SAFETY SONNETS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23275, 18 February 1939, Page 14 (Supplement)

SAFETY SONNETS

Film Stars' Cars In the world-famous film colony at Hollywood there is a vogue for speci-ally-built British cars." It was started by Clark Gable, who ordered a Jensen car, and since then six more Jensens have been delivered to various notabilities. Recently another film personality —who prefers to remain anonymous—requested Jensen Motors, Limited, specially to build for him one of their smart drop-head coupes, but with a 12-cylinder engine in it instead of the standard Straight Eight or a V 8 engine. Price of Safety

The fact that advice and admonition to motorists, as opposed to summonses and finds, resulted in a reduction of 46 £er cent in the number of accidents jn Ancashire over a period of six months has led ono authority to make a plea for the adoption of "courtesy police" t throughout the whole of Britain. ;If half Lancashire's improvement could be effected in the country as a whole, "it would mean the saving of 1200 lives and over 40,000 injuries. According to recent statements in Parliament, at would cost £2,500,000 a year to organise tho Lancashire scheme on a national basis. American Tour v

So successful were the two motor-car rallies from London to America and Canada in 1936, sponsored by the British Junior Car Club, that a further cavalcade of British motorists, embracing about 100 persons in 40 cars, has booked for a tour of America in July. The party will ship by the new Mauretania, which sails on its maiden voyage to New York on June 17. Three days will be spent in New York, including a visit to the World's Fair. Then will follow a 2000 miles, tour, embracing Chicago, Detroit, Boston and Toronto, Canada. Dally mileages are to be kept within reasonable bounds. London will be reached again on July 17. The all-in cost will bo about £132.

Gas-driven Cars Some time ago, it was reported that, with a view to conserving petrol, the Japanese Ministry of Commerce and Industry had decided io grant special Subsidies to bus and ; truck owners equipping their vehicles with producer gas power plants. t To help meet the cost of the conversion of some 700 motor-buses from petrol to producer gas at a cost of approximately £43 each, the Japanese Government decided to pay half the outlay. The authorities at Tokio are now making provision for the conversion of some 20,000 private cars to producer gas, thus further conserving petrol supplies in that country. Among those- who ; have already converted their cars to function on producer gas in Japan is Prince Chichibu, brother of the Emperor of Japan* He is using charcoal instead o£ peAroi-irtiiia'privatQ: motor-cars.