NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20324, 3 August 1929, Page 12 (Supplement)

NOTES.

" He's a fine orator, although he doesn't say much." " No, his speeches don't moan any more than a woman driver's hand sticking out of the car ahead "

Tho now concrete bridge on tho Great South Road at tho mooting of tho Manurewa Town Board and Manukau County Council sections is almost complete, and it should bo open for traffic within fivo weeks. Tho bridgo has boeti built on ample lines, with a road width of 20ft. between footpaths.

Tbo road to the summit of Mount Eden has recently fallen into a very discreditable state, and tourists havo expressed surprise that such an attractive road should havo beon allowed to deteriorate. Heavy sight-seeing traffic has been blamod for the damage, and tho Mount Eden Borough Council has decided to limit loads to 2A tons. Any stop which- will keep this drive in good order is justified.

Motorists aro wondering when tho Northern Highway will bo brought up to modorn standards by tho replacement of the Whau Bridgq and the narrow steel bridgo at Henderson. Both havo no place in any up to-dato highway specification. Tho girder bridgo at Hondorson is a peculiar structure. It was assembled on the spot from imported, ready-cut sections. The builder had to work from an American plan, on which tho parts were numbered according to their position.

The engineers of tho Manukau County Council' and tho Howick Town Board aro working in close co-operation on proposals for concreting ovor fivo miles of the highway between Panmuro and Howick. Tho county controls miles and tho town board 1£ miles. Tho proposals provido for an 18ft. paving, and maintenance on the existing metal road has become such a considerable item that it is expectod that tho ratepayers in both areas will take a broad and progressive view at tho poll.

Tho urge for still higher power in the United States is reputed to havo directed attention again to 12-cylinder cars. Tho 16-cylinder car specially built for the late Frank Lockhart also arousod the interest of stock car designers. It will be remembered that some years ago a well-known American firm was producing a 12-cylin-der car or " twin-six," which was eventuallv abandoned for a straight eight. Ono British factory produces a, high-priced " double-six " ono of which is included in the fleet of the Royal Family. REPAIR HINTS. Windshields wipers often loose their efficiency through wear of tho rubbing arm or easing of the tension. Tho rubber should be kept in good contact with tho glass, and trouble can often be remedied by slightly bending the arm to secure more pressure.

Drivors who aro forced to make a tyre repair at the roadside without a rim tool, will often be troubled in expanding a split rim after the tube is replaced. If the jack is placed insido tho rim and packed with wood or a few books, tho rim can then be easily forced open until the locking device is in place.

The motorist who considors the electric equipment a closed box often finds difficulty in locating a missing spark plug by the simple test with a screwdriver. When a six or eight-cylinder begins missing it is not necessary to mako an immediate stop. If the car is kept running for about half a mile at a touring speed, the faulty plug will coo! off and it can then bo identified by touch. BENEFITS OF THE MOTOR, Tho only way to prevent oxhaustion is to mechanise lahour, speed up processes, and spend spare time in keeping fit. One of the finest machines for all these purposes is tho motor-car. It is foolish fallacy to suppose that car ownership means added labour. Whilo it is true that the owner of car must exert a little energy in connection with his charge, it is also undeniable that investment of some kind is an ever-necessary preliminary to profit of any description. In the case of car owning, the returns aro very much more than worth tho maximum energy invested. Any experienced motorist, will agree with-this, contention. This is because the modern automobile is a reliable machine, needing littlo attention in return for tho work it does. It is not necessary, for example, to spend much moro than half an hour of light labour every now and again in payment for hours of running done by the car. After five hundred miles of effortless travel the car asks that tho owner shall do littlo more than walk round it with an oil can and crease gun—in some modern cars even that is unnecessary—that it shall be given the board and lodging of air, water, petrol, and a garage in return for affording recreation, fresh air, healthgiving facilities, and time-saving labour. Theso are easy terms, and they provo to the owner that as an investment bringing in high interest, the car is a sound proposition. Probably it is not until one has experienced tho enormous difference a car can mako to daily existence that ono realises how comparatively dull lifo W3* without it, and how dead alive it was. possible to be. Though the handling of tho modern car is simple, light and pleasant enough for any novice to tackle with confidence, a definitn alertness and brain efficiency come of tho acquired ability to mako decisions quickly and to develop road sense and a judgment that tho person without a car never needs to exercise.