NOTES AND NEWS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 11 August 1928, Page 14

NOTES AND NEWS.

There were 20,282,214 private motorcars registered in the U.S.A. at the beginning of this year.

It is side-curtain weather.

Far too many motorists are now going their semi-blind way with only the care and/ sharp-wittedness of the other chap to prevent crashes.

Look to your side-curtains! See that the condition of your celluloid does not impair visibility ! Keep the blind spots down to the minimum! Play safe!

Owners of Morris-Cowley cars will be interested to know that the name will shortly designate a British railway station. * The development and expansion of the Morris concern has led the Great Western Railway Company to construct a. new station between Wheatley and [jittlemore, to be known as MorrisCow ley, in view of its proximity to the works.

Driving with the instep over Ihe accelerator, the pedal acts as a support for the loot arch. Many bus and taxi drivers and Jo ng-distance motorists unconconsciiously operate their cars in this manner to relieve foot strain. The position does no harm to the foot, though it is hard on clutch and brake, for the smooth, soft, elastic action secured at the ball of the foot is lost.

During the first five, months of 1928 motor tyres valued at £448,512 were imported into New Zealand. Canada supplied the greatest number, imports of tiiis origin amounting to £238,764. British tyres accounted for £102,766, French makes, for £(54,0.47, American £39,932, arid Italian, German, Belgian and Australian imports for about £3OOO.

The concrete versus 'bitumen controversy w.ii.l no doubt be revived with some vigour when improvement schemes under tne petrol tax distribution take shape. The belief that concrete costs from £3OOO to. £4OOO a mile more than hr,st-class bitumen has been exploded. Ihe Hawke's Day .County Council, an authority which lias undertaken 1 airly extensive bitumen surfacing schemes in the past, lias now selected concrete for a our-nnle section of the Napier-Hast-ings highway. Several miles of concrete are being .laid in Chris toll urefi, the contract .price only 11s 3d for an 18-foot paving with three feet shoulders. Tne bitumen paving of the Hutt Road, the best example of this class of surfacing in the Dominion, has averaged over 11 si 9d a square yard. Some sections cost up to los 6d. About 1,250,000 square yards of concrete paving have been laid within a 20-mile radius of Auckland. The average is below 15s, and recent work cost less .than 12s a square yard. There is no disputing the fact that 3.J-in .bitumen on the Hutt Road cost as much, as Gin and 7in concrete on some Auckland roads.