Motor and Cycle

Otago Witness, Issue 3885, 28 August 1928, Page 68

Motor and Cycle

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DEMON.

Out of 4320 cars coxintcd in the various parks on the opening day at Ascot, 3060 /Here British, 692 American, 326 Italian, 210 French, and 32 German. ■ “ You cannot use a demonstration car on Sundays for social purposes, and if , a Salesman took me out in such a car with a view to a sale, he would be liable for trading on Sunday,” said Mr C. R. OrrWalker, S.M., to a witness in the Timarti Magistrate’s Court the other morning. One of the garages at Taihape looks at present like a home for crippled motor cars, following a series'of accidents during last week in that district (remarks an exchange). A big sedan was smashed through the steering-gear going wrong; a three-seater turned a somersault on a corner, and another struck a post on a bridge; a five-seater skidded into a tele-’ graph pole, and another suffered considerably when a runaway horse tried to. jump over it. “After dark the cars are lighted; what are the red reflectors any use for? ” said Cr Pitt at the Stratford County Council meeting last Saturday (reports the Taranaki Herald). It seemed to be loading people with unnecessary regulations. One councillor suggested that they would be useful if the tail light -went out. It was agreed that the reflectors were necessary on push-bicycles but not on motor cars, and it was decided to confer with the South Taranaki Automobile Association on the matter. A selection of second-hand cars offered by an auctioneering firm in New Plymouth last week found no sale, in most cases the vendor’s idea of value and that of the potential buyers being separated by a fairly wide margin (says a northern exchange). One ancient model, judged on motoring standards, which appeared to be still in fair working order, was knocked down for £6. The only other sale effected was that of a rubber-tyred gig and harness, which fetched the surprising price of £9. “ That only shows that about these lighting cases there is a considerable amount bf darkness,” was the epigrammatic remark of the magistrate (Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M.), when a man charged in the Invercargill Police Court the other morning (reports the Times), with failing to harry lights on his motor car explained that he had made sure that they were in order before he left home and had - noticed they were still alight when he returned, yet for some inexplicable reason they had been temporarily extinguished on the journey. A youth who was charged in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court with hav- • ing no rear-vision mirror on a motor ..lbrry ; was not concerned to any extent about the fine for the offence (remarks the Post). After evidence had been given by a traffic inspector, the Bench asked the defendant if a mirror had since been put on the lorry. “ Well, I got ‘ fired ’ for this,” replied the defendant, “ and I am not in a position to say.” He was fined 10s and costs. “Do you want time to pay? ” asked Mr Slack. “I don’t think so,” was the answer. “ The boss will have to pay.” Two accidents befell the Rev. J. Rich, of Hamilton, while travelling in a light .three-seater motor car from Wellington to Hamilton (states a Hamilton correspondent of the Evening Post). When near Waipawa, Mr Rich’s car got out of control and ran into a creek. After a lonely struggle lasting several hours, and at night, Mr Rich extricated the car and proceeded on his journey. Engine trouble developed at Karapiro, near Cambridge, on Saturday night. Mr Rich lit a match to look for a missing screw* and the petrol. vapour ignited. The front part of the. car, including the engine, was de- ; stroyed before the outbreak was suppressed with an extinguisher produced by . a passing motorist. THE ELEVEN AGES OF TYRES. Shakespeare’s “ seven- ages of man ” was amusingly brought up to date recently in a window of a tyre depot-in Birmingham, where 11 different vehicles, each fitted / with pneumatic tyres, are ranged in order from the cradle to the grave. 1 They begin with the perambulator for the age of six weeks; next comes the baby’s tricycle (at three years old), followed by the fairy cycle (at six); the bicycle (at 15); the motor cycle (at 18); a 7 h.p. motor car (at 20) ; an aeroplane (at 25); a 12 h.p. motor car (at 30); a L .30 h.p. motor car (at 50); a bath chair . (at 90); and, last of all, a motor’hearse for the centenarian. COOL ENGINES. A cool-running engine acquires carbon deposit in the form of a' soft, powdery, dull black material which consists, for • the most part, of pure soot. The carbon deposited in hot-running engines, however, takes on itself a different form; In these cases the carbon deposit is hard, and, further, it very often has to be removed in small hunks. Carbon deposit of the hard type ,is derived chiefly from the decomposition of the lubricating oil or of its vapour. It is not a pure form of carbon, for it contains a certain proportion of hard, tarry matters derived from the partially burned oil. AUTOMATIC TYRE INFLATOR. One of the latest time savers and auto- . motive’ helps to; make its way bn the . American market is the automatic tyre inflator. Ona of these inflators is in-

stalled in each wheel; the valves are set for the pressure required, and the wheel attends to the business of inflating without human guidance. The moment the pressure drops below a predetermined point, the inflators replace the lost air. These inflators are simple in construction, and make an inconspicuous permanent attachment to the wheel, which does not interfere with the removal and replacement of tyres or rims. Proper inflation is highly important to satisfactory service from balloon tyres. This device is fully automatic, as the valves are set to deliver the proper amount of air, and when up to pressure no more air will enter, as the valve is set so that the surplus air passes out through the exhaust. It is claimed that these inflators will increase the tyre mileage 25 to 50 per cent. TYRE STANDARDISATION. Even in these enlightened days there 'are many users of pneumatic-tyred commercial vehicles who insufficiently appreciate why some of their tyres give considerably greater mileage than others. And should one or more outer covers fail earlier than expected, the reason is very often attributed to faulty manufacture, and the makers are discredited accordingly. So far as the leading makes of giant pneumatic tyres are concerned, methods of production are so standardised and supervised that variations in wearing qualities between covers and tubes of the same size and pattern are very much less than was the case when pneumatics were first applied to heavy load-carrying vehicles. If, therefore, disappointing results are experienced, it will usually be found that the conditions under which the tyres in question are run, or their. treatment, are responsible. In fact, it can be regarded almost as an axiom that every pneumatic tyre is capable of giving the maximum mileage for which it was designed. Whether it attains it or not depends almost entirely upon the manner and circumstances of its use. CHILDREN’S PLAY. The practice of allowing children to play on the main suburban roads is becoming more dangerous daily, and if the childrens lives are to be saved their playgrounds must be kept beyond reach of the traffic, says the Sydney Morning Heralds motor writer. Children on scooters and tricycles are making the main motoring roads their playground after school hours, and,., about dusk, motorists are hard put to -avoid running down the joungsters. Often they dash across the roa “ S? lte unexpectedly, and are not seen until the car wheels are a few feet from them. At dangerous curves and on hills—places where the scooters are in their element—the children are in grave danger, lhe Royal Automobile Club of Australia suggests teaching in schools. Safetv bS’?” school and by wireless are bound to achieve something, even if it means cooping the children up. There is however, only one real means to a per- : X P Jn nt s f olutlol } of , the problem-the provision of ample play areas and wider pavements. The child must be allowed thimi t 0 de ' e ° P; the motor is not everyMOTOR NUMBER PLATES. At the recent conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union the following wa S s pass n ed r -- rding mOt ° r number P late * e™” 3 bvX rrf , ‘4 on moto? ? ang,ng of number plates mu vehicles every year.” lhe Department has replied to the Farmers’ Union as follows: “The Government is still of the opinion that the number plate system is the best that taxation e hv ed Ulid ® r I . the sc heme of motoj taxation by annual license fees, and the following are some of the advantages n Te r a V. ned for this system:—flj sure that tbp ß r sh sys - tem > in to be s l .?® th.at the license is not a fake, and is otherwise correct, it is necessary for the car to be stopped, and, therefore defrauding under the English system is much simpler than under the number to evS Z" nd i r is impossible U Payment of annual license fees for any appreciable time. For a small expense in the cost of the plates thd country is saved considerable expense n b^l a "!i ln " whetller license fees haro Leen.paid, in prosecuting delinquents and recovering Heense f ees 3f which It might otherwise have been defrauded’ (2) the present system preserves an annual ked" of the m U X ber ’ u°^ ners l ,i P’ and lo catio« This , vehlcles ln the Dominion. Inis is obijously a great assistance in’the unravelling of crimes in which the us! of a motor car is concerned, and the number plate system is very heartily supported by the police.” sup.

DUPLICATE REGISTRATIONS. The Motor Vehicles Act requires that a motor vehicle shal be registered once only, but that a license to use it shall be taken out annually. The number of motor vehicles registered should show the number in the Dominion, and these numbers are generally accepted as correct for that purpose. A practice has crept m by which some registrations are duplicated (says the Radiator), and whenever this is done the correct position is not shown. We regret to state that motor traders have, m some cases, been guilty of reregistering a vehicle already on the register, instead of putting through a transfer of license. The reason for sueh practice is presumably to keep from the purchaser

the knowledge of how long the vehicle has been in stock, which would be disclosed by a transfer of license. The continuation of this practice must inevitably bring results that will be harmful to motor traders. If the authorities find that those people registering motor vehicles cannot be trusted to state correctly the information required, then proof will be required, and this would mean the production before the registrar of every vehicle to be registered, so that the distinguishing factors could be checked. This practice is in force in Victoria, and it is very cumbersome compared with the New Zealand system. It is to be hoped that it will not be necessary to adopt such extreme measures, and the matter appears to be in the hands of motor traders. SYDNEY’S TRAFFIC. While not relaxing its efforts to improve the standard of driving on the part of all motor users, the Royal Automobile Club of Australia is also alive to the necessity for education of. pedestrian traffic and the development of a greater sense of mutual recognition of the rights and responsibilities of each section of the public which makes use of congested streets; The crowding- of Sydney’s narrow streets, both by" vehicle and pedestrian traffic,. becomes greater every day, and this is accentuated both by the natural increase of population and by the rapid expansion of the numbers of motor vehicles that. is taking place. With more than 100 new motor vehicles going on the roads of the State every day, a very large proportion of which are in' the metropolitan area, and find their way into the city traffic more or less regularly, it is only to be expected that the tram-lined streets will be crowded. This fact alone would make for congestion, a state of affairs which is accentuated by the irresponsible manner in which so many pedestrians wander across the busiest por tions of the carriage way, causing hindrance to the regular flow of traffic. In London and New York, the volume of vehicle traffic is so great that it is a matter practically of impossibility fof people on foot to pass across a' road at any place excepting at a proper street intersection, where a officer is stationed. In Paris during recent years it has been made an offence for pedestrians

to attempt to cross a. road at other than the proper places, and something of the same sort has been instituted in Melbourne and Adelaide. The necessity for similar action in Sydney becomes more pressing every day;

The Royal Automobile Club calls attention to the necessity for several reforms in the general conduct of traffic both in the city and suburbs, in this regard. The public needs education in the direction of restraining their desire to Cross the streets at other than intersections, where, further, it is necessary to wait until the signal to pass across the road is received from the traffic constable. By so doing, they will not only avoid slowing down the traffic, which must be kept moving as fast as possible, but also very considerably reduce the risk to their own safety, and help to minimise the appalling roll of casualties ■which is a blot on modern life. In the suburbs the habit of Walking on the road in preference to the footpath needs eheckitfg, as. it constitutes a serious danger with traffic in those parts of the metropolitan area, as heavy to-day as it was almost in the heart of the city a few years ago. The whole position,.in fact,, needs reviewing, and all sections of the . community need educating in the safe and sane use of the road. THE MOTOR TRADE. Car sales in New Zealand during the first half of 1928 totalled 6486, an increase of 157 on the aggregate for the corresponding period of 1927. The figures were naturally well below the boom totals of the first half of 1926. For April, May. and June, 1928, increases were recorded over the same months for last year, and it appears that an average of 1000 cars a month might be maintained this year. Following are details of the new car sales for the three half-yearly periods:—•

Two-thirds of the cars sold in ’ New Zealand are being placed on North Island roads. Of the 6486 cars sold and registered during the first half of this year, 4301 were absorbed in the North Island. The Auckland province - took nearly 31

per cent, of the Dominion sales in the half-years. Following are details of the. distribution during the six months:— a Auckland ............ 2001 Wellington .. .. .. 1517 Canterbury .v . .A.-.. .. 1042 2 Otago . . .. .. . . 550 AS Hawke’s Bay 401 a ... .Taranaki .. ~ ... ~ .. .. 352 » Southland .. .. .. .. .. .. ' 322 Nelson . ..- ... .. .. .. .. 149 k Marlborough .. 84 \ ■Westland .. .. .. 3s •# . 6486 If 176 cars of unknown make be excluded from the sales for the half vear it appears that 19 enumerated British makes account for 1236 sales, or 194 per cent, o,f the named total. In the corresponding period of last year British ears numbered 974, a share of 15| per cent. hollowing are details of sales in the six months, January to June, 1928: —

MAIN HIGHWAYS. WELLINGTON, August 20. An important programme of works in* volving the reconstruction and improvement of the roads adjacent to the larger centres of population in the Dominion was approved at the monthly meeting of the Main Highways Board last week. It will be recalled that from the revenue available from the petrol tax the board is making subsidies up to £3 for £1 available for the reconstruction of heavilytrafficked highways adjacent to centres of population of 6000 inhabitants.

The board recently drew up tentative schemes covering reconstruction adjacent to a large number of centres, and these were submitted to the district highways councils and the automobile associations concerned. The concurrence of the district highway councils and automobile associations has been received in a number of cases, and the programmes were approved of at the board’s meeting which has just concluded. The class of work varies from bituminous surface, treated macadam, and gravel to concrete, according to traffic density. In most cases the period for _ the programme is five years! The following are included in the South Island schemes:—' ; Highway District No. 18. —Invercar-gill-Dunedin, Bridge Inn to Woodlands, five miles and arquarter; Lorne-Castle . Rock, Lome; corner' to Buxton road, two ''nii les and a-quarteg; Invercargill-Bluff, B length of ■l2 miles; Invefcargill-Rivei-

ton, Wallacetown to Argyle corner, two miles, and a-half; Kennington-Waikawa, Kennington to Rimu, three miles. The board hopes to be in a position to finalise the scheme adjacent to other centres at an early date. The board has decided that a subsidy towards the cost of the erection of a new traffic bridge at Ashburton on the Main ’South road from Christchurch to Dunedin will be on a basis of £2 for £1 up to £lO,OOO, and expenditure above this figure will be subject to subsidy of £3 for £l. COMMERCIAL MOTORS. During the half year. 1264 commercial vehicles were sold. Of the named total ?> ■ 211, or 184 per cent., were British. Following were the commercial ■vehicle sales:—

MOTOR CYCLES. Motor cycle -egistrations for the month of July show an increase over the figures for the previous month. There were 290 motor cycles registered. Details are: B. 41 Douglas ' 36 Harley Davidson .. .. 31 Triumph 29 Arie' 22 Indian 20 A-J-S 19 Raleigh 17 New Hudson 9 Royal Enfield 9 Francis Barnett 6 Sun g Matchless 5 • Norton 4 P. and M 4 New Imperial 3 Rudge 3 Velocette 2 . Henderson 2 Excelsior 2 Rex Acme o C. E. C 2 Other makes 16 Total 290

1926 1927 1928 January . . . 1782 1233 1073 February . . 1753 1300 1010 March . . . 1505 899 898 April . . . 1912 1294 1337 May * ; . . 1416 850 1115 June . . . 1169 753 1053 —■ 1 - —■ ■ ■ ■ . ■! ■■ 9537 6329 6486

Chevrolet . 1006 Cadillac . . 2.1 .Essex ... . Austin? ;. 907 528 Clyno • ArinstrongIS Chrysler. 509. Siddeley . 16 Whippet . 38S Sunbeam . . 16 Morris .. 380 Packard . . 15 Dodge . 375 Crossley , 12 Buick -■« 324 Wolseley . 12 Ford • . ■ 324 Paige '. . ' 11 Rugby.. . 180 Talbot . . 10 Erskine . Studebaker 153 144 Hillman . , Humber . . 10 9 Nash. • . 129 Citroen . - 8 Willys-Knight 116 Velie- . , 7 Oakland . 112 Minerva . . 7 Pontiac . . .. 108 Bean.. , G Hudson . 98 Ansaldo . . 6 Singer * 96 Trojan . . 5 Oldsmobile a S3 Swift . . 2 Hupmobile 77 Star . . Standard . * 42 Arrol-Johnston 1 Vauxhall . * 39 Flint . . 1 Fiat . 36 Rover . 32 6310 Reo , • 24 Other makes 176 Total . . G4SG

Chevrolet , . . 437 Commerce . . . 8 Ford . . . 152 United . 6 Morris . . . 77 Ruggles . . . 4 International . 72 Guy . . . 3 Graham . . 65 Denby . . Stewart . . 44 Fiat . . o Reo . . . 37 Federal-Knight OverlandVulcan 1 Crossley . 28 A.E.C. . . 1 Republic . . . 27 Bessemer . . . 1 Dennis . 23 Daimler . 1 Whippet . . 22 Fisher . . . 1 Thornycroft . . 21 S.P.A. . . . -1 Trojan . . . 20 Willys-Knight 1 White . . . 15 Brockway . , 1 Bean . . . 14 Berliet ’ . . 1 Dodge . . . 14 Leyland . . . 14 1140 G.M.C. . . . 13 Other makes 124 Albion . 8 Total 1264