NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20950, 13 August 1931, Page 16

NOTES.

Tho total number of motor vehicles in tho world in 1930 was 35,603.176 and the population per vehicle 56.1. China's first motor-car was completed recently at Mukden, Manchuria, the. event being celobrated by a display of firc--1 works. i At the next motor olympia in London, • to bo held in October, both Sir Malcolm Campbell's Blue Bird 11. and tho lato Sir 5 Henry Scgrave's Golden Arrow will be on show. 5 Motorists will welcome tho decision of 3 tho various oil companies to reduce tho price of tho various grades of petrol by from last Monday morning. I A new device for the safety of pedestrians has been introduced in Havana. Foot passengers are held back by a bar, 1 automatically operated in conjunction with 5 tho traffic signals in operation along the main roads. Motorists are reminded of the necessity to follow tho marked deviation route to 1 avoid the Westfield overhead bridge, the 3 approaches to which aro being concreted. The work is expected to bo finished in about two weeks' time. 1 | LANI) SPEED RECORD. I h " WIZARD " SMITH S PLANS. t Advico that Mr. Norman " Wizard " 1 Smith, the Australian racing driver, will 3 not come to New Zealand in October, as , was originally intended, but in November, has been received by Mr. H. J. Butcher, ' chairman of tho Auckland Automobile • Racing Club, Limited, who will act as I official timo-keepcr of Mr. Smith's at- ' tempt to lower the land speed record. > Mr. Butcher said during tho week that » the A .A. Racing Club had advised Mr. I Smith not to como over in October, and t had received a reply to the effect that lis would bring his car to tho Dominion in November. No definite date of arrival had yet been announced, Mr. Butcher i said, and it was not known whether i the beach tests had been completed. Under tho circumstances, tho club > could not go ahead with tho building of tho necessary parage at the Ninety • Mile Beach, Mr. Butcher added. Until something definite was received, either from Mr. Smith or Mr. Don Harkness, the designer, ifc would bo impossible for the many preliminary arrangements in- 1 cidental to the at,tempt to bo put in hand. It was hoped, however, that before long Mr. Smith would be in a position to adviso the club whether or not the car was actually finished and when it would be brought to the Dominion. Meanwhile, there was no object in going any further with the preliminary arrangements, although there would bo a busy time when the date of arrival was announced. Previous Delays, Many factors have contributed to tho repeated delays in tho completing of the giant car, which is known-as tho Froel H. Stewart Special, after one of Mr. Smith's friends who has been largely responsible for the financing of the venture. It was originally intended to make the attempt early this year, but certain essential forgings ordered from England failed to arrive and delayed proceedings for over two months. By that time tho weather was such as to make the attempt foolhardy, and consequently there has been no great hurry in completing tho work. The latest photographs would indicate that the car is now almost ready for the attempt, and it is hoped that by November tho Ninety Milo Beach, with its natural speedway, will bo in perfect condition to enable the car to attain the speed of 300 miles an hour, of which tho designer believes it capable. Tho land speed record now stands to the credit of Sir Malcolm Campbell, who averaged 245 miles an hour over two runs at Daytona Beach, Florida, this year, with his Blue Bird 11. Tho engine, a 12cylinder Napier, was originally designed for tho Schneider Trophy seaplanes, and is almost identical, in every respect to that to be used by Mr. Smith in his* challenger. If Mr. Smith breaks tho record, there is every likelihood of Sir Malcolm coming to tho Dominion with Blue Bird 11. to mako a further attempt, as higher speeds are now considered impossible at Daytona. Mention has also been made of the possibility of Mr. Kayo Don, holder of the water speed record, bringing a car to New Zealand to attempt to break tho land record. BLINDING HEADLAMPS. Important amendments to tho draft Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations issued recently by the Ministry of Transport in England have been submitted to the Ministry by the Royal Automobilo Club. It suggests tho substitution of tho word " blinding" for " dazzling," as it is tho view of the club that the latter word is indefinite and covers both the inconvenience and danger caused by headlamps. The club considers that it is only tho blinding effect that is dangerous, and it is that which should constitute the offence. It also considers that in the case of lamps which are designed to eliminate the offensive eye-level rays the beam height allowed at 25ft. from the car is not sufficient for safety, as it restricts tho total length of the beam in the case of the average car to about 150 ft., whereas the average useful range of modern lamps is about 3000 ft. The club has also made certain recommendations with regard to side lamps, and suggests that it shall be an offence for any vehicle when stationary or unattended to use any lamp exceeding in power 6 watts. In Auckland, any motorist may have his headlamps adjusted by A.A.A. patrols at 5 p.m. any day, by making the necessary arrangement by telephone. Tho feo J for non-members is. Is, while tho servico J in free to members. In country districts, J members are advised in advance when ' tho service will bo available, but if a s member finds his lights out of adjustment,, £ ho may approach tho local A.A.A. agent, J who will make every effort to have the 6 matter given attention as soon as a patrol I visits the locality. t