MOTORING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15849, 20 February 1915, Page 10

MOTORING.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. . A party of motorists— W. L. Luxford, of Hamilton; S. W. Luxford, of Devonport: . And F. H Luxford. of Waikanae— have just returned from a three weeks' tour through the central part of the island. Leaving Hamilton in a Ford car. the party proceeded to Te Kuiti. where the car was put on a truck and taken by ■ rail to Waiouru The party returned by car from Waiouru The first stop was made at Tokaanu, the 44 miles being accomplished in good time in spite of delays in the sandy patches Some days were spent in the vicinity of Tokaanu, the members of the party accepting the opportunity to do some trout-fishing. The Tongariro River was tried, and good sport was obtained, particularly late in the afternoon, when the fish rose freely The fish generally were of good average size and in good condition. It was stated that there were not many visitors fishing at Taupo this year. Mr. Charles Naylor. of London, had just arrived, and his first day resulted in a catch of 42 fish. From Tokaanu the Messrs. Luxford proceeded to Taupo. that part of the journey being via the road, which runs round the edge of the lake, and which in some places has become rather narrow and leaves but little room between a safe run and a drop of 200 ft into the water below. From Taupo the party came on to Hamilton. a s top being made at Atiamuri, where some more fishing was indulged in. One of the most appreciated gifts that King George received at Christmas time came from the Maharajah Scindia of Gwalior. This gift, yhich was formally presented to His Majesty at Buckingham Palace, consists of 41 ambulance cars, four officers cars, five motor-lorries, and 10 motoric'® 8 -,. A brass plate, with the inscription ' Scmaia" is. attached to each vehicle This welcome consignment of cars has been placed by the King at the disposal of the naval and military authorities. ..There will be no interstate motor car re liability contest between Sydney and Melbourne this year. This important annual event has been dropped owing to the automobile clubs of New South Wales and Victoria having decided that it would be inadvisable to hold the test this year on account of the war. .the destruction of cars, motor-lorries, and motor-bicycles at the front is so great that the pritish Army has had to create a special service for their removal and repair. Train loads are made up and sent off almost daily to the rear Evidently the order is to gather up everything having the least resemblance to a motor-vehicle, for such is their condition that one would hesitate to apply the word motor-car to some of the units taken off the wreckage trains, says the English journal Motor. in this central depot every facility is enjoyed for easy handling Cars, parts of cars, heavy lorries, steam tractors, crushed motor-bicycles are picked up by the cranes.* carried away to the repair-shops, or given a place in " Rotten Row." a-s the scranheap has been designated by the soldiers. A mechanical transport officer examines each unit. He decides what repairs are needed or whether the vehicle must be marked down as "scrap." Within a short distance of the receiving depot is an important trench motor-car factors-, which has been entirely taken over by English soldiermechanics. Here scores fof lorries are being repaired every week. One could weave much romance around these damaged cars, and probably it would not be half so strange as the reality. Thus at one end of " Rotten Row" was a group of W. and G. taxi-cabs taken direct off London streets in the early days of A ugust and hurried into North-east France. One of them had bullet-holes through the metal dash in such a. position that if the driver escaped he must have done so miraculously. Close by were two German cars, a Benz and a Dixi, which had be<n captured from the enemy, used by English officers, evidently abandoned by thfem. und finally sent to the rear in such a condition that he would be an enterprising mechanic who would attempt to repair them. Immediately behind these was a Ford or the. wreckage of a Ford. On the opposite side of the alley a group of soldiers proudly pointed to a Sunbeam thev had reconstructed The "car had suffered badly from shell-fire, but by taking parts from tiro other abandoned chassis of the i same make they had been able to produce a complete machine, the only new part they i had asked for being a radiator.