THE MOTOR WORLD

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 September 1924, Page 16

THE MOTOR WORLD

NOTES

Some New Zealand level crossings are very dangerous,” said Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, S.AL, during the hearing of a case in the Invercargill Court, ‘‘and we know that even with the greatest possible care it is, in some cases difficult, in fact almost impossible, to avoid an accident.” A London firm are now manufacturing what they call the smallest motor ear 'on the market. - How great a. boon this will be to the general public will be gathered from the report that one of these ears lias been knocked down by a. pedestrian. Air. R. H. Leece was present at the annual executive meeting of the New Zealand Motor Trade Association, held recently in Canterbury. . The only other, delegate from Taranaki was Mr.' P. E. Stainton, of New Plymouth, who had been president last year.

An illustration in the Christchurch Sum gives a view of one of the outings provided by local motorists for members of the Automobile Union. It shows: •‘Ancient cars in a modern setting. The lunch-time stop at Ashley Gorge m the first trial held by the Canterbury Automobile Association. To this delightful spot the delegates to the Motor Trade Convention were taken for a. motor picnic.” He who hesitates is safe —at level .Tossings.

The United Kingdom has 400, Out) motor cycles

Automobiles increased over I(X> per cent, in the last ten years. Nearly all the 2500 automobiles in che Dominican Republic have been imported m the last three Up to the end of Apia only 625 cars were exported from Germany this year, as compared with 1855 in the same period a year ago. November 9 to 15 is the date fixed for the twentieth annual Automobile Exhibit-on in York, while that -n Chicago is to be held during the last week of January, 1925. Most of the yariecy of license tags m the United States nave white numerals on a coloured background. Eleven States are using black backgrounus a ltn white numerals.

An English amateur motorist, E. A. Aidndge, lecentiy pat up a. remarkable' road record in France aboard a 369-n.p. .fiat. He covered a kilometre (iODi> yards) from a flying start at a speed of 146 Hides an hour. The speed attained was the average of two drives in opposite direct-ons. He covered the -lying mile at 145 f m.p.h. drivers, when approaching or entering a curb, highu ay intersection, or .1 unction, or coming to the top of a mil, ii loadway is OuScured, should use so -nd signal eneetively and go slowly.

As a natural result of' tne abandonment of a tariff on imported cars ana motor cycles, many foreign manufacturers are investigating the British market with, the intention of establish, mg agencies for their goods m England.

\ special traffic patrol officer has commenced duty m Christchurch City oy arrangement between the City Coun cd and the Police Department. This on iter’s duties will consist of trying the educate a considerable section ol the public to a reasonable appreciation of footpath by-laws. Vehicular traffic will also come within the scope of his work. ' -

Motor-cars and motor-trucks to the number of 78 were registered with the traffic department of the Auckland City Council during last week, compared with 74 for the preceding week. Motoi cycles totalled 21, as against 30 during the previous week. The number of motor-cycles registered during recent weeks has been uniformly high. Good progress is being made with the new building of the Royal Auto Club of Victoria, The complete building will be one of eight storeys and a basement, and,' as a whole, will not be out of the contractors’ hands before the end of the club’s financial year, which closes on February 28. It is being erected in reinforced concrete, and will be a fine edifice, an acquisition to the city’s architecture. The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria will give £250 as first prize for the projected motor race from Port Darwin to Adelaide, providing reliability is held conjointly. An effort is to be made to raise £IOOO for this purpose by circularising the members. As there are 5000 members on the roll, a subscription of 5s each would suffice. There is also a prize of £IOOO given tiy Mr. C. B. Kellow. Reckless walking was a subject discussed at a meeting of the Wanganui Automobile Association (says the Chronicle). One member stated that in America children were educated in the schools to be careful about walking through busy streets. They were also warned about; crossing streets diagonally. It was decided to confer with the local Headmasters’ Association with a view’ of having a similar instruction introduced into the schools of the Dominion.

An improved grease container for fill, ing grease cups can be quickly made by rolling a sheet of stilf wrappingpaper into a small cornucopia. Pack the container with grease, tear off the pointed end. and roll the top as you would a tube of tooth paste. A Tibetan chief, who had lieen educated’ in England, tqok hack a motorcycle, but this so alarmed the elders of his tribe that they demanded that it be placed in a special shrine and worshipped, so that the devils in it should be placated. A good performance w’as put up last Friday by Roy E. Champtaloup, who climbed up the inside of the crater of Mount Eden on a 2% o.h.v. Rudge motor-cycle. It was not a test of riding ability so much as t-o prove the power which a small high-efficiency engine can develop. The ride was made straight up the side of the crater, a distance of 120 ft., the angle being 62 degrees. BY-LAW CASES. At a meeting of the Otago Motor Club, Mr. A. E. Ansell, referring to the Temuka- by-law cases w’hich w r ere successfully defended by the club, wrote that one of the most important facts established was that no car was under control at speeds less than ten miles an hour. At lower speeds efficient steering was most difficult, and quick acceleration, which was often necessary to avoid accidents, was impossible. Motorists were clearly entitled to maintain such speeds as would give the driver comfortable control of the ear he was driving. Mr. E. D. Mosely, in giving his decision, had expressed his sympathy with local authorities in the endeavour to suppress reckless driving, and the club must he with him in that. He was satisfied that generally speaking both the police and the local authorities wished to treat motorists reasonably, hut unfortunately a small percentage of motorists persisted in reckless driving and made the task of just admin-

istration very difficult. The more the club’s influence was used to suppress reckless driving the more ready the local authority would be to treat motonsts in a reasonable manner. Reckless drjvers. were not only a menace to all users of the roads, but their selfish indulgence militated stromdy against the interests and welfare 'Vf motoring in all its phases; therefore it w’as the duty of all motor organisations to use every effort to have such offenders drastically dealt with. On the other hand, many by-law’s at /present- weie absurd and not necessary for the protection of the public, and it was the dub’s duty to have these unreasonable restrictions removed. That, he ventured to- say, could he done in most cases by presenting their case before the authorities concerned. He further considered that more efficient control of traffic could be obtained by more frequent use of the Motor Regulations Act, which 'deemed it an offence to “drive to the danger of the public. • . By-laws were too- inelastic. Jo restrict, to a certain speed, irrespect.ve of the amount of traffic on the road, or which might reasonably be expected, was absurd. They as motorists must, however, as far as they reasonably could, assist in reducing the number of accidents ,-.hat happened in the Dominion. These were far too numerous. They should confer with the police and local authority in an endeavour to control more efficiently all vehicular traffic. LEFT-HAND DRIVEN CARS .

•. “That the question of the- importation of left-hand drive cars be discussed by the conference,” was a remit moved at the convention of the New Zealand Motor Trade Association by Mr. S. Wilson. In doing so he said he did not think there was any chance of getting such cars kept out of the Dominion.

Mr. D. Grozier said he considered it only right that an attempt should be made to regulate the drive of a car. He thought that such a matter should fie dealt with in the motor regulations. He was of opinion that righthand drives should be universal Yn the Dominion.

Mr. McGlashan said that in America the left-hand drives w r ere used because they were suitable for keeping to the right. He moved as a recommendation that regulations should be embodied in the Motor Vehicles Bill that only right-hand drive cars be used on the roads of the Dominion. A number •of delegates . spoke in "avour of the remit, one expressing -•he opinion that the left-hand drive was a menace to life.

The remit was approved, and a motion was carried, which Air. MeTlashan agreed . would meet.'the case, is follows: That licenses be not granted to left-handed drive cars imported into New Zealand after the Motor Vehicles Act comes into force.

. The chairman (Air. P. E. Stainton) dated that such legislation, if passed would not he retrospective. It would not impose any penalty in respect of cars imported prior to the Act becoming law r .

THE' KING’S NEW MOTOR. CARS

After an interval of thirteen years, His Alajesty the King has purchased three new motor cars. They are sixcylindered Daimlers, of 57 horsepower.

Of users of high-powered ears, probably H.is Alajesty has the record of having obtained the best value for money of any motorist in the land, lor the mileages achieved by the cars which were bought respectively thirteen and fourteen years ago, are to be expressed each in terms of six figures, and the machines are still running well and look none the worse for wear.

The new cars are of elegant shape. The accommodation is in accordance •with Royal practice, two fixed bucket seats being provided for the use of their Alajeeties, and a large seat at the rear for Equerries and Ladies in Attendance. Hobson mechanical lifters are furnished to the front windows and to the frameless plate-glass windows of the doors. Each window is proportionately very large for the purposes of enabling the public witnessing State, or semi-State processions to enjoy an uninterrupted view of their Afajesties’ progress from the roadway. The colour scheme is royal claret picked out with vermilion, with the Royal Anns emblazoned on the doors and back panels, the exterior mountings. being of brass. The upholstery is blue morocco leather and cloth. All the interior fittings, including special ’amps, companions, cloaks, speedometers, and so forth, are in silver. These cars have no registered number-plates, and are further distinguishable by a system of badges, consisting of a Royal Standard on a shield, replaced at night by a special C.A.V. blue signal lamp.

TWENTY YEARS SYNE

Statements which jf made to-day would sound very amusing were uttered by Brevet-major AlcNulty. of the A.S.G'., in a lecture on “Afechauicallypropelled Vehicles for Alilitary Use,” before the Royal United Service Institution in 1904. Speaking of the motor, cycle, he said it raised less dust than the most dustless car, and in the case of breakdown it could "be pedalled. At a pinch the engine could he removed and the machine used as a pedal bicycle.' Unfortunately, it was not yet perfect, and it was even now (1904!) no uncommon sight to see a motorcyclist detained on the road bv some [ ; temporary trouble. He considered that 20 motor-bicycles and 40 ordinary bicycles, accompanied by two cars carrying spares for the former, would constitute a very mobile force. His idea >vas that the motor cyclists should tow the push cyclists.

“OCTROI.”

FRANCE’S FEUDAL TOLLS

One of the reasons why Frenchwomen are desirous of having the vote is their hatred of the secular custom of the “octroi,” or tolls, which retard the life of almost every French town and village. With the exception of Spain, says, a writer in The Manchester Guardian, France is the only European country which preserves this relic of feudalism. In England the toll-gates are still a living memory, hut the. examination of every basket or cart which crosses the confinets of the town or village is a burden so heavy that it is almost incredible to see it in full blast to-day, especially in a country which produced the Revolution and cultivates democracy. In Paris the price of various commodities, such as paraffin or

vegetables, is higher'than.'is the ease m the surrounding neighbourhood almost solely on account of the taxes levied upon its entrance into the city. Every woman who conies in with a market-basket has to have it examined, it may be, in all the stress of a great crowd. If it contains dutiable articles, and it almost certainly does, she has to pay upon it, with the consequent increase in its price inside the barriers. Eggs sent by post from the country to Pa-is ni" li-ihle to a duty, which is collected by the post office.

In the villages the same thing applies. with all its attendant delays and stress to the mind. One result of the Paris “octroi’’ is the enormous congestion at the barriers of motors of which the petrol tanks have to he examined to see that they do not bring in free of duty more petrol than,they took out. It may be . imagined how much time and work this implies, both on the part of innumerable officials and of the long-suffering public. This alone mav bring about some legislation abolishing this worrying mode of taxation. Still more to the r»oint is the reduction in the cost of living which would ensue, even if taxation were increased in other directions.

FINING HIMSELF

MOTORIST'S GIFT TO' A HOSPITAL

At "Dorking. Surrev. Vivian Prewett; of Hurst Farm Chessiiirton, near Ensoni. was summoned for being drunk in charre of a. motor ear. The bench imposed a fine of £2O and disqualified him from driving for a year, but it was pointed oat that they had no power to impose such a penalty and they altered it to 40s fine and five years’ disqualification. Prewett save a cheque for £2O to coyer the fine and the balance, £lB, as a gift to the Dorking Cottage Hospital. His counsel, Mr. Travers Humphreys, said he would not drive again.