158,356 CARS SOLD.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 March 1929, Page 13

158,356 CARS SOLD.

BRITAIN’S PROGRESS IN 1928,

ADVANCE! IN DESIGN

Ihe past year showed a further advance in the use of motor transport. '.'Tries H. Thornton llutter in the ‘Daily Telegraph.” The increase in the number of motor vehicles amounted m 1928 to roughly 140,000 —100,000 cars, 20,000 motor-cycles, and 20,000 goods vehicles, —bringing the total of registered motor vehicles up to 2,000,000, as compared with 1,858,800 in 1927. Tlie motor taxes on these two million motor vehicles brought £25,0(X),Q0 into the exchequer. The average payment in respect to a whole year’s license was £l4 4s for ears, £2 15s for motor-cycles, £2S 10s 6d for commercial motors, £2O 9s for electric goods vehicles, and £SO 13s for motor hackneys.

During the car-makers’ year, finishing on August 31st, the motor trade sold in that period 1.58,356 British built cars, 34,337 British-built vans and lorries, 9087. hackney cabs and motor coaches, besides some 32.000 imported chassis and cars. As a trade the British motor industry will be glad that the year 1928 has passed. It proved a poor business twelve months. Yet it was a year of notable events and of considerable development in automobile design and construction.

January last year saw the introduction of oetra-ethyl fortified petrol as another fuel for motor engines. It also raised the question of lead poisoning by exhaust fumes, but after practical tests by expert Government officials its danger to the public Was proved to be negligible. Sporting motoring in January was limited practically to the Monte Carlo annual rally, in which eleven British owners entered. The Hon. Victor and Mrs. Bruce gained third place, Air. A. FI. Pass' twenty-second, and Mr. F. W. Samuelson twenty-third of tlie fortydthree placed competitors. The last-named also won the 1500 c.c. bill climb up to Mont des Mules. WORLD’S SPEED RECORD. . “February wits noteworthy lor Captain Malcolm Campbell’s visit to Daytona Beach, U.S.A. to capture the world’s land speed record at a- pace of 206.96 ln.p.li. Captain Campbell also became first holder of Sir Charles .Wakefield’s £IOOO trophy for the, event and the £IOOO per year income to its holder. This month also saw the further development of safety j glass, the demand for which increased so much during the year that many new firms engaged in the production. Small car owners, received a shook in February when the leading insurance companies increased their premium for cars of 8 h.p. and 9 li.p., valued £2OO and upwards, from £8 19s 6d to £ll os for the 8 h.p., and from £9 17s to £l2 3s 6d for the 9 h.p. models. The introduction of the Alvis front-wheel driven car as a standard production, with or without a super-charger, was the leading mechanical feature of the month.

Greater attention to the cooling of the lubricating oil to the engine of the car was paid in March, as was evidenced by oil radiators being fitted as standard components of the new six cylinder Peugeot cars and the Rochet Schneider models. March also' saw proper recognition paid to Air. W. H. Pauli, technical director of the Dunlop Company, who entertained to dinner by the racing motorists of Europe for the important part he had playing in making the present tyres capable of carrying them safely at speeds over 250 mile san hour. In April Captain Campbell’s achievement was l>eaten by the American driver, Air. Ray Keech. who increased the speed record to 207.55 miles per hour; and a few days afterwards Mr. Frank Lockhart lost his life trying to snatch the record from Air. Keech also at Daytona Beach. FREE-WHEEL DEVICES.

Eree-wheeL devices came into pro null dice in May, as tests were being made by various motor manufacturers to discover some method to improve and to render easier the manipulation of geai changing by inexpert ..drivers. Bur it wa,s not until the end of the year, at the annual car show at Uiynip<u, that the result of such .tests were made public by their practical application to several well-known makers, of cars. These tests, and the creation of a new speed record for the ; mate she Is ley Walsh hill by Air. B. H. Davenport, who ascended this five furlongs in 46.8 see. were the outstanding motoring events in Alay.”