NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20902, 18 June 1931, Page 16

NOTES

Motorists who have not already renewed their driving licences for tho year nro aflvised to do so at once, as the annual " drive" for licences is due shortly.

Although there has been an improvement lately in the number of cars on tho road with poorly adjusted headlights, there aro still many cars which continue to offend in this respect.

A report states that in a total registration of about 28,000,000 motor vehicles in tho United States, sonio 8,000,000, or 28 per cent., were bought before 1925 and havo a rated value of less than £5 per car.

Tho frequency with which motorists havo been getting punctures at Turakina on the main Auckland-Wellington highway, and tho fact that in nearly every case nails aro the cause, has aroused the suspicion that soirieouo is deliberately placing nails on tho roadway.

Ari effort is being made in one of the States of America to bring in legislation which would compel all persons convicted of reckless driving to display on their cars red plates containing (bo letters "R.D.," such plates to bo carried on tho back and front of vehicle so long as the Court might decide. The intended effect of the badge''of disgrace would be to warn the police and drivers of other cars that tho driver of the "red-plated" car was a man that needed watching.

LONG-DISTANCE TOURING.

TRAVEL IN FAR COUNTRIES.

The prospect of motoring overland through India, the Holy Land, Egypt and Europe," en routo to England, is proving a strong attraction to many motorists today, judging frs& the number of motorcars bearing foreign badges passing through the main cities. With tho natural desire to extend their travels, an overland journey by car through other lands offers opportunities to motorists for sightseeing u - hich are scarcely possible by any other moans. The cost, 100, is in no way disproportionate to tho more established methods of travel abroad, and in favourable circumstances is relatively less. An itinerary can be conveniently followed which permits of car travel through tho different countries to bo traversed at tho season of tho year when climatic conditions for motoring aro usually favourable. The Australian Continent, Java, Malaya, India, Irak, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Europe the British Isles, Canada, tho United States and New Zealand can all be included in this way. Motor spirit and oil supplier are availablo without prior arrangement on all tho principal trans-world routes and, for an average typo of touring car carrying two passengers and essential equipment, tho cost per capita for petrol and oil for a complete round-the-world tour should not exceed £IOO.

A service giving general information on climatic conditions, with special reference to monsoonal rains, and fielaili; of international customs regulations, lias been organised by tho Shell Company, which company in Australia is making arrangements for the first party of Australians to undertake a tour to Europe toward the end of this year. Two other parties of motorists are on their way at tho present time and are finding this method of travel extremely interesting, as bringing them into direct touch with tho rural population of the- countries through which they are travelling.

THE .GERMAN GRAND PRIX. Tlio entry list for the German Grand Prix, organised by tho Automobil Club von Deutschland, 'has given the satisfactory result of nine, Bugattis, six Mercedes, four Maseratis, three D.K.W., ono Amilcar, one Austin—24 cars in all. Tho Bugatti team comprises. Chiron, Divo, Bouriat and Varzi, and among the Mn.serati drivers may be mentioned Captain Sir Henry Birk'in. Everything promises an extremely interesting and hotly-con-tested race, as the Mercedes cars will bo driven by Caracciola, Von Stuck and Ivanovsky, who won the Grand Prix of Ireland last year. Tho race takes placo to-morrow. RACING ON THE ICE. One of the popular ice races took placo recently on Lake Gjersjaen, near Oslo, In contrast to the recently run Swedish Grand Prix, tho arrangements for spectators were exoellent, tho crowds being kept at least 200 yards from the corners so that competitors were not handicapped by fear of causing injury to a spectator Tho course "was 3.2 kilometres long and was covered five times in each heat. Tho first heat was won by a Fiat " 525 " in competition with Beo, Marmon, Chrysler, Graham-Paige and a number of supertuned Fords. In the racing car class a British victory was recorded, a supercharged Triumph Seven, to the amazement of tho crowds, recording the fastest time of the day, although opposed by a Grand Prix Bugatti.

NEW ROYAL CARS. <

The five Daimler oars with Hooper coachwork recently ordered by the King and Queen,- in order to stimulate British industry and to assist unemployment during the winter months, have been delivered to Windsor Castle." Two limousines and a brougham are for the King and a liinousino and brougham for the Queen. All the cars are fitted with Daimler " Double-Six " engines and the new Daimler transmission that incorporates the fluid flywheel and self-chang-ing gear-box. Four of tho cars are painted in tho Boyal colours of scarlet and maroon, while tho Queen's private car is painted green. Tho limousines are fitted with armchair seats and the broughams with folding occasional seats.