NOTES FROM GARAGE, CLUB AND HIGHWAY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2127, 8 December 1920, Page 2

NOTES FROM GARAGE, CLUB AND HIGHWAY.

% [By Chauli.] FIXTURES. Dec. 9—Executive South Island (N.Z.) Motor Union. Dec. 11—Otago Motor Club's run to Invercargill. Dec. 11—Orphans' Day at Stewart's Gully. Dec. 18 —Beach Races, North Beach. Mr J. S. Hawkes is at present spending a holiday in the south. The Pioneer Sports Club will hold a petrol test after Easter. Mr E. H. S. Batchelor, who is removing to Dunedin, has resigned from the Motor Committee of the Pioneer Sports Club. Mr W. G. Tonks has been appointed to the vacancy. South Canterbury Association. The petrol supply scheme, as a benefit to. members of the South Canterbury Automobile Association, is making a direct appeal to motorists in the south. They are recognising that membership connotes certain privileges, and since the.annual meeting there has been a big accretion to the roll number. A Unique Parade. In Detroit the other day the Police Department held a unique parade. It was composed of smashed automobiles, and each bore a big label explaining the cause of the accident. The banners read: "His mind was on his business." "He tried to pass a street car on the left," and so on. The police meant this for a moral lesson for Detroit, but it is applicable to all parts of the world. Trams at Terminals. Complaints have been levelled against the Christchurch Tramway Board from time to time regarding the danger created by the practice of leaving unlighted trams at the different termini, and- it was hoped that the board would light <these cars internally. The board, however, found this to be impracticable, and promised to provide sufficient overhead illumination. The promise has been fulfilled, and the cars in future will be a danger only to those motorists who drive with their eyes shut. South Island Union. "When the South Island (N.Z.) Motor Union was formed it was decided that the tentative headquarters should be Christchurch. At the recent meeting of the council in Dunedin the question of headquarters was discussed, and, while the location of headquarters for next year rests with the decision of the first annual fneeting of the union, the remarks passed in the south were decidedly favourable to the conduct of the union's affairs, and it is practically certain that the home of the union will remain in Christchurch. Ashburton Motor-Cyclists. Motor-cyclists in Ashburton have formed themselves into a very strong elub, with Mr J. Bathgate as the secretary. A comprehensive programme has been drawn up for the season, and the enthusiasm thus far displayed augurs well for the future growth and influence of the organisation. The opening run was held to Lake Coleridge recently. The co-operation of the Pioneer Sports Club was sought, but the notiee given was too short to allow of members meeting the Ashburton riders at WindWhistle Point as desired. Hill Climb Competition. A few daj's ago some members of the Pioneer Sports Club paid a visit to Pigeon Bay, where it was proposed that the club -should conduct a hill-climb competition on December 12. They found, however, that the course, a difficult one with even a good road surface, is now practically too bad for the test. The maintenance men have been at work, and loose metal and clay have spoiled the road surface. The club has decided to postpone the competition till a later date—probably some time in February. Members speak enthusiastically concerning the hospitality extended to them by Mr A. Goodwin, of Pigeon Bay. Mr Goodwin has,offered the use of his grounds "for the convenience of members at the proposed competition. Parking Areas. Now that the Christchurch City Council, in its zeal to do something in the direction of traffic regulation, has set off parking areas, it is time that something definite was done to have the regulations observed. The Gloucester Street area offers a glaring example day after day of the non-observance of the rules. On Saturday, for instance, there were eight ears on the area with cars drawn up alongside the kerbstones at either side of the street. In this way the parking area becomes a menace to traffic instead of a relief, as very little space is left for traffic between the area and the cars near the kerbs. On the day mentioned a lady drove up about two feet from the kerb in Gloucester Street, left her "flivver" there, and after a ten-minutes' absence In Chaneery Lane returned with two men, who kept the car standing there and congesting traffie whilst all three chaited, and the car was given a tin of juice. - Concrete Eoads. For some years American engineers

have been experimenting in road construction, stated Mr C. A. Odlin, of Wellington, after a visit to America, and it was only within the last two or three years, so one of them had told him, that the best foundations had been decided upon. The concrete surface seemed to be the most favoured. Labour-saving ■ methods were adopted to keep down the cost of construction. The concrete mixers were on wheels, and the whole of the . plant moved on as the road was constructed. He himself motored for two thousand miles on concrete highways—from San Francisco to the Mexican border. It had to be remembered, of 1 course, that the traffic over, these roads was almost entirely motor vehicular. - Practically no horse-drawn vehicles were i seen. The concrete did not extend right • across the whole surface, and at the sides i were tracks for mule traffic. He had noticed that these mule vehicles were usually drawn with one wheel on the . concrete and one on the softer track. . Slump in Industry, i The benzine question was gone into by , Mr C. A. Odlin, of Wellington, who was i recently in America. The oil New Zea- > land has been mostly receiving is not the r most suitable for our climate; it is what is mostly sent to warmer countries. It does not give the best results, according , to Mr Odlin, but engenders a certain ' amount of waste by loss in power. A great deal was to be learned in the oil ’ business; oil mixing was as much a | matter for experts as tea-blending. One r reason, apart from exchange, for the , high cost of benzine out here was thj). . expensive way in which it was neces- ! sarily imported. A case of two tins, for instance, allowing for the difference in exchange, cost about 10/6. In America tins of benzine were rarely seen in ordin- ; ary use. There, oil was dealt with in 1 bulk. Cars were supplied in bulk from : tanks, of which there was numerous pro- " vision, and huge motor lorries carrying i bulk supplies were always available. In I this way cost was reduced. While on this j matter, Mr Odlin remarked that a great > slump seemed to have taken place in the • motor-car industry. Cars were difficult J to sell in America at present. ' Beach Races. On December 18 the Pioneer Sports Club will decide two beach races at North Brighton. A 16-mile solo handicap for private owners and a 48-mile ; solo handicap (open) will be held over a ; j four-mile course. All private owners ’ • races shall be for standard touring 1 machines, as per makers’ catalogue > (handle-bars only excepted). If considered advisable by the officials in • charge, any machine filling a place (first • !or second) in a race, may be retained ■ for examination by the official me- ! chanics appointed for the purpose. The • competitor shall have the right to be 1 present at such examination. Any competitor making an incorrect or false entry shall be liable to disqualification i for the remaindef of the season. r The following officials have been ap- '■ pointed: —Judge, Mr C. Bennington; j starter, Mr W. G. Tonks; timekeepers, j Messrs Tonks, Macintosh, R. Ashworth; i tunning stewards, Messrs Sparrow and - L, Halcrow; lap scorers, Messrs E. Ashr worth and F. E. Jones. It has been decided that if less than 3 three competitors enter for the private x owners’ event the race will be an open . event. Fuel Tanks. The principle of the vacuum tank is familiar to most motorists, and as it is installed on about 95 per cent, of the H cars made it is considered a reliable and ? trustworthy device. Its only drawls back is that when a car is driven' all out it sometimes fails to function, due ! to insufficient suction at wide-open throttle. New Zealand motorists are rarely troubled with the defect except ? when attempting long hills on top gear. t But, in America, the speed kings on the 0 good roads have noted this shortcoming • and an inventor has come to the rescue 1 with another fuel tank. In appearance a it is like the vacuum tank in external ' appearance, but operates on an entirely ' different principle. Instead of the “air • line” being connected to the induction J pipe it is connected to one of the com- ‘ pressiop taps. Inside the tank is a l ' cylinder and pi#ton. The method of operation is that this piston in the tank receives pressure and suction Correas’ ponding to the movements of the engine i piston, jjnd thereby works a pump to s suck the fuel up from the rear tank, t The advantage claimed is that the e engine can be driven all out without ■ starving for benzine. e . ■