Cycling & Motor Notes

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 48

Cycling & Motor Notes

BY DEMON

The roads of New Zealand were summed up concisely by the engineer to the Waimea County Council in a recent report as the result ot a motor tour. Of the local roads he writes: —"In Otajjo many of the roads were far from excellent.' Around Oamaru they were in a fair way. In Southland province he found the best roads anywhere. There the roads are level to undulating for miles and miles around Invercargill. The good class of shingle found in the rivers traversing the lowlands and plains, coupled with damp climatic conditions in summer, were very favourable for the upkeep of roads." A series of tests have been conducted by the Technical Committee of the Automobile Club of America with benzole and a benzole-petrol mixture, as against petrol tests on the same engine—a four-cylinder of 3ijin bore and sin stroke (95 x 127 mm.). On benzole the engines showed a decrease in fuel consumption of 12.3 per cent, as compared with petrol, as well as less carbon deposit, and an average b.h.p. of 25.9 as against 24 b.h.p. With a mixture of 90 per cent, of benzole and 10 per cent, of petrol a greater brake horse-power was developed than was obtainable from, petrol alone. The Minister of Agriculture in France has recently organised a service which will supply to farmers a number of agricultural motor tractors, in • order that there may be no delays in getting the recaptured regions under the plough. inaugural meeting of 'the newly-formed British Motor League it is stated that the league offers for a nominal subscription "an organised force for obtaining the redress of all' injustice to motorists, and is fighting for equitable taxation, the maintenance of good roads, fairer laws, driving- licenses freed from endorsements two years old, cheap and good motor fuel, and the democracy of motoring." ment restricted the output of motor cars after entering the war, the figures for 1918 naturally show a big reduction on th© preceding year. They are none the ,less formidable, no fewer than 974,606 private passenger cars having been produced, as against 1,71'J,000 in 1917. Motor lorries, curiously enough, although their output was officially curtailed last August, actually increased in numbers_ from 109,000 in 1917 to 182,000 last year, exclusive of war requirements.

—-After every trip the railroad locomotive is given a minute inspection in the roundhouse, and if the slightest reason for suoh a course appears it is completely overhauled in the repair shops. The motor truck is subject to greater stresses than tho locomotive", and had no smooth rails io run on. Surely the lesson is obvious! Learned from a private source recently that one English motor company is engaged upon the production of 10,000 light cars, which will go forth to Great Britain and overseas as fast as they can be turned out.

The motor manufacturers of England have put their 'heads together, to produce a car to compete with the Fo/d, but so far reports do not show any sign of accomplishment of the object in view. —— The directing editor of several of the leading U.S.A. motor journals, whilst on a visit to England, was recently asked if the American motor manufacturers were expecting a free market in Great Britain after having played an important part in the finishing up of the war. His reply was: "We expect that the American motor manufacturers will be faced with a tariff of from 30 to 40 per cent, for a period of at least five vears." If this forecast comes true, it will make a tremendous difference to the British motor _ industry and give it a fair chance to again get" on its feet.

That the development of aviation in New Zealand is to be given practical support is further evidenced by a cable message which has been received by Sir James Allen, Acting Prime Minister, from the Air Minister, London, stating that two Bristol fighters and two D 44 machines, with equipment, two riggers and two fitters, are coming out to New Zealand shortly. The machines and equipment, adds tne cable, remain the property of the British Government, and Colonel A. V. Bettington, R.A., Air Advisor to the National Government, will be responsible for their custody. Full details must be kept of the cost of transport, travelling, and stores consumed, etc. It is understood, said the Minister, thatthe uso of the machines and equipment is given by the Royal Air Force. ——When one or more leaves of a truck spring break and cannot be instantly replaced, the chances are -that the • extra strain, on the. remaining leaves will bend them out of true, so that replacing the broken loaves will not give a satisfactory spring. The .only remedy is a complete nevy spring. An old inner tube which has passed its usefulness as such may still be "made to render some service. Slit it open around its inner side and place it over tho new tube, in which location it acts as a sort of inner lining and strengthens the new tube. motor cycles in the postal Service.

Interviewed in Wellington regarding tho efficaoy of motor cycles in the New Zealand postal delivery service, a leading official stated: —"During tho past two years the Post and Telegraph Department has made extensive trials with the motor cycle for the purpose of mail deliveries. When the motor cycle came into favour five or six years ago the department was inclined to believe that at length the ideal vehicle for rural deliveries at least had been discovered, and numerous cycles of all makes were purchased and used in many places chiefly in

connection with rural deliveries. The effect of those experiments may be gathered from the fact that the department has dropped the use of motor cycles all over the country, and at present is only using two or three in connection with rural deliveries. Practical experience over all sorts and conditions of roads has proved that the motor cycle will not stand up to the work. The amout involved on account of breakdown and acei dents was very considerable and the running cost was high. In addition to the defects of the machine it was found that the daily riding over 50 and 60 miles of country roads had been prejudicial to the health of the men so employed. After a few months the constant jar of the motor-driven machine was inclined to effect the nerves of drivers even in the environs of Christchurch, where there are good roads on the flat. The motor cycle has not 'made good,' and there has been a reversion to the faithful old push-bicycle, with each motor cycle round divided into two." AIR-COOLED MOTOR ENGINES. The connection between motoring in the air and motoring on terra firma has always been very close, much closer than between the latter and motor boating:. It has been remarked that the automobile gave to the aircraft an engine which made aviation possible; and after the strenuous test of war tho automobile received from the aeroplane a much-improved engine which is rapidly being adapted and adopted. A further connection has now been announced. Several of the larsie aeroplane factories are now turning attention to the production of motor cycles and cars, the Sopwith Company having already begun on motor cycles. This combination will go very far to popularising air-cooled engines in cars and motor cycles, affecting a saving in weight and production costs as well as simplifying the engine proper. Several types of air-cooled

engines already in use have given good results on both motor cycles and cars, the models being of the aeroplane type, with certain modifications to. suit the machines for Avhich they are severally intended.