WORLD’S SPEED RECORD ACHIEVED YESTERDAY AT NINETY MILE BEACH

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7120, 18 January 1930, Page 7

WORLD’S SPEED RECORD ACHIEVED YESTERDAY AT NINETY MILE BEACH

“Wizard” Smith’s Feat TEN MILES AT AVERAGE OF 148$ MILES AN HOUR PERFECT COURSE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night.

The Australian motorist, "Wizard" Smith, broke the world’s ten-milo motoring record on the Ninety Mile Beach this afternoon.

Smith covered ten miles in four minutes, two and one-fifth seconds, equal to an average speed of 148.037 miles an hour. He was driving his Rolls Boyce Cadillac car "Anzae," in which ho established an Australian and New Zealand onc-milo record of 146 miles an hour on Saturday afternoon. With Smith, in tho mechanic’s seat, v/as Don Harkness, designer of tho car and the engineer responsible for its production, to whom much of the credit for the successful attack on the record is due.

Tho previous record for ten miles was held by Marchand, who averaged 133.54 miles an hour on a track near Paris. Ho was driving a Voisin car. Smith bettered this time by over 15 miles an hour, while his average for ten miles was two miles an hour better than his performance over one mile a week ago. The beach was in perfect order for tho attempt, which was made late this afternoon, tho only unfavourable condition being tho wind which blow across the course. Tho dash was made without tho slightest mishap in the presence of a small group of spectators, and the result was received with enthusiasm.