NINETY-MILE BEACH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21110, 18 February 1932, Page 15

NINETY-MILE BEACH.

» TREMENDOUS ASSET." / SIR G. FULLER'S OPINION. That New Zealand lias a tremendous asset in her Ninety-Mile Reach, although I it was doubtful it' she realised what this ygaljy meant to hoi- yet, is the opinion of Sir George Fuller, chairman of the Wizard Transmission Company, who arrived in .Auckland i his week to see the attempt on the live-mile rerord by Mr. Norman Smith. The Wizard Transmission Company controls the important rights of the transmission system fitted to Mr. Norman Smith's racing car. It j s claimed that this transmission system ' will revolutionise in the. near future the transmission of power not only in all classes of motor-cars' and motor-cycles, but also of stationary engines. The invention is simplicity itself and entirely eliminates gear changing. Bcforo it was fully made known to the world through the breaking of the tenmile record recently on Ninety-Mile Beach / jt had been subjected to the fullest experiments and bench tests. An ordinary car fitted with the device is to arrive in Auckland by the Maunganui nfX t week. " The fact that it was installed in the Stewart Enterprise when sh*e broke the ten-mile record is proof of its ability to transmit the highest horsepower that has ever been developed in any car in the world—and to transmit it | from both power and speed points of | view," said Sir George Fuller. Sir George is keen to see the five-mile } attempt that will be made shortly and he | is sanguine as to the result. Pending that, he will go in for some game fishing ' and-golf. He is keenly convinced that Ninety-Mile Beach must become the stage for all/the land speed attempts of the future. •' To my mind it should be a. source of the greatest pride to us all," said Sir George Fuller, " that this attempt is being made on a New Zealand beach in a car that is British engined. with British tyres and with its other component parts built and designed in Australia. It is an all-British enterprise to smallest detail, and 1 also think that New Zealanders and the Auckland Automobile Association should be congratulated for the foresight in becoming equipped to act, as representatives of the international body controlling land speed records in the matter of timing." Sir George declared that he is convinced that New Zealand has a tremendous asset in her NinetyMile Beach,' where all future speed records must logically be decided. A.A.A. ACTIVITIES. A comprehensive tour of the West Coast districts is now being carried out by the touring manager of the A.A.A. in order to gather information concerning the route between/ Auckland and Taraiiaki along the West Coast. Many motorists wish to include Raglan and Kawhia in a tour, but on account of the distance which these resorts lie off the main road these two places are left out of the itinerary. The touring manager will travel through Tuakau, thence to the Waingaro Hot Springs, via Glen Murray, and continue through le Uku and le i' Mala, to connect with the Kawhia-'l e jlata highway. The roirte will then skirt round the shores of the Kawhia Harbour. via Kinohaku and Marakopa. Jhe various seaside beaches will be visited and details will be taken for the preparation of additional routes lor the association's system of loose leaf touring itineraries. The final stage will stitute a trip following the West Coast to join the main Auckland-New Zealand highway at Awakino. The association's signposting officer is at present comif. pleting the erection of direction signs and warning notices on the back country routes in the vicinity of Kinoliaku and Marakopa, and will join the touring manager and accompany him over a pois,; tion of the journey. Tlie question of signposting of the | North Auckland peninsula will shortly be receiving attention. It is the intention of the association to send the signposting patrol for a two months itinerary throughout North Auckland. A number of new routes will be signposted, particularly those leading to seaside resorts, bays and camping sites. Particular attention is to be paid to dangerous localities where there is a ■ likelihood of accidents. The president of the A.A.A., Mr. A. Gravscn, left Auckland on Wednesday en route for the National Park, where a confeience of delegates from the various • automobile associations is to take place to-morrow. Mr. Goo. W. Hutchison, secretary of the association, leit lor the Chateau this morning. A great many subjects of vital /importance to motorists will be discussed at the conference, and the Motor Union's various representations will bp made to the Government. DANGER TO MOTORISTS' TYRES. The danger to motor traffic of an obstruction on the ban Bridge was mentioned at a recent meeting of the Auckland Automobile Association. In the centre of the carriageway there is a raised ridge of sharp-edged concrete to separate the bitumen which it is proposed to lav. It was stated that the ridge was only a temporary matter, as the bitumen was to be laid without waste of time. /The obstruction still reTTiains the same, anil more than one motor tyre has suffered because of its presence. j It would appear that the time has come in the interests of "safety first for little matters of this sort to receive more attention at. the hands of the road makers. TRADE ITEM. ' Chrysler Motors announce that there is «n entirely British assembly, distribution and service plant at Kew. England, and much of the materials and components Hie British.' 1 lie policy is to be extended until Chyvsler and Podge products fold in the country are British. NOTES. A steam three-wheel coach developed by an Engjishpian. Captain Trevithick, in 1800. v.as probably the world s first practical car. The old church at Sudbury-on-Thames. Middlesex, has in turn served many purposes, including an aeroplane factory and a billet for troops during the war. Now •t has been taken over for use as a garage and repair depot A reminder is issued by the English Automobile Association that brakes may be temporarily ineffective after passing through floods/ This applies particularly brakes with fabric linings. If inefficiency is detected the car should be 'nil lor a slntft time with all brakes fibtly applied. / "Jhe. effect that a bulb horn has on Pedestrians these days in tho more, crowded parts of the city is distinctly ... • noticeable. So' accustomed has everyone become to the usual type of klaxon or "°sch horn, that the less strident tone the bulb seems to command a way far more easily by the amount of attention it attracts. Now that there is a general movement afoot toward quieter * towns and cities, one may yet live to hear bulb horn in general use again.