WANGANUI MOTOR RALLY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22046, 28 February 1935, Page 17

WANGANUI MOTOR RALLY

AUCKLAND CAR'S SUCCESS TOTAL OF 25 COMPETITORS One of the two Auckland entries in the Wanganui motor rally, Mr. It. M. Grierson's Morris Eight, driven by him, with Mr. T. L. Cooper as relief driver, won the class for cars up to eight horse-power. The other car,, Mr. H. J. Butcher's new twelve-four Riley, was fourth in its class. It was driven by Mr. Butcher and Mr. It. A. Dexter, jun.

The rally, the first to be held in the Dominion, was a great success. A total of 25 cars from various parts of the North Island took part, and only ono did not complete the journey of 500 miles, owing to a broken cylinder head. One car broke a spring.

Competitors started on Saturday morning from Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Wanganui, Napier amU Wellington. They gathered at Napier that night and the following day completed the journey to Wanganui. As a result of heavy rains, the roads were not in the best of order and all cars and their drivers were well tested at some stage of the journey. Probably the worst portion of the trip was from Napier to Taihape, which included 10 miles of clay on an otherwise rocky road. A climb of 3200 ft. was included and the descent by a rough road through a precipitous ravine called for careful driving. On arrival at Wanganui both the Auckland cars were leading in their classes.

Elimination tests were held on Monday, drivers being required to show their skill in handling their machines in an emergency and to extricate their vehicles from a narrow, defined area.

After a starting test, drivers had to drive uphill, stop within 6in. of a chalk mark and then back down again, 'lho third test was to drive over four potatoes placed in line, and the fourth to extricate a car from a given square without touching the sides. Time was an important factor in each instance. The winners of the classes were: — Cars over 14 h.p.—A. J. Davison, Pontiac, Hamilton (C. H. Davison and A. R. Davies). Cars between 8 and 14 h.p.—W. F. Anderson, Singer Nine, Napier (W. F. Anderson and Miss Mclntyre). Cars up to 8 h.p—R. M. Grierson, Morris Eight, Auckland (R. M. Grierson and T. L. Cooper).