RANDOM NOTES

Hawera Star, Volume L, 26 July 1930, Page 14

RANDOM NOTES

In 1920 the British Minister oi Transport did not allow a. single request by local authorities for a special speed limit. A turn-table is built flush with a narrow street in Paris, France, to facilitate the turning round of motorcars. It is operated by an electric motor. This plan is expected to speed traffic and prevent congestion oi vehicles. Of the 1417 accidents of all types in Ulster last year, pedestrians were at fault in 616. The Six Days International Trial will this year be held from July 29 to August 6, with Grenoble as headquarters : one night will be spent in Italy and the remainder at Grenoble. In Lalxti, Finland, a petrol-filling station has been granted a lease of 10,000 years! It is proposed to prohibit, for three years, the importation of any motor car into Jamaica. A race track at Luna Park, Berlin, has been turned into a driving school where new motorists are taught io drive free of charge. A battery which is in good condition and is charged at the correct rate uses little water. Heavy' water consumption indicates too high a charging rate, an impending battery breakdown or a leaking case. It is stated that the imports of motor dlias‘sis in February into Australia numbered 2678, of which 610, or 23 per cent., came from the United Kingdom. This is understood to be the highest percentage for a long period, although the total is below that of previous months. Recent figures compiled show that California is the most densely motorpopulated territory in the world. More than 2,000,000 motor vehicles were registered in that State at the end of 1929, the total representing an average of one vehicle to 2.87 persons. The petrol consumption in California averaged 50S gallons a. vehicle, compared with the estimated average of 4do gallons a vehicle in Australia. Vigorous measures are to be .taken in British Columbia to abolish all advertising signs along highways, and those who insist on hiding scenic beauties of the road with new signs are to be prosecuted. Every kind of sign will be stripped from the highways, oven including thjose of the forestry' service. Only necessary Government signs will be allowed. It is estimated by the United States Bureau of Mines in Washington that in 1929 1,000,000.000 barrels of crude petroleum were produced in that country. This huge total amounted to 67.6 per cent, of the world’s output of petroleum. In 1929 other countries increased their production of petroleum to a considerable extent, but the great storehouse is still the United States. In 1929 44 per cent, of the total production of petroleum was turned into petrol, compared with 41 per cent, in 1928. On a percentage basis the production of crude petroleum increased 12 per cent, over the output for 1925. On the other hand. Lho production of petrol increased 15 per cent.

When waiting in traffic put the gears in neutral and let in the clutch if the stop seems likely to be a prolonged one, in order to save wear on the' clutch bearings.