Cycling and Motor Notes

Otago Witness, Issue 2949, 21 September 1910, Page 59

Cycling and Motor Notes

FIXTURES. September 24.—Otago Motor Cycle Hill-climb-ing Competition (Saddle Hill). October I.—Warrnambool to Melbourne Road Race.

BY DEMON.

Mr W. A. Moore spent last week in South Canterbury with his Siddeley, car, having a . non-stop run and excellent weather over the five days, including a run on the Mount Cook road to Lake Tekapo. On the road homo Mr had tho bad luck to run into a thunderstorm at Waitati. Mr Rutherford gave his 16 horsepower Buick a thorough test last week. From Waipahi over the Conical Hills in wet weather, through Tapanui. and Waikaia to Gore, and back through the Pukerau mud, with clay up to the axles, without a stop, is a sterling performance for any make of car. climbing competition is eet down to eventuate this coming Saturday. I understand the three Christchurch motor cyclists Who are pacing Birch to-day (Tuesday) in his ride from Christchurch to Dunedin will stay here and compete in the hill-climb. Motor car drivers report tho read from tho north side of the Horse Ranges to Hampden is in places in a very rough condition. It is said that the road metal has not been broken sufficiently small, and present? very sharp points—to the detriment, of course, of the motor tyre. A local aigcnt states that New Zealand motor car vendors are experiencing a great difficulty in getting their orders delivered, "fo considers that Home motor car manufacturers must be having a very busv sea.son.

Percy Mutton and George Hordev, the two best rider* in New South Wales, are inmates of the Sydney Hospital. While training on th" Snorts Ground, Mutton fell heavily, and Horder toppled over him. Mutton Icnded- on hie head on the asphalt 'rack, and was badly injured. He has a fractured rib, a broken ncee. and some very bad injuries to the mouth and foreheat!. Horder's legs are badly rut about, and he has slight concussion. Both will, it is expected, be confined to the hospital for at least 10 days. Mr .T. Dixon, who is well known through New Zea.land as representative for the Dunlop Tyre Company, arrived in Dunedin on Saturday by the first express <m route to Melbourne to witnees the Warrnamboo! to Melbourne Road Race. The Dunlop Rubbt-r Cornrmiy are in receipt, of a cablegram advising them that their hea-d office (Melbourne) have received 525 entries for their annua l Warr-nambc-01-Melbourne (165 miles) Rood Race, to be run on Saturday. October 1. The limit man received a liandicap of 60min. and the folloivinc handicaps have been allotted tho New Zealand entrants: —A. R. L. Smith 3 minutes, J. Coulter 3. J. Tozer 9. P. O'Shea 17. W Arn.st 21. J. M'Teigue 23. P. Gillespie 25, W. Walsh 25. O. Neilson 25. P. Humm 27, D. Greenlees 29. R. Edwards 31. J. Clark 33, C. H. Lawton 35. J. W. Waldie 43. It is anticipated that the New Zealanders will show up very prominently in this year's race, they being considered as a very Strong contingent of representative riders. It will be noticed, however that owing to an accident, Humm will probably not be a competitor in the Warrnambool.

A number of would-be motorists have been inquiring lately as to the best kind of second-hand car to buy. As already pointed out, what "ould euit one man might not suit instance", anyone iiving in a flatJgfl with

good roads, should be satisfied with a light machine, of moderate power; whereas if the country to be traversed is at all hilly and. rough, a car of more power, and with heavier eprings, on <a stouter chassis, le essential The best plan for the would-be buyer to adopt is to visit all the garages and explain what i 8 required. Make the •respective agents give demonstrations over roads somewhat similar to those over which the maehine will be required to run daily. By doing this and noting the relative merits of the various models experimented with, a fair idea of the capabilities of the desired vehicle will be arrived at.

—So many motor cars visit Randwick nowadays that the Australian Jockey Club has had to make special provision for them at the racecourse. Some of the Australian suburban courses are finding it difficult to aecommodate the large number of cars that visit their meetings. The noise of motor omnibuses was at first disgraceful owing to various faults of construction and careless maintenance. Thanks to the pressure of the Scotland Yard authorities (says an English writer) a steady improvement is taking place, and some of the latest models are almost as silent as a private car. In another two or three years one may reasonably expect that this objection to a very useful type ot public service vehicle will be entirely removed, and it will then be a more serious rival to the electric tram.

German .motor experts hold to the belief that speed trials are etill necessary, and that such teste have borne rich technical fruit for the manufacturer?. They declare that these trials are more valuablethan all the "grey theory" in the designing sheps with drawing-board and T-square, and that practice alone decides the value and utility of a construction. Without such technical experience, it is held that German motor manufacturers would not be in a position to compete on equal terms with British builders, whose thoroughness they fully appreciate. -—The visitor to the Continent this year cannot fail to be impressed with the enthusiasm of its nhabitants with respect to motoring and aviation (says a Home writer). A striking contrast to our official denouncement of road events such as bill climbs or the late T.T. race is eeen in the year's programmes in Belgium, France, Germany, and elsewhere. No doubt the reasons for the British attitude may be justified by local conditions, or they may lie deeper still in dado feeling or "official jealousy. But, nevertheless, one cannot help envying cur more fortunate Continental friends for their attractive roadside functions and the pleasure, and interest they give to the public. - Returns recently issued by the Homo Office as to the number of accidents caused by vehicles in England last year give the reader som-2 instructive information. As would ),a expected from the continuous increase in the number of mechanioally-nro-pelled vehicles, accidents caused by them pro more numerous thiui formerly. On the other hand, boree-drawn vehiejrt are responsible for a greater proportion than before, a fact for which it is not easy to Hive a sound reason. In 1903 motorcars and motor cycles were the cause of 193 deaths, a total increased to 265 in 1909. when self-propelled vehicles were practically twice as numerous as in T,he preceding year. The figures for the horse vehicles \verc 410 and 489. the increase, in the fatalities being the more striking since this class of vehicle ha»s rkoreased in numbers. Accidents that did not nrove fatal are, of course, much more numerous. 449 in 1908 beimr due to mechanical vehicles, and 9045 to the other ela.s=. In 1909 the totals were 6717 and 12.053 respectively, which is still in favour of the former typo.

of shir* representatives was hrdd to consider the advisability of approaching the Government for unconditional grants- "to repair the damage" alleged fco have- been caused to main roads in the country by motor car and motor cycle traffic. The Chairman emphasised the difficulty of Keeping main roads in order owing to the heavy traffic of motors and other vehicles, and then remarked, somewhat in opposition to the demand for "uncondi tiona-1 grant!*." that it was work that. should be undertakrn by the State, and not left to local ratepayers. Ultimatelv the fallowing resolution wa« aorreed to —"That the conference is of opinion that the Go-

\ernment should give unconditional grants to repair tli3 main trunk roads, or thai motor cars and cycles should bo taxed to pay for the damage they caused, the proceeds of the tax to be divided pro rata among the shires through which the maiHroads passed and to be spent only on those' roads." . , ;. Says a Home writer:—"The fact that there are to-day 5000 cabs running on ■' tho London streets, and that the pneumatic tyre bill for each cab is, say, £IOO per - annum (or in all half a million of money, per annum) is in itself of sufficient importance to make the subject of pneumatically springing and pneumatically tyreing these cabs of vital interest, and to Pet the brains of most inventors in action."

The motoring trade and public have been much exercised in. their minds this year over the high price of rubber and ita effect upon the price of tyres. As I mentioned in an article some time ago (says' a writer in the Motor), rubber was being, "talked up" in the city to 15s per lb, and) at that time there looked to be quite a reasonable possibility of its reaching that, figure. But a month since the highest point' seems to have been reached, and there were signs of stagnation and' of decline, and the .price of the best. Para rubber —which is practically the only rubber used in tho' beat class of tyros—haa experienced a steady drop. The result is seen in a circular letter which has just been issued by the Palmer Tyre Company to its clientele, announcing that, in consequence of the reduction in' Para rubber, the firm is now able to reduce the prices of their cycle and motor cycle tyres to their old figure, which, to users of these two classes of tyres, must be "tidings of comfort and joy."

A DARING DRIVER

We were told not so long ago that road racce had lost their value (says a writer in the Field), that they endangered the sightseers, if not the competitors themselves, and more to the same effect. With this, however, we venture to disagree in. some measure, being strongly of opinion that the motor 'car is by no means perfected yet. And as for danger, there is really very little to be feared, since these events can be so organised as to be practically as safe as ordinary touring. In. the Ostend meeting, for example, C. Jcnatzy travelled at more than 120 miles an hour over a road thai has several severe turns, a performance he repeated later at Boulogne. But in neither case did he incur the slightest risk himself or endanger the public. It is true there was one incident that might have had serious results, but that was due to the public themselves. Driving a high-powered Pipe car over the Ostend course, the yo_unger Jenat/y had missed a bend and phot across the grass, overturning his car. Directly this : happened the crowd broke through the line' and swarmed across the road. At this very moment 0. Jenatzy thundered round the bend at top speed on his monster Mercedes. A catastrophe appeared imminent. To slop was impossible; to keep to the route meant death to many. But before one oouid even grasp the situation Jcnatzy had jumped a ditch, raced across a field, cleared the ditch again beyond the crowds, and, with hardly a diminution of speed, was back in eafety upon the road. For a piece of superb daring and measured judgment, this would be difficult to l>eat.

ENGLISH RIDER HARSHLY TREATED.

Following on Meredith's refueal to ride In the final of the 100 kiloms championship of the world after winning a heat, is word of bis being disqualified for 15 day.-!. He had received injuries some days previous, and only rode to keep faith, hut suffered so much that he felt justified in standing down for the final. An examination and report by a medical man bears out all he says. Later advices show that inferences were cant to the effect that, he was afraid to risk a defeat, and to silence the suggestion—made in Continental circles —Meredith has expressed his willingness to meet Hens, the victor, in Paris, a month later, and to decide a match of either three races or a 50 kilom. race, under championship conditions. He cannot meet Hens earlier on account of his injuries. He has had four eevere falls this year, all on the same side, when old wounds were reopened. Cyclists and the cycle press in Great Britain are very in-

dignant at his disqualification, and at Keve'ral other unfair tactics practised at the meeting. CYCLE TAXATION IN FRANCE. Some extraordinary figures are published in respect to the number of pedal cycles used in France. The latest returns from "the> authorities show that 2,471,060 machines paid a tax of 3 francs —less then 2s 6d—last year, which is an increase of 700,000 since the tax was reduced from. 5 francs in 1903. In the department of the Seine, which includes Park, there is one cycle in use for every 13 inhabitants. If a man has three bicycles he need but pay one fee, provided he attaches the metal tab to the machine he uses. French cyclists paid £293.896 6s into the Treasury last year. There are •>nly 26,543 motor cycles in use in the Republic, as against about 100,000 in Great Britain. - TIMARU HILL-CLIMBING COMPETITION. The - official, results of the motor cycle hill-climbing competition held at Claremont are as follows : TRADES CLASS. Prize a sweepstake. 1. S. Lawrie (Norton), 115.5 merit marks ... .'. 1 B. Brown (Triumph). 122.6 2 W. Hopkins (Bradbury). 130.5 ~ 3 Also competed: L. M. Reynolds 133.7, F. Baker 134.7. B. M'Knight 134.8, and H. Randrup 142.4. F. Baker won the- open eompetition for fastest time. AMATEUR CLASS. Prizes £2 2s and £1 Is. R. Cooke (Triumph). 123.9 1 A. Lawrie (Triumph), 129.7 2 H. Mayo (Triumph), 135.4 3 Also competed: R. Wakefield 136.1, G. Harris 137. W. G. Coropfcon 142.6, K. Robertson 146.2, G. Broadhead 147.3, and W. Sutherland 224.7. GOULBURN-SYDNEY RACE. SYDNEY, September 18. The Goulburn to Sydney Road Race relulbed as follows: —Kirkham (Victoria), I3sec, 1; Wilson (Victoria), 55sec, 2; Downey (New South Wales), 35sec, 3. The winner's time was 6hrs 47min. O'Shea (New Zealand) finished ninth, his. dding time being 6hr 54-min 37sec. Kirk*Sam, the winner, also secured fastest time for the course by 2sec. Humm, another New Zealander, fell and was severely injured, having to be conveyed to the hospital. September 19. Of 111 starters in the Goulburn-Sydney race, 91 finished. Kirkham (Melbourne), the winner, was assisted in his fine effort by good roads and brilliant weather. Humm's head struck a stone. He is suffering from slight concussion. W. Arnst filled twenty-fourth place. The distance of this race is 131 miles. The* fastest time put up over the course stands to the credit of the well-known Australian rider T. Larcombe, who in 1908 traversed the distance in 6hrs 35min. FRENCH MOTORIST KILLED. PARIS, September 17. Guipon, the celebrated French motorist, •while travelling at 80 miles an hour at Boulogne, endeavoured to avoid two cyclists. His machine turned two somerfriult# and crushed him to death.