MOTORING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14328, 26 March 1910, Page 10

MOTORING.

A local motorist and party had a run out to Mitohelson's, West Coast, last week end. The route was through New Lynn, Henderson, Kumcu, Waimauku, and then over tho range. Tho first part of the run was past -^uninteresting,gum. country, but as the coast was nearedthe scenery was very'fine, 'iho road is very bad in places,- some parts being in course of formation. They are also being graded, and, therefore, should be very good next summer. Tho worst part is that between Kumcu and Waimauku. The distance of tho run., each way is about 32 miles. v Quite, a number of cars left yesterday ,for Easter .tours, Waitomo, WaiKato, and Kotonia being the favourite destinations. The recent rains greatly improved the roads, that oyer the noted ilangiriri hills being quito good. The failure of the Holsman Automobile Company, of Chicago, U.S.A., the pioneer in the manufacture of the high-wheel motorbuggy has induced a leading automobile trade journal to express the opinion that the "death-knell o;f the motor-buggy in its original and characteristic form has been sounded," and, although the failure is ascribed in part to high experimental costs, incidental to the development ot- a new type' of motor, it is held to point- to a "conviction which has been growing stronger that the engine-driven buggy,, as such, lias passed ' the day of its great usefulness." This is a somewhat remarkable admission for an American motor journal to make; yet, at the same time, many experts, held that, at best, .the high-wheeled motor-buggy was but a compromise, and as such it was bound to bo more or less unsatisfactory, From the manufacturing standpoint, it presented a greater number-of obstacles to successful production than any amount of theory or afterthought could hope to account for. Its most potent asset, and the reason for .its very existence, in many instances, was its educational value. To numerous earriago and waggon builders throughout the States it afforded an alluring short-cut into- the magnificent enterprise of automobile production. _ . Wo have heard much from time to time about the electric, storage battery of Mr. Edison's, and of the revolution it will, when perfected, cause in motor-traffic., but, until the beginning of the current year, there had been 110 public experiment or proof that the invention fulfilled the claims made for it. These claims, however, were not always in Mr. Edison's words, but. rather, amplification of the little he might have said, and the much he'hoped for. The first, public trial took place in New Jersey. U.S.A.. and the battery, which was placed on a tram-car specially-equipped, consisted of 210 cells, the odd ten being used for lighting. The car. with a 50 h.p. motor, carried 24 passengers, and when put to the test, ascended a grade of 1 in 10 with seeming ease, and under perfect control. Although the many electrical engineers who witnessed the trial agreed that the bat tery fulfilled all that was expected of it, they, so far, have not publicly expressed their approval and their belief in its ultimate success. If the inventor's hopes are fully realised, the battery will cheapen transit by mechanically-operated vehicles enormously, and thus go far to solving the problem of swift locomotion by both road gild rail. The final stage of the New York to Paris motor race, which was commenced on February 12, and ended July 30, 1909, was reached in January last, when at a banquet given by the Automobile Club of New York, flic official presentation «if the magnificent trophy .provided conjointly by the New Ycrk Times and the Paris Matin, was awarded to Mr. K. E. Thomas who entered the Thomas ear that won the long race. The trophy is one of the largest of its kind ever made. It is composed of materials native to the four nations represented in the contest: America, Italy, Germany, and France. It is 6ft 6in high, and weighs 16001b.