MOTORISTS OF 1905

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19134, 1 October 1936, Page 14

MOTORISTS OF 1905

SIR THOMAS WILFORD TRIALS OF EARLIER YEARS Motor cars that- frightened horses anti excited the keenest- of public interest wherever they went but which even at their best would have caused the Hon. R. Semple not the slightest anxiety were talked about, among other things, at the dinner tendered in Wellington by the executive of the Automobile Association (Wellington), Inc., to Sir Thomas Wilford l and the foundation members of the, association. Those who dipped back into the past for their interesting reminiscences dealt also with the trials and tribulations of the motor car pioneers in this country, their references to the mechanical capacity of the old cars, the state of the roads, and so on, of those days being such as to provide a sharp contrast with present-day cars and the conditions motorists now enjoy. HIS FIRST GAR Sir Thomas Wilford told the gathering how he came to buy the now olafashioued car, a photograph of which with Sir Thomas at the wheel, adorned the menu cover. He said he went to Auckland to buy a racehorse, having saved £3OO, but as the tirst bid for the horse (which lie had thought a good proposition arid which ultimately turned out to be a winner) was £SOO, lie took tittle part in the auction. On the way back from the -sale- a man sold him the car. That was on a Saturday, and on the Sunday the vendor taught him how to drive it, and oil the Monday he drove three others irom the Northern Club to the Auckland Derby, it was an adventure! Then someone bet him £5 he could not drive the car to Wellington. The trip took 11 days, and, when, after having to repair a steel coupling at Taupo, the car arrived in Wellington, the whole of Wellington turned out to see the triumphant arrival, his progress on the way down having been telegraphed. CAR THAT WOULD NOT STOP Sir Thomas, in delightful style, related other adventures with the old car, including a- trip he and Lady Wilford took in it to ttie Wairarapa, on which occasion, owing to trouble with the gear lever, the greatest difficulty was experienced in getung the car to stop. When they arrived at the house they had made the trip to visit, t'ney nad to drive round anti round in front of the house for a time because ot tne jammed gehr leyer, and the household .nought they were “showing oft.” With Hying and motoring, said Sir Thomas, and all the modern achievements of science, tne world was contracting, it was getting smaller, and the people were getting closer together ail -ne time. With motor cars people were no longer provincial in a country. They uad a nation-wide view of the potentialities of their own land because they could get about and when they went to other countries they could travel' and learn as well. TARIFF FriOin&i iOiJ N.Z. GOODS AND FOREIGN TRADE WITH' BRITAIN In the present times of international unrest in Europe it behoves this Dominion to trade with Great Britain more than it lias done during the depression,” said Mr. Vernon O. Mathews, managaing director of Messrs. Robert Malcolm, Limited, who returned to Wellington this week after an absence of seven month in America, Canada, the United Kingdom and-Aus-tralia. ' “British manufacturers, particularly in the textile trade, express the hope that New Zealand will follow the lead of Australia ,and reduce foreign imports by increased tariffs.” Mr. Mathews said he learned while in Australia that a quantity of cotton and ’art silk goods purchased from Japan was likely, owing to increased duties in Australia, to be diverted or sent out of Australia to this country, either for sale Toy the piece or made up here into garments, thereby Hooding this market with goods which might in the ordinary course have come from Lancashire. Trade generally was very good in Gj'eat Britain, cotton and linen being the only quiet trades. Most other industries, particularly steel, were working 24 hours .a day. The large retail stores in London and the provinces all reported good sales and their balancesheets were strong evidence of increased turnover and profits. “America seems to be spending herself out of the depression,” he said. “If this method is continued it will lay up a vast amount of trouble for the people. 1 ’ One of the reactions had been the accumulation of a tremendous national debt, which nnist lead to further internal restrictions and privations. The feeling was growing that America could not win out while she isolated herself nationally and economically from other nations.

Conditions in Australia appeared to be in a very healthy state; the primary industries wore all getting payable prices, while the secondary industries through being highly protected by tariff barriers were all doing well. According to reports, there was still plenty ,of skilled labour available in New South Wales.