MOTOR-CAR TRIALS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16492, 6 March 1914, Page 5

MOTOR-CAR TRIALS.

RELIABILITY TESTS

•TO-DAY’S RUN TO AKAROA

AHSIT TO RAKAIA GORGE TO-

AIORROAV

At- seven o’clock this morning the competing cars in the reliability trial will start for Akaroa on what will be a fairly severe try-out for reliability and driving. The Automobile Association had decided to go, to Dunedin this year, but such an uninteresting piece of flat driving was rejected in fayour of.the hilly charms of the Peninsula.

There will he a private owners’ class and an open class. In the first class the trophy will be valued at £2O, and a gold medal will go to the winner. The second, third and fourth prizes will be gold,, silver and bronze medals,, and a framed certificate will be. given to each car gaining the maximum thousand marks. In the open class, gold and silver medals will be given for first and second and framed, certificates for maximum marks. . •

The following are the competitors:— Open Class—M. W. Stevenson’s PanhardF. Storey’s Calthorne; R. B. Walker's Sunbeam; A. Morten's Sunbeam (also in private owners); F. W. Johnston’s Panhard (also private owners’); L. AI. Alontgomery’s Hupmobile; New. Zealand ' Farmers’ Co-operative Association’s Overland (Mr E. Edmunds). Private Owners’ Class—D. V. Grant s Vnuxhall; R. Kennett’s Fiat; P. R. Climie’s Buick; A. Alorten’s Sunbeam; F. AV. Johnston’s Panhard. The trial will be for a non-stop run, and points will he deducted from 1000 for stops and other breaches of conditions. In the event of equality the car with the least petrol consumption, based on the mean between ton miles and car miles, xyill be adjudged the winner. There will he no racing, but points will be deducted for time over six hours occupied in getting to Akaroa and over eight hours oil the way I>:Kk ' THE ROUTE.

The cars will start this morning from the Occidental Hotel, Latimer Square, and will , weigh out at Brown’s roller mill. Thence they will take the Cashmere Hills tramline to its terminus and on to Governor’s Bay, passing on to the head of the Bay, Charteris Bay, Diamond Harbour, Puraii, Port Levy and Holmes Bay bridge to .Pigeon Bay (thirty-five miles). From there the route will be along the Summit Road to Little Akaloa, Stony Bay, Okam s Bay, and by Long Bay Road Akaroa (seventy-six miles). The_ fifst control will be the Metropole Hotel. Akaroa, for luncheon, where water.and petrol niay be taken in, and cars, oiled without penalty. Akaroa will be left, at 7.30 a.m. on Saturday for Rakaia Gorge and Christ church,.' the route lying through Tai Tapu, Lincoln, Springston, Selwyn Bridge, Irwell, Doyleston, Leeston to Rakaia Bridge and on to the Rakaia Hotel, where there will be- a luncheon stop (seventy-six miles). Christchurch (165 miles) will be reached via the Gorge, Selwyn Bridge, Glentunnel, Homebush, Hawkins and Darfield; the' finish being in the evening at the club rooms in Cathedral Square. Air R. English is judge, Air E. H. James superintendent-. Air AY. Broadway deputy, and Alessrs Crozier, Mills, Hawkes and Morten the trial sub-com-mittee.