A.A. INTERESTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21702, 18 January 1934, Page 14

A.A. INTERESTS

BUSY HOLIDAY PERIOD ACTIVITIES OF THE STAFF The exceptionally busy holiday period experienced by the staff of tho Automobile Association was mentioned in a report submitted by tho touring manager, Mr. It. E. Champtaloup, at a meeting of tho council of tho association last evening. Ho said tlio association had achieved a record of service.

The very unseasonable weather proved a great disappointment to many members, and tho consequent changing of itineraries at the last minute imposed extra and unexpected- work in tho office, the report stated. The new maproutes for North Auckland were iu very keen demand and from the experience gained certain minor improvements could be incorporated in tho map-routes now being compiled for tho Auckland-Wellington section of tho North Island. A feature of the period between Christmas and New Year was the number of members of other associations who called at the office for itineraries. These motorists seemed to have loft homo with only a general idea of their trip, and once they arrived iu the city immediately made for tho association's office, where, according to their own statements, they obtained such wonderful service and a wealth of detail for their tours.

The patrol staff experienced a very trying time, tho very heavy winds and cold rain making conditions on the open road far from comfortable. There had been 32 patrols on constant duty during tho holiday period, and numerous motorists had been heard to comment on the extent of the association's service in this respect. The assistance rendered by patrols at the wharf had been the subject of very favourablo comment by visitors. Australians, in particular, expressed gratification at the rapidity with which their cars were passed through the customs. Several English motorists remarked lately that they heard of the splendid service available in Auckland prior to leaving England. New Publications The mail was cleared every day throughout tho holiday period, including Christmas Day, a'nd urgent inquiries received immediate reply. Tho office was open for at least a portion of tho day, every day except December 25, and the telephone was never without attendance day or night from December 17 to January 3.

Since January last year the association had issued itineraries for 10,000,000 miles of travel in New Zealand. It was estimated that the association had sent over 500 visitors to the South Island in the past few" months, and the increasing demand for detailed information concerning the South Island had led to a suggestion to the service committee that an additional member of the staff should bo detailed to inspect South Island roads and resorts some time during the year. Two new publications which will be released shortly by the association will be of interest to motorists. The existing map covering the Taupo, Wairakei and Tokaanu areas ha 3 been amended and brought up to date, and tho new edition will provide increased information. Among its literature, tho association has a very interesting booklet entitled " Day and Week-end Motor Tours," covering an area within 40 miles of Auckland. Supplies of tho present edition are almost exhausted, and an entirely new map embodying all the recent improvements to roads and covering the increased facilities at the various seaside and other picnic resorts, will be a feature of a new publication, which should be ready within a couple of months. It is proposed to issue the 1934 edition in the form of a sectional map on similar lines to the popular North Island map.

SAND FROM FAMOUS BEACHES An interesting comparison between a sample of sand taken from the famous speed track at Daytona Beach, Florida, and a sample from Ninety-Mile Beach, North Auckland, has been made by the department of geology of the West Virginia University, tmitod States. A copy forwarded to the touring manager of the' Automobile Association states that -Daytona sand ranges in colour from light grey to nearly white, while the New Zealand sand is light brown, showing a mixture of white, brow n and grey grains. "Both sands are composed of rather angular to only slightly rounded grains," the report states. "Very few, if any, grains in either sand couid be described as well rounded. Sieve tests show that both sands are well sorted, that is, their size varies within only a very small range. Two samples from Daytona have median diameters of .160 and .165 mm. respectively, and one sample from Ninety-Mile Beach consists of "grains with a, median diameter of .200 mm. The beach sands from both localities are fine, but that from Daytona Beach is a little finer. "The Daytona Beach aand is composed mainly of quartz, about 95 per cent, with less than 1 per cent of feldspar and small amounts of several heavy minerals, the most important of which arc ilmenite, epidote, sillimanito and green hornblende. The New Zealand beach sand has 75 or SO per cent of simple quartz grains and a much higher content of feldspar than the Daytona Beach sand, and many moro compound grains. The small heavy fraction of this sand consists largely of pyroxenes and brown hornblende, with moderate amounts of fine aggregates not readily identified, but probably consisting of iron-bearing minerals. This association of heavy minerals is much different from that in the Daytona Beach sand, or the sand anywhere in Florida. .It suggests the probability of many of the grains of the Ninety-Mile Beach sand boing derived from volcanic rocks."