THE MOTOR WORLD

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 12 September 1925, Page 15

THE MOTOR WORLD

NOTES. Under-inflation of tyres "wastes power. Forty-three out of _ forty-eight starters finished- in the Irish'24 hours’ trial held over a 420 mile course. Of the 45 machines which competed in'the. French Grand Pri'x twenty-two were of nlllßfiti'sh construction, and several others had British component Cts. • • _ , A copv of the booklet, '‘Motor Cycles and How to Manage Them,” was the appropriate supplement to the prize for fastest time in a freak hill climb recently held in England. It- is the opinion of The Motor Cycle that it is likely that some system of lubrication embodying the main features of the dry sump will eventually become standard practice. Between 20 and 30 novice motorists apply daily at the Auckland City Council traffic department for certificates of competency to Idlrive their vehicles. Recently nearly 50 applicants were put through the tests "in • a day. Motor-cycle ice-cream, and soda fountains, fire engines, taxis, G.P.O. delivery vans, and many other kinds of commercial side-cars, took part in the six days’ demonstration tour arranged by the A.C.U. (England). There are several hundred motorists in Auckland who have not renewed their driving certificates in accordance with the Motor Vehicles Act. Instances of ignorance or oversight are daily brought under the notice of the city traffic officials. When one does a Jot of driving along narrow lanes full of blind corners, or over roads carrying much, leviathan traffic, the purchase of a. super hooter is a justifiable extravagance. In fact, it is more useful than an insurance policy, and not wildly expensive. Horace tells us of a man who sat dow n bv a river batik ancl waited for tire water to flow by in order that he might cross on dry land. This is somewhat like the action of City Councils and the Railway Department in waiting fpr a reaction against motor traffic to set- in. The action against the North Down M.C.C. for damages in respect of the death of a spectator who was killed two years ago at a, road, race under the auspiced of the club, has been settled, and the committee of the club is .saddled with an expense of about £BSO. The clubs in the province are, however, rallying to the support, and (he Ulster M.C.C., the premier club, lias already voted a sum oi £IOO, A. motorist is claiming damages from thei Newmarket (Auckland) Borough Council for damages to his car, alleging that, a collision with a safetyzone in Broadway, Newmarket, on Hie night of May 19, 192,4, was duo to his inability to turn, his motor car because the road was left unfinished, with a straight ledge 3 indies in height. The street was being reconstructed yyhen the. accident occurred., The case is being tried in Auckland, and tlie result will be watched with interest by motorists. With a view to securing more members, til© Hamilton Automobile Association are inaugurating a membership drive, following on the success secured in Auckland. It. was explained that in the Auckland campaign the . executive circularised every member ; and gave a concession by way of a year’s membership for five new members secured. The association lost a guinea but obtained five. They found such a scheme had been a great, success in Auckland, and, increased the membership 100 per cent. A canvasser on commission and salary had also secured a good number of members. Advertising had brought in a very large l number, and he wished to say the daily press had given great support and been a wonderful help. To, make a success of the. scheme it was a case of personal appeal and newspaper publicity. To get members working some inducement had to be thrown out to them. It’s hard to he a motorist, and is likely to he harder still being one, says the Auckland Star. Most: people, it can lie accented, would like to own a car, and would, too, but lor two things, the first cost and the upkeep. Those fortunate enough Ip heat the original handicap lind their troubles only just beginning. What with registrations, licenses, driving tests, and certificates of competency, to become a driver is becoming more and more like entering one of tlie learned professions, except that it- isn’t so profitable in the ultimate. Then just take the. roads—take them .seriously, for most of them need it. Either they are good or they are not; mostly not, but there are exceptions. If they are bad, the careful driver crawls over them, slowly, groaning every time the chassis groans, and shivering at every protest from a long-suffering engine. If, on the contrary, the road is good, and he goes bowling along at a n even 25, lie is certain to find every here and. there a oedestrian, who decides he will cross, then thinks- it better to go hack, wobbles where he is for an agonising second or two, end finally leaps for safety, yelling “Road hog” to the. driver, who has risked his tyres and everything else- about the job by jamming on all he has by way of brakes. Super-added to other things making life a joy, the motorist now faces ft new set of d: aft regain lions, sent out. by a- thoughtful Government which feared he was growing bored. They do not, err on the side of brevity or sketchiness. In, fact they seem as comprehensive as the Book of Doom. Bub after .studying them extensively, intensively, verbatim, and seriatim, the motorist will find all is not lost. They still allow him to drive his car.

MAMMOTH MOTOR. SHOW. Tlie American National Automobile Chamber of Commerce has. arrangements well advanced for a mammoth nijotor show to (be jope/nedi i n New York on January 11, 1926. At a recent meeting of leaders in the American automobile industry assurances of participation in a conference to he held in Detroit in connection with the show were received from automobile authorities in 50 countries. It was brought out at the meeting that the British exoort trade was increasing rapidly and that tlie American export trade‘ had taken a tremendous step forward this year. It is expected that: at least half a million American cars and trucks will lie sold to more than 100 foreign countries this year, exclusive of home, needs. It was also indicated at the gathering that one or two of the English manufacturers are now getting into what might- lie termed “mass production” of medium and low-priced cars. CLASSES ROT? MOTORISTS. In Hamilton motor classes are held ati the Technical School, under the auspices, of the. Automobile Association. Dealing' with the. question, at the last meeting, the chairman questioned whether it. was desirable for the association to incur the expense of advertising the classes when only one or two. members, attended them. The secretary said the class was really the outcome of representations by the Automobile, and the Motor Traders ’ Associations. Mr. Hodd stated that the. classes were most interesting, and all *who attended were apparently perfectly satisfied. Mr. Cooper suggested it should, be pointed out to members that had it not been for the association the tuition fees would have been much higher. The matter then dropped. MOTOR CYCLE MIRRORS. Speaking ati a recent meeting of the Hamilton Automobile Association, a member said he thought it should be obligatory on motor cyclists to carry a mirror on their machines. There/ was no such provision in the Motor Vehicles Act, and he suggested that the Government. be asked to amend the Act accordingly. Several members were of opinion that- a. mirror would -serve, no practical purpose on a motor cycle owing to the vibration of the handle bars to. which the. mirror would have to be attached. Further discussion of the question, however, was. held over. ROAD CONSTRUCTION. _ MOTORISTS’ PREFERENCE. Auckland can boast of a, very creditable and rapidly-increasing milengci of concrete roads. America has 32,000 miles of concrete roads and continues •o mid to the total. Controversy exisls in England' as to the. merits of concrete and hitnm.en surfaces. There ar e little more than 300 miles of unsnrfaecd concrete roads in Britain, the, practice, of covering - the concrete roads with a bituminous carpet, is meeting with the general disfavour of motorists. The advocates of surfacing contend that the bitumen prevents wear on the concrete. Motorists find that tar-sprayed roads are conducive o skidding. Iti lias been demonstrated that th;e concrete- surface affords a better grip. Ini wet weather bitumen presents an exceedingly slippery -surface, and under dry conditions i;!j quickly becomes polished by the passing of thousands of rubber-shod wheels. Experts have estimated the surface life of a modern concrete road at from 15 to. 20 years. There is no doubt that- the periodical use of bitumen would prolong this, hut there would be an inevitable increase of the accident hazard. ALPINE RELIABILITY CONTEST. It is anticipated that the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria will shortly be issuing- particulars, and conditions for the forthcoming Alpine Reliability Motor Car Contest. The probable date will be towards the end of February next. This motor contest ranks as the finest and most severe car test held in the -Commonwealth. The route is a particularly attractive one, embracing magnificent mountain scenery, including Ml. Buffalo, MI. St. Bernard, Mr. ITotha.ni, Mt. Wills in Victoria, and Mt,., Kosciusko in New South Wales. Subject to the necessary acromiuodation being available at- Canberra, if is almost certain that Australia’s future Federal capital will also be included in the itinerary, thus adding further interest, to the event. An. important question that the R. A.C.V. ’s -Sports Committee will have to decide, in connection Avith this contest. is whether the accommodation en route will be sufficient to cope, with requirements in the event, of' the trial being open to the motor trade.. The popularity of this great contest is such that it is anticipated that ample entrants will be forthcoming from owner drivers to ensure the success of the undertaking. PARTS SPEED LIMIT. P ARTS, July Ifi. Police traps to prevent speeding by motorists are. to bo-established in the streets, of Paris. Any motorist who drives to the public danger, or exceeds- a. speed of 25 miles an hour, or exceeds- a. speed of 25 miles an hour, will be liable to bo stopped by the police. For the first offence he will receive merely,a. warning inviting him to drive- more slowly or -more carefully. If he is stopped a second, time his driver’s- license will be • withdrawn. 1 The Prefect of Police states that the. casualties, caused by reckless driving in the streets of Paris- average one person, killed and 20 injured every day.