Motor and Cycle

Otago Witness, Issue 3889, 25 September 1928, Page 68

Motor and Cycle

Driver: “What on earth is that intermittent squeak? ” His Wife: “JJh. ■stop, George! Mr Jones has got himself shut up in the dickey!” .

The Timaru to Christchurch road race (112 miles) will take place on October 6. The first prize is worth £5O, and the Budge-Whitworth challenge cup, valued at lOOgns, will also be held by the winner.

In connection with the Timaru to Christchurch road race the Christchurch City Council has agreed to close a portion of Lincoln road in the , vicinity of the show grounds on the afternoon of October 0, the day on which the race is to be held (says the Lyttelton Times). The council has also grnted permission to the North Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union to ■ sell programmes for the race outside the show grounds on October 6. The question of the cost of petrol was again discussed at the meeting of the North Otago Motor Association last week. One member stated that a good quality petrol was being sold at Timaru at Is 9d per gallon. Another mentioned that in Dunedin a leading brand' of petrol was being sold at 4d per gallon less than in Oatnaru. The general opinion of members was that the local prices were too high, but no immediate measures could be taken to afford relief.

Incidents in the life of a traffic inspector on point duty came to light in the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court the other day, when an inspector gave evidence in a motor collision case (says the Lyttelt.on Times). “ How often do motorists toot at the crossings you direct? Most of them toot only once, don’t they?” asked Mr Sargent. “Gentlemen do,” replied the inspector. “ Others sound the horn about 20 times while waiting to get over, just to get on the inspetcor’s nerves.”

Motorists who park their cars in public places often experience the loss of some removable article from the vehicle during their absence. The petty thief who confines his attention to motor cars seldom exhibits traces of originality and mostly works on stereotyped lines (says an exchange). A petty thief, dr a practical joker, at Napier struck a new role on a recent evening, however, when a motorist who had left his car parked in a residential area, returned to find that in his absence some bright individual had purloined the bonnet. “A child at the wheel of a motor car can do just as much damage as a drunken man—the car hits just as hard in either case,” remarked Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M., when a 14-year-old schoolboy from Roslyn Bush appeared before him in the Invercargill Children’s Court last week, and was charged with driving a motor lorry without a license and with cutting a corner (reports the Southland Daily News). The sase, explained Senior Sergeant Fox, arose out of a collision between a lorry driven by the boy and another car at the corner of the Roslyn Bush and main Invercargill roads. A curious accident recently befell a large motor lorry at Waipawa. The vehicle was left standing on the main road just over the river while the driver went into a house, for a few minutes. When he returned he was astonished to find the lorry, which was loaded with a large pen of young calves, embedded in a paddock on the other side of the road on the river bank. Apparently, the engine was left running, though the brakes were said to be on, and the lorry turned by some means, crossed the road, broke through a fence, and came to rest at the bottom of a bank in the paddock. Luckily, it did not capsize, so- neither the vehicle nor the calves were injured. BRITISH MOTOR CYCLES. Remarkable progress is being made by the British motor cycle industry in its. efforts to increase sales in countries over-’ seas. A record has been established for six months’ trading, the export figure this year being no less than £2,343,611, a formidable amount that might well be studied by those who, although anxious for improvement in British trade, are ever ready to condemn the motor cycle. In 1916 the figure for the same period was £1,497,209, so that, on a 12 months’ basis, the increase has been £1,692,804. THE CROSSING PERIL. Official statistics just issued by the Railway Department disclose that "there were 19 level crossing fatalities in New Zealand during the year ended March 31 last. In the same period 43 people, mostly motorists, were injured. Of. the fatalities, 16 occurred on the North Island main line. During the year 10 crossings Were equipped with warning devices. The wig-wag appears to be giving the greatest satisfaction, and in four cases these devices were erected. In three cases flashing lights were chosen, and in three instances bells were used. This brings the total of protected level crossings in the Dominion to 96—only 3 per cent, of the aggregate nufnber pn the highway system. It . would cost’ over £2,000,000 to eliminate the 3000 level crossings in New Zealand, and during the last 20 years over £200,000 has been spent in reducing the number. There are certainly hundreds of crossings which are situated so-that is unrestricted, and in such cases a simple warning sign should suffice* for all titjie. The Main Highways Board has been treating crossings in order of urgency, but at the present rate it will require some years to deal with those which have been, the scene.of accidents. There will ihea still remain hundreds of crossings

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presenting considerable hazards. There is a wealth of security in the American caution: “To avoid that run-down feeling, cross crossings carefully.” THE DAZZLE PROBLEM. Every user of the road, and this includes pedestrians as well as motorists, has ample reason to complain against the use of extra dazzling headlights. They are a danger to many, and it is questionable whether they are a perfect protection even to their users. Certainly the blinding light is not necessary for safe motoring. Many devices have been invented to correct the evil, and 'doubtless some day the use of a blinding headlight will be made unlawful. Last week I witnessed a demonstration of headlights designed to cure this dazzle problem. They have been perfected as the result of many years of experimenting by Mr J. E. Robertson, of North-East Valley. The purpose of the headlamps is to light the driver’s own section of the road, and give ample-'Consideration to the approaching car. The lamps are constructed to reflect the light where required, and they can be raised, lowered, or rotated. They are under the control of the driver, ami Mr Robertson’s patent certainly covers some novel ideas. The lamps are fully covered by letters patent. CARE OF THE UPHOLSTERY. In the care of upholstery of a car lit.tle but regular attention is needed. Honest wear is unavoidable and practically irremediable—that is, once the surface is gone nothing can be done to replace it, and, unfortunately, wear takes- place in the most prominent spots. The enemy that can be kept at bay is dust. Even the finest, dust is highly abrasive, and it has an objectionable habit of working into the pleats of the seat squabs and cushions. It is advisable to open these now and again and brush out the dust, a clothes brush being a convenient tool. The sides of the pleats that have rubbed together will be found chafed. When the upholstery is real leather any good proprietary leather dressing may be rubbed on the sore places; only a light application-is required. Leather-cloth upholstery can be cleaned —as can leather—with soap and water, by making a good lather and working it in with a sponge. Furniture oil on a damp rag, or any of the special preparations are also successful. By far the best way of looking after upholstery is to give it regular attention, and often in dry weather. Wear at the sides of the pleats does not show, and, therefore, should be looked for the more frequently. Cloth upholstery in closed cars is another case where little can be done. Here, again, regular brushing (or the use of a vacuum cleaner) is the best help, towards long service. Usually a stiff brush is best, and a softer one for the cloth roofs of saloons. It will take the best part of an hour to brush out a saloon properly, because there are so many corners that need attention.DORMANT REGISTRATIONS. Of the 176,607 motor vehicles registered in New Zealand up to the beginning of August, nearly 30,000 are not in service, and the Dominion’s fleet consists, therefore, of about 147,000 vehicles with current licenses. The registration of a car, commercial motor, or motor cycle, is kepi on record for the life of the vehicle, and it is thus possible at annual licensing periods to ascertain the number of cars for which new number plates are not taken out. These unlicensed vehicles include many thousands standing in used car garages, W’hile a large number have been condemned by their owners for all time. In some cases the cars have been or destroyed, and the owners have failed to report their elimination. This number is small since there is yet no systematic “ junking ” in New Zealand, and the abandoned car, minus a few useful parts, is generally left in some neglected corner.

At the beginning of August. 1925, a few months after the inauguration of the licensing system, there were 110,160 motor vehicles on the register. Three years later, on August 1, 1928, the total was 176,607, an increase of 66,447. Duripg the same period, however, --29,703 vehicles passed out of service, and these registrations are dormant. The actual increase in vehicles on the road in the three years is therefore 36,744. In the future it will be possible to arrive at some conclusion regarding. the average life of a motor vehicle in New Zealand, as disclosed by the fate of those motors for which the licences will never be renewed. After allowing for resurrections, it appears that at least 10,000 vehicles are passing out of service annually. In this alone there is assurance of a substantial replacement market. SPEED LIMITS. Realising that the national speed limit of 25 m.p.h. within cities and boroughs is unnecessarily low, the Auckland City Council has requested the Minister of Public Works to consider raising the limit to 30 m.p.h. (says the Auckland Herald). The council’s broadminded view is a refreshing contrast to the rather harassing attitude adopted by some authorities. The city traffic department has earned the praise of traffic authorities from overseas, and its judgment on the speed limit question should be considered seriously bv lesser bodies. The City Council has also decided to discuss the speed limit question with Auckland police-officers, and it is hoped that this will result in a cessation of police action under the 25 m.p.h. limit. At present the motorist does not know what he is required to observe, and penalties have been inflicted because the

legislation in its clumsy form pretends to have, discovered that irrespective of lighting, traffic density, or road widths, a speed of 25 m.p.h. is safe,' and 26 m.p.h. is dangerous. The City Council has not favoured general speed limits for some time, and it has managed to control traffic very efficiently by prosecuting only when the speed is •“ dangerous with regard to all circumstances.” • The city by-laws fix speed limits only for Grafton Bridge, Domain Drive, and on intersections and corners. Reporting to the City Council last week the chief traffic inspector stated: “The police have been enforcing the limit of 25 m.p.h„ with the result that traffic on main thoroughfares moves at a slow pace, and creates congestion.”

MOTOR TRADE ASSOCIATION. The number of members on the register of the New Zealand Motor Trade Association has shown a considerable increase during the year, and is now nearly double what it was two years ago. The members under each section for the past year and the previous two years areas follows:—

REAR REFLECTORS. A number of motorists who purchased red rear reflectors when the regulations came inf.' force a few months ago have been persuaded to buy a second one in the belief that the original purchase did not meet with the approval of the Public Works Department: There are several reflectors on the market for which exclusive approval has been claimed, but the motorist who has already fitted some type would be well advised to be satisfied until there is some definite indication that certain types are to be condemned by the authorities, x At present neither the police nor local bodies are atteifipting to draw distinctions between the various reflectors which have been fitted. The North Island Motor Union still-hopes to persuade the Public Works Department to withdraw the regulation so that those

motorists who have cheap and possibly ineffective reflectors may yet escape further expense. ETHYL FUEL SAFE. The British committee appointed to inquire into the alleged danger to health arising from the use of ethyl motor spirit have now issued a full report. The conclusion is arrived at that the findings of the United States Government Committee were justified. In the opinion of the British committee the further experience. since the American committee reported has supported their conclusion that there were no reasons for prohibiting the use of ethyl petrol. In particular the committee wishes to emphasise the warning that ethyl petrol should be used only as a motor fuel, and not for such purposes as cooking or cleaning.

AN ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY. There is -at least one woifian in London who is not finding London too hot (says the London correspondent of the Australasian). Mrs Diana Strickland, who has just returned to England after a 7000 miles motor tour across Africa, says that she is more inclined to shiver than feel warm, and that she would rather drive through -another thousand miles of desert than face the London traffic. For a tale of sheer, intrepid courage the story of Mrs Strickland’s trip could not well Le beaten. She has been travelling across Africa for about a year, and she has gone over territory which no white person has ever crossed before. When she started out on the tour she was accompanied by a mechanic and a surveyor, but the surveyor died in Nigeria from fever, and the mechanic also became ill and had to return to England. For a thousand miles Mrs Strickland journeyed on alone, and then she found a Fvench mechanic, but, as it happened, it was just when she was alone that she had to do the worst part of her trip, through the Wadi Country, which is the territory of the Mad Mullah. The British authorities had refused her permission to travel through this country alone, but she cheerfully defied them and went on in spite of all. Only once did she have an unpleasant encounter. Some natives threw a tree across the road in front of her car, but eventually she managed to placate them and got through safely. For four months she was held un in a native hut by the rains. Her car had to remain out-

side all this time, and Mrs Strickland had no other diversion than to watch the rain falling, and this certainly must have palled after the first month or so. Her journey was enlivened by many incidents. Once, within a distance of 20 miles, all four tyres of her ear burst, and she had to ride on horseback for 200 miles to get new ones. She often had to make her own roads as she went, cutting down trees, filling in holes with sand and branches, and clearing away the mud from the wheels of her car with her hands—all this in a temperature of something like 115 in Xhe shade. But returned once more to what is commonly called civilisation Mrs Strickland is genuinely nervous of the London traffic, although unexplored Africa held no terrors for her, and she says it is positively frightening to hear the incessant roaring of motors which goes on night and day. She prefers the African solitude, where you hear nothing more alarming than a few lions and elephants wandering about in the dark hours of the night. COMEDY IN A CARACE. When we bought the car—our first—we decided immediately that it was necessary to become acquainted with the engine and be able to effect minor repairs. We also made a strong resolution that we would not take it into the garage if it 'were humanly possible to do the thing ourselves. Well about a month after the car was delivered—that is, after we had passed the stage of taking the temperature of the water in the radiator every morning and referring to the thing as “she” instead of “ it ” —George and I came to the conclusion that the car had to be oiled. George is my son, and is just at the age when youth delights in getting oily all over and taking things to pieces. That is his great delight—taking things to pieces; the other day he took the family clock to pieces, and it was only after a frantic search that we found the parts and gave them to a watchmaker to put together again. Now George knows just as much about oiling a car as I do—and that is nothing. The manner in which he assured me there was nothing in oiling a car: —simple, you know—would have .made one think he had been doing it all his life. Fortunately we had a booklet giving instructions on the oiling of the car. and with a beautifully complicated chart to -help. You know the sort of thing. The plaoa

where- the oil is to be put is indicated by a greep line, but as there are quite a few coloured lines it takes you half an hour to trace it to its source. The first thing. George said, was to take the bonnet off, so as to give plenty of room for action. It was about time I asserted myself; George had been too eager to display his knowledge. Accordhigly I refused to have the bonnet taken off, informing George severely that no action was needed and that a car had to be treated gently. So George held the bonnet up while I bent over the engine to find the pipe in which to put oil. Now, there were only about 20 or so pipes visible, and it was a nice point in which to put oil. George began to be bored, while I tried vainly to arrive at some decision. “ That’s the one,” he said, pointing to it. Unfortunately he pointed with the hand he had been holding the bonnet up with. I agreed reluctantly that it was best to take the bonnet off completely. George removed it with an air that caused me to get hot under the collar. Just before pouring oil into the pipe, we discovered, in the nick of time, that the oil had to be let out first. More trouble! How and where did the oil come out? George’s suggestion that it should be sucked out I dismissed as frivolous, and we sought eagerly for a tap in the engine. The first thing we saw there was a tap, and George immediately opened it. Out came all the water in the radiator. We referred to the book again and gathered that the oil was let out, not by a tap, but by a nut. I therefore suggested that George attempt the rest operation. George struggled under the car and finally found the right place. Unfortunately, however, he could not loosen the nut, and I had passed him nearly every instrument in the tool box before hr could manage it. Then, being himself, it was only natural that he should continue lying on his back under the nut after he screwed it off, with the result that half the oil was precipitated down his collar.

Half an hour later George came back to find me still standing with an oil can. a dreamy expression on my face and a thick stream of oil pouring into the pipe. “Good heavens!” he exclaimed, haven’t you finished pouring that oil in yet ? ”

I explained w’earily that I had already poured the contents of one can into the engine, that this was the second, that I was just about fed up, and that if the car was going to eat oil in such a fashion then I would sell it.

George shuffled his feet uneasily, and a strange expression dawned on his face. His glance wandered downwards, and my gaze followed his to the floor of the garage, which was two inches deep in new oil From the open oil tank, which George had forgotten to close, poured a steady stream' of oil. After George had closed the tap I sent him off to buy another can of oil, and tried to clean up the mess, an impossible task. After my attempts to sweep some of the oil out of the garage into the garden had been defeated by my wife I had a brain wave. Sneaking surreptitiously round the back of the house, I stole the vacuum cleaner, and. although the vacuum cleaner was ruined, the oil. or at least a goodly portion of it, was removed.

The next thing to be oiled, according to the book, was the hooter. If we thought that our troubles were over we were to receive a bad shock. In the first place we had to remove the motor cover, of the hooter, we presumed. It was only a week later that we came to the conclusion that this meant the bonnet of the car. Anyway, George commenced to search for the motor cover, and in the process incidentally dismantled the greater part of the hooter. In trying to put it together again, he must have made some slight mistake, for without the slightest warning, that hooter began to exercise its natural functions with a perseverance that was nothing short of amazing. It roared and bellowed, and when we tried to curb it, it broke into piteous groans and squeals; kindness only caused its groans to become more heartrending, and when George kicked it the noise that it emitted fairly made the walls of the garage tremble.

I looked up to see the majesty of the Jaw at the garage door, frowning portentously at me. He - took a step into the garage. “Now, what’s this?” he began, “you can’t—” but I never knew what I could not do, for the majesty of the law, weighing about 15 stone, stepped on a very oily patch of the floor, and was precipitated suddenly on to that portion of his anatomy he was trained never to show to an enemy. . It cost me £5 for an absolutely new pair ©£ pants, sir, and a new wire for the

horn which he cut with a pair of pincers to appease the limb of the law. Not only that, but my wife tearfully informed me that she objected to the road in front of the house being blocked with sensationseekers and went home to her mother for a week. So now the car is oiled regularly by the people I bought it from. SUCCESSFUL AUSTRALIAN CYCLIST. The 24-hours’ 80l d’Or track race, which Hubert Opperman, the Australian champion cyclist, won in Paris, is one of the oldest and most historical 24-hour cycle races in the world, dating back to 1894, when Huret, the great French rider, was successful. _ Opperman’s achievement in winning this classic race and establishing a new human-paced competition record of 5905 miles was a particularly fine one, the distance covered being the best humanpaced performance associated with the 80l d’Or. One of the greatest achievements recorded in this classic race was the wonderful rid" of the English champion, A. E. Walters, away back in July 1899, when he defeated the finest long-distance riders of Europe, winning by over 43 miles, and covering the remarkable distance of 634 miles 774yds in the full day. On that occasion the 80l d’Or was motor paced with tandems and tricycles, pedal assisted by their riders. No windshields were permitted. The event was decided on the Parc des Princes track, a famous open-air arena in Paris. It is interesting to note that Walters covered 32 miles 18yds in the first hour and 26 miles 1215yds in the last 60 minutes. He rode an Ariel cycle, geared to 112 deg, and fitted with steel rims and Dunlop detachable tyres.

NORTH OTAGO MOTOR ASSOCIATION. A meeting of the committee of the North Otago Motor Association was held on Wednesday evening, Mr G. C. Hayhurst occupying the chair. The position at Falconer’s crossing was discussed, and Mr Abbott was appointed to interview the county engineer upon the subject. The following sub-committees were appointed:— Monthly Journal’ Committee.—Messrs Duncan, Simpson, and Littlejohn. Finance Committee. —The president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary. The appointment of other sub-commit-tees was held over for a future meeting. . The South Island Motor Union advised that the Kurow Hotel had been placed on the official list of hotels. The union intimated the action that was to be token by the Otago Association in regard to rearlights, and forwarded information in regard to the new proposed motor journal. It was decided that the agreement with the South Island Motor Urfion in regard to the motor journal be signed and sealed. The South Island Motor Union wrote stating that a remit had been sent in to the effect that the petrol situation would be discussed at the annual conference in order to ascertain the wishes of the association in regard to future action. The Wanganui Automobile Association sent i. circular advising that motor spirit would be supplied to financial members of associations at prices 3Jd per gallon below the usual market price. The Motor Trades Association notified that Mr H. J. Jer.kins had been appointed to represent the association on the North Otago Motor Association. The clerk to the Oamaru Borough Council wrote'stating that gas would be supplied to the motor camp on the payment of a sum of £4O spread over two years. Mr H. Abbott stated that the gas would be installed almost ’mmediately. It was proposed that a penny-in-the-slot meter be placed at the camp. On the motion of Mr Simpson it was decided to erect a signpost at Pukeuri directing motorists to the Awakino electro-works, as well as at the Mount Cook Hermitage. Accounts amounting to £Bl* 2s lOd were pass' 1 for payment. Six new members (including two motor cyclists) were elected. Messrs H. Abbott. J. "W. ,Petrie, and the secretary were appointed delegates to the annual conference to be held at Christchurch on September 28. The remits for the conference were discussed, and the delegates were given the opinions of members concerning them.

1928 1927 '1926 Garage proprietors 757 574 505 Accessory dealers . . 4 2 1 Elec. & battery section 22 9 1 Petrol section 137 69 Tyre section 158 53 10 Wholesalers' section 13 14 14 Motor cycle section 111. 116 114 1202 837 645