from the exhausts of the Enterprise, and the snarl of the motor was borne on the Wind to the mechanics on the truck.

The Enterprise made a wonderful sight with tho setting sun reflected from every part of the gleaming body. Once she was under Way the people in following cars, which were doing 65 miles an hour, had only a glimpse of the great racing. car, Which shot ahead "with tremendous acceleration and was hidden from view in a cloud of flying sand, leaving the touring cars as though they Wore standing still. Far past the end of the lino of flags the racing car sped, eventually stopping over four miles south of tho garage. Smiling broadly, Smith explained that he had not at tirst realised the great speed at which ho was travelling owing to the remarkable steadiness of the car. When he had closed tho throttle and decided to apply the brakes, he found he could not stop nearly as quickly as ho had expected, although the friction had burned all the paint off the brake drums.