Flying and Motoring.

Free Lance, Volume XIX, Issue 992, 9 July 1919, Page 35

Flying and Motoring.

WHEN the well-known English motorist, E. E. Edgo. sold liia interest in the Napier Company, one of the conditions was that he should not take any active part in the motor industry for seven years. The period will expire next October, when the probabilities are that Mr Edgo will again take a* prominent part in the English motor trade. He was always recognised as one of the cleverest and most progressive men in the industry—in fact one of its leaders, and should he come back, it will be with the object of specialising on a low price light car. He has already stated that if a first grade British-built car, to carry four or five people and sell for £300, is n'ot turnied out at a[n /earl)y date, he will personally produce such a vehicle, and ho* is just the man who could. The Department of Public Health in Melbourne has ordered ten Eord_ ambulances to cope wth the epidemic of influenza. Under the scheme of luring cars the Department was put to great expense. With the purchase of the new cars the hiring arrangement will cease. The cost attached to hiring cars ran into something like £60 per day, which is quite mild •to Wellington's costly experience last November. The purchase of the new fleet will run into about £3000. Edwin Campbeil, in "The Queen." expressed the opinion some time back that to attempt to fly across the Atlantic under wintry conditions would be' foolhardy. He could not, believe that the United States of America or any other Government would be fool--ish enough to lend assistance to a reckiess attempt simply to gain priority. Even in the early summer it were unwise to attempt the flight. Winter calm may induce aviators to try for the prize"; but winter calm on the North Atlantic is sometimes accompanied by fog banks which are more to be dreaded than winds. A 'well-known agent of a well-known car heard of a bargain, and went off to buy it. He saw, he considered, he made an offer and the car was his. When lie went to take delivery he fcrand the car minus the engine. The fault was his own, for he bought merely on the appearance of the exterior. He omitted to raise the bonnet, so was quite unaware of the missing part. "Fancy a man buying a car without an engine, and me that man!" he remarked. A Victorian butchering firm has dis>covered a method of manufacturing benzine from kerosene, wood and other products. At the present time the firm makes some 600 gallons of benzine per month. About half this quantity is sold to private motorists. at 2s 9d per gallon. It is stated that this benzine is particularly economical and gives excellent results. Eiehengryen, known in Austlraia before the war as Edwards of the Continental *Tyre Co. has been repatriated to the Faderland with many other Germans. Whilst the war was on he resided in the Australian internment camp. Before the war he luxuriated like a prince. Although a German lie was clever enough to obtain a commission in the Australian Automobile Corps.