BEACH IMPROVES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21113, 22 February 1932, Page 10

BEACH IMPROVES.

STEADY WESTERLY WfND.

MR. SMITH'S INTENTIONS

CAR TO RUN ON WEDNESDAY

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SrECIAt ..REPORTER.] KAITAIA, Sunday.

A considerable improvement in the condition of the Ninety-Mile Beach took plane during the week-end, when the wind was steady from the west-south-west. When the beach was inspected at low tide this afternoon, the greater part of the racing track was drier than it has been since the arrival of Mr. Norman Smith s party at the beginning of January. The beach was wet between the two and four-mile pegs, while there were pronounced bumps near the four and 10-mile pegs. The portion on which 3\lr. Smith proposes to run was covered to a depth of abont an inch with dry sand, evidently blown'from sandhills by the easterly wind late last week, and this will have to he consolidated before the beach is fit for use as a speed track. Maximum Tide on Tuesday. Athough the tides commenced to increase yesterday, they will not reach their maximum until Tuesday, and Mr. Smith is very hopeful that after Tuesday's tides have passed over the beach, a smooth surface will be left for him to race upon. He does not expect that to-morrow's tides will effect the desired improvement, but is .making arrangements to attack both the world's ten kilometres and five miles records on Wednesday.

During tlio past three weeks Mr. Kelvin Cuff, the electrician in charge of the timing apparatus, has been busy making a third track switch from spare parts sent from England with the original pair. He has constructed, a beam transmitter, a receiver and the track switch itself, and each component proved highly satisfactory when tested this afternoon. Since h e now has three track switches at his disposal instead of two, Mr. Smith will be able to attack two records in one run instead of having to take a separate run for each record. As soon as the beach is suitable and Mr. Smith decides to race, one switch will bo set, say, at the nine-mile peg, one five miles away at the 14-mile peg, thus giving him the required check over five miles, while the third switch will be set 10 kilometres down the beach from the first one # to enable hiin to be timed over that distance also. Later Mr. Smith plans to utilise the three switches to attack both the one-mile and one-kilometre records simultaneously. Special Windscreen Wiper. Mr. Cuff also brought with him a special electric windscreen wiper. The instrument, which is of straightforward design, has been sturdily constructed and will probably bo fitted to-morrow. Power for driving the motor which gives movement to the blade of the wiper will be derived from a battery carried in the racing car. When the wiper has been fitted, the last detail will have been completed in preparation of the car for the next attempt. The party at the beach is now complete and all the officials are eagerly awaiting Mr. Smith's next effort. The. opinion is general that if the present west-south-westerly winds continue, the beach will be in fine condition by Wednesday. For several hours over the week-end, the wind attained a velocity of over 20 miles an hour, according to the anemometer at the beach. The Napier engine of the racing car will again be started to-morrow and run for a short while to make absolutely sure that everything is perfect and that there will be no delay when the beach at last allows Mr. Smith to attack more records. Several of Mr. Smith's friends who are staying at Waipapakauri spent yesterday and to-day fishing at the Bluff, where good sport was enjoyed.