SMOKING ON FERRIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20490, 15 February 1930, Page 14 (Supplement)

SMOKING ON FERRIES.

EVER PRESENT MENACE

V 'jiiio lime ago nn effort was mado to y>ro\ent smoking on vehicular ferries. Tlio Ferry Company erected notices and its oflicials requested that motor owners travelling on their vehicular ferry would refrain from lighting matches or smoking ,while on the boat. From recent observation it would appear that tho offcuco lias again becomo very prevalent, and last week a passenger was seen lighting a cigarette while standing directly above a pool of benzine whi'eh had leaked out of a defective tank.

Any motorist can, with very little {thought, realiso tlio danger to which lie 's subjecting not only his own property, but thousands of pounds worth of motor vehicles through not refraining from lighting matches while on tho short travel across tho harbour.

The Auckland Automobilo Association again makes an appeal to motor owners to exercise duo discretion in this matter and is also requesting the Minister of Marine to introduce legislation prohibiting this practice.

CERTIFIED MECHANICS.

The scheme proposed bv the Auckland 'Automobile Association whereby garage mechanics would after theoretical and practical examinations receive certificates ot competence from tho association appears to present certain disadvantages. intended that garages employing cno of these certified mechanics will be ontitled to display an outsido sign giving an indication to members of the association that the mechanics employed lia.ve been approved by the association. While members of the trade who employed a certified mechanic would be able to display such a sign and would be able to benefit by improved relations with their customers, it does not appear certain that motorists would derive the advantages claimed for the system. The owner driver who puts his car into such a. garago for repairs would have no guarantee that tho certified mechanic would be put tc work on it. It is conceivable that garages would attract trade by means of tho association sign when they had only one man, say, tho foreman, qualified; and that the repair work would bo handed over" to another mechanic for execution.

The English system, adopted by the !A.A., is to give official' recognition to garages where tho work performed is of a high standard, and by this guarantee the motorist is assured of honest work no matter who carries out the required work on his car.

A.J.S. TO MANUFACTURE CARS.

The announcement that the A.J.S. concern is to manufacture a 9 h.p, light car is bound to bo of interest to all motor, cyclists, and more especially to those who, have ridden A.J.S. mounts. The now car is- a four-cylinder s.v. job, having; a single-plate clutch, three-speed gearbox, spiral-bevel drive and differential. The price has not yet been definitely fixed, but it will bo something between £l5O snU £2OO in England, it is stated.

IMPROVED T.T. COURSE

. There is "a movement on foot to revive tho Motor Car 'lourist Trophy Races on the Isle oI Man. If tho Royal Automobile Club agrees to reinstate this race the 1.0.M. authorities have undertaken to .widen the course wherever inecessary. It lis a matter for conjecture at what speed tho motor-cyclo Senior T.T. will be run if the course is still further improved as suggested. ' «

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

The Auckland Automobile Association is preparing a booklet of local picuic places, beaches and pleasure resorts within handy reach of tho city for the information of new car owners and strangers to tho <;ity. The touring manager invites motorists familiar with isolated or littleknown resorts to' forward him particulars for inclusion in this new publication.

MOTOR TRADE ITEMS.

.It was recently announced in France that tho Fiat concern had absorbed the Itala company.. Tho services of the famous Itala designer Cappa will ho retained.

Production of tho 7 h.p. Austin car in an American factory will commence under ljcenco at the end of March next. It ip expected that tho output will bo about §OO cars a day.

Messrs. J. and W. While, Limited, have taken delivery of a Singer Six saloon model, the first of its kind to reach Auckland. The Singer Six was one of tho most interesting exhibits at the motor show ai< Olympja, held at the end of last year.

Several motor-car factories havo excellent test tracks surrounding their works, but the track which has just been built by the Hillman company is unique in that its surface has been purposely roughened to approximate colonial conditions. Tests on this track, which is called a proving ground, in no way replace tho usual road tests.