ROYAL MOTOR-CARS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19620, 26 April 1927, Page 11

ROYAL MOTOR-CARS.

TASTE OF AFRICAN RULERS. DAZZLING COLOUR SCHEMES. Rich native potentates who have luxurious tastes in motor-cars invariably place their orders in England. A car that has just been completed for the Emir of Kano; one of the most, powerful of the Nigerian chiefs, had, according, to instructions, to look like a bird of Paradise when travelling under the' blue' African sky. The uso of »black, on any part 01 the car was forbidden on religious grounds. All .difficulties were, however, overcome and rarely has' anything more gorgeous loft a British factory than this diluting vehicle. -The chassis is a Standard Crossley sixcylinder with ail parts brightly finished. The dashboard is of polished aii}m-iiaiuin. The steering wheel and door handles are blue. The springs are painted red and the fuse carrier on the dashboard is of ivory. The body is striped with red and gold lines. The hood is more like a sunshade and is a vivid green in colour, and the interior is upholstered in blue leather. Even the engine, normally black, has been camouflaged with silver paint. In the dazzling sunshine of Africa the car travelling at high speed —and it is understood the Emir of Kano delights in speed—will certainly give some impression of a bird of ipaifiy hues. Motoring as a pastime has become especially popular with Nigerian chiefs since the Prince of Wales' visit there two years ago. Another local monarch who has just taken it up on ,a princely scale is the Alafin, of Oyo, , , . The person of this' potentate_ is so sacred - that until the Prince's visit he had never left the precinets of his palace. To pay his respects to the heir to the Imperial Throne he consented to do so, but he had to be escorted by the. British Resident officer under cover of darkness, and kept his face hidden behind a mask of red coral beads. . v 1 • . The glimpse of tha outside world that the Alafin caught oh this occasion so pleased him that he has how abandoned his seclusion and bought a British motorcar, which was delivered last month. It is a 20 h.p. saloon ; the body is built entirely of polished aluminium, and, as the Alafin insisted on its being high enough for him to stand upright inside with his crown on, it makes, a very imposing vehicle. Enriched by the sde of their palm-oil for the manufacture of margarine and soap, the pretty princes of Nigeria aro now vying 'with each other m the purchase of motor-cars. One chieftain has only one mile of motbrahle road in his dominions, but he possesses six cars, and when he wishes to do signal honour to a visitor he drives him slowly in a procession of all six to the end of the road and back again.