OVERSEAS NEWS.

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 189, 12 August 1936, Page 9

OVERSEAS NEWS.

Marble Roads. There is such a glut of white marble in northern Italy, owing to the stoppage of exports, that several miles of a new motor road in the neighbourhood of Carrara have been paved in solid marble. A perfectly smooth surface is obtained, and one of the greatest benefits is that arising at night-time owing to the way in which the headlamp beams are reflected and have a far greater penetrating power. Quicker on All Fours. The difficulties of motoring in Himalayan gorges were described by Dr K. Mason in a recent lecture in London on transport problems. Of seven light six-wheeled tractors whieh travelled by way of Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and the Khyber Pass only two reached Gilgit. The journey took a terrific time, considerably longer, the lecturer said, that it would have taken to crawl the whole distance on all fours. His Match. An Edinburgh man who had wanted a match to light his car lamps, was sentenced to sixty days’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for three months. Over tho Limit. For driving a motor hearse at 48 m.p.h. a Rotherhitlie (U.K.) man was fined 10s at Basingstoke police court. Gay Ambulance. Designs by Walt Disney, of Mickey Mouse and other characters from his cartoon films, are painted all over the new ambulance of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Pendlebury (England). Hitler’s Motor Roads. The network of motor roads through Germany was energetically pushed forward last year, and more than £40,000,000 expended on them. Over 1100 miles were actually under construction, and now over 2150 miles are marked out for development. To avoid crossings, bridges have been erected at very frequent intervals—a very sound safety measure. Car Radio. Special investigations have been made by tho Paris policed department into the question of whether or not wireless on cars affects the motorist’s driving ability and whether it is responsible for accidents. The Chief of Police declares that it lias no effect whatever. Interior Spectacles. Tho latest anti-dazzle devices in New York are tiny tinted lenses which slip under the eyelids, and which are stated to stay in position and protect against glare. Ungallant, Surely? Hundreds of applications by women I- driving licenses were returned from tho lowa (U.S.A.) Registration Department because they had refused to state their ages on tho forms. Reward of Virtue.

Boy messenger motor cyclists of tho British Post Office who secure “safety-first” certificates .ire rewarded a cash prize, states the PostmasterGeneral.