LAND SPEED RECORD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21069, 31 December 1931, Page 6

LAND SPEED RECORD.

"WIZARD" SMITH'S ATTEMPT* FINAL DETAILS CONCLUDED. PARTY LEAVES ON SATURDAY. Arrangements in preparation for thft> attempt by Mr. Norman ("Wizard")' Smith to break the land speed record at the Ninety Mile Beach have been completed, and the party will leave for theNorth about mid-day on Saturday. The F. 11. Stewart Enterprise will be placed aboard the auxiliary vessel Motu on Saturday, to be transported to Awanui North, which will be reached on Sunday evening. The- special light-beam timing apparatus will also he taken on tin* Motu, as it is considered that tho mechanism is v.oo delicate to take Hie risk of any possible jolting in a motorcar or truck. Both the car and the timing apparatus will bo unloaded under the supervision of Mr. Smith on Monday morning, and the Enterprise will then be taken on a special three-axle motor-truck from Awanui North to the garage at the Ninety Mile Beach. Members of Mr. Smith's party will spend Saturday night at Whangarci, as it is not considered desirable to try to travel the whole distance to Waipapakauri in the few hours of daylight left after the Enterprise has been safely loaded on tho vessel. They will proceed to Waipapakauri on Sunday morning, and will be joined there later in the day by Mr. 11. J. Butcher, chairman of the Auckland Automobile Pacing Club, Limited, who, together with other officers of tli* association, will leave Auckland early on Sunday. The motor-truck, which has been specially fitted up for use as an office by officers of the racing club during their stay at the beach, will lea% T e Auckland for the North this morning. It will be driven by Mr. J. Koberts, a member, of the council of the association, who will probably arrive at Waipapakauri on Saturday. The truck contains all the papers and the forms necessary in connection with an attempt on the world's speed record. It has been decided to use white flags for marking the course on the beach. In previous attempts flags of other colours have been used, but Mr. Smith considers that he will see white flags most readily. These will be placed approximately apart for the full length of the course. At each end of the measured distance there will be a large red screen, to indicate to the driver the limits of the course proper. Although no definite arrangements have yet been made, it is probable that Mr. Smith will visit the beach early next week. The fuel and oil which were brought from Australia have already been sent North, and are awaiting the car at the garage at Hukatere, on the Ninety Mile Beach. It is likely that Mr. Smith, together with other members of his party, some of whom have never seen the beach, -will make a preliminary inspection of tho course early next week, although it is improbable that the car will be given a run for some days, as the tides are not suitable. TIMING APPARATUS. INSPECTION BY ASTRONOMER. [bt telegraph.—press association*.] WELLINGTON, WednesdajAt the invitation of the Auckland Automobile Association, Dr. C. E. Adams, Dominion astronomer, will leave Wellington for Auckland to inspect the timing apparatus to be used for recording the time taken by Mr. Norman Smith, the racing motorist, .to cover certain distances on the Ninety Mile Beach in connection with hi? attempt on the world land speed record. - The association is anxious for the timing gear to be absolutely accurate, and Dr. Adams will inspect the apparatus and probably test it.