NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20740, 6 December 1930, Page 12 (Supplement)

NOTES.

Motor races will be held at Hemiing's Speedway next Saturday.

Lorry Driver (to Jones, who is holding up traffic on a narrow bridge): Urry up, 'Oratius!"

The British National Safety Week Council has decided to hold another National Safety Week from May 11 to May 16 next year.

In Kenya, East Africa, mosquito netting has to be carried in front of motor-car radiators to keep grass seeds and insects stopping up the honey-combing.

Country Nephew: " Has a taxidermist anything to do with a taxicab ? " Town Uncle: " Er, no, my boy. A taxidermist skins only the lower animals."

There are now only four States in America where there is no petrol tax. In eighteen States there is a horse-power tax, and in four a tax on price is levied.

" I miss the horse vehicles on our roads nowadays," says a correspondent. With a -little more practice he will be able to avoid pedestrians and pillar-boxes as well.

Instead of pawning the family jewels, citizens of Prague can raise money on the family car. A pawn-shop for used cars, trucks and tractors has opened for business in the Czecho-Slovakian capital.

New York was the first State in America to require motor vehicle licences. The ■ practice was started in 1901, and £l9l was collected for the first year. In 1929, the total motor vehicle registration of New York State was 2,263,259, resulting in the collection of £7,658,662.

One of the difficulties faced by the garage staff of Buckingham Palace is said to be the obliterating of initials scratched in the paintwork of the King's car. These same initial-carving fiends leave traces of their handiwork in most of England's famous buildings, and even on the tombstones of famous cathedrals and churches.

In the motoring column of a London paper the following statement appears: " The type of driver who continues at speed on a slippery surface and then when a road incident which calls for sharp breaking followed by a skid and damage, blames the road, the car and everything bar himself." Surely the sharp breaking " is more likely to occur after the Bkid and not before it.

OVERLOADED LORRIES.

OPERATORS CONVICTED.

The motor-lorry regulations give authority to those bodies controlling, main highways to impose a limit on the weight of vehicles using the roads. For the purpose of enforcing these regulations the Main Highways Board and some local authorities employ traffic inspectors, who are provided ' with loadometers. As a result of the operations of the board's inspector in the Wellington district, a number of cases have recently been brought before the Court, and last week Mr. T. B. McNeill, S.M., delivered re served judgment on these, a number of convictions being entered. .Certain of tho defendants alleged that loadometers were unreliable and varying in the results they record compared with tho true weight of the load. However, after extensive tests had been carried out, the magistrate found that the results given by these machines were sufficiently accurate for the purpose for which they were used.

In a number of cases, where drivers had refused to permit weighing, the defence was raised that in the case of twin wheels an undue strain was placed on the tyres on the loadometers, owing to the fact that only two machines are used. This argument, however, was proved to be erroneous, experts staling that the static strain on the tyres raised was no greater than the strain on any of the tyres when the lorry was travelling on an ordinary road surfaco. Judgment was given accordingly. CLEANING COAOHWORK. Seldom is the body of a car given the attention that it deserves, with the result that trouble often develops and expense is incurred that could be easily avoided. Continual polishing of a car body with unsuitable preparations, especially those containing abrasive or alkalies, should- bo avoided. The simplest care of a lacquered finish is best. Wiping every other day with a very soft cloth is advisable, and will allow the finish to remain lustrous. When the car has accumulated an unusual amount of sand, mud or dust, then washing is necessary. Plain cold water, without soap, is best. The roof should be inspected frequently, and, when necessary, should be treated with a good top-dressing. The top should be washed with water and allowed to dry thoroughly before applying the dressing. If the top has been subjected to unusually severe weather conditions, two coats of dressing should bo used. Upholstery should be cleaned once a month, preferably with a vacuum cleaner. If this is not available, with a whisk broom. Grease spots can bo removed with any good, safe cleaning fluid. See that the hold-down bolts which fasten_ tho body to the chassis are always kept tight. Loose hold-down bolts cause squeaks and distortion of door openings.