MOTORING NOTES

North Otago Times, Volume C, Issue 13146, 29 August 1914, Page 8

MOTORING NOTES

Owing to the war scare, few of the New Zealand motor-cycling clubs have been fulfilling their programmes of competitive events. . The fact that many members of clubs are away in camps, or with the lirst expeditionary force, has depleted the ranks of clubs of many young men who take keen interest, in competitions, but. there is no real reason why clubs should cease to serve any practical purpose., On the contrary, • motor-cycling clubs could do some very useful work just now in testing the value ol ! motors in New Zealand in lime of trouble. One event that might be arranged with great advantage to both motorcyclists and the Defence authorities is a relay race between Auckland ami Wellington, and (Jhristchdrch and Dunedin. Teams should travel from both directions, leaving each terminal at the same time. This would make the relay race really competitive, as the teams, going in opposite, directions, would naturally attempt to out-do each other and enable the speed ot the motors to be thoroughly tested. The Taranaki Circular Road liace has also been abandoned. . This is another mistake,- for even if a few cyclists are dressed in khaki there are others who' are not, and they, after much training and preparation,-will be much disappointed that such a big test ot the usefulness of the bicycle was not held, especially at a time when the road race could leach a very useful lesson.

Quite a nunjbei" of motor-cycles are being donated to the Defence Department for the use of the expeditionary forces. These have been of various makes in most towns, but in Auckland the-ollicers in charge stimulated that all motor-cycles put into use should be of tlie same power, and maile so.thai any repair outfits and spare parts taken would fit any'machine-that happened' to go wrong, Such action was certainly judicious; as a corps fitted out,, with, say, a- dozen motors of a dozen different makes would necessarily entail the equipment of a similar number of spare outfits. The Defence authorities cannot lode a gift horse in the mouth ami refuse what' is. seat to them, but ?f those who give give for patriotic and not advertising purposes then it would only be fair to the officers to allow them to uame the machine they would, like to 1 have, for as each force will carry somemotors and a motor mechanic, it is very obvious that suclr a department will not over burden itself with. fittings and spare parts for all sorts and conditions of machines,

The 'present war will see the petrol motor put, to a verv severe test on lain! and water and in the air. The whole of the credit of the conquest of the air can. be ' claimed by the petrol motor, for no other linown jneaiis of -propulsion would make .flyingspossible. According to the cables,' the excessive weight of the large airships-has prevented' them from 'rising out "of the range of the guns, but,.the aeropla'no) 'even 'with a 200 h.p. engine, can'rife to a height of fioveral' thousand feet, move at a great sped, and drop bomb? with terrible accuracy.