ACROSS AUSTRALIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1924, Page 14

ACROSS AUSTRALIA.

A REMARKABLE DRIVE. The most strenuous trans-continental motor car drive attempted in Australia terminated recently, but unfortunately heavy rain stopped the record breaker when within a hundred miles of his goal. Motorists throughout the Commonwealth will commiserate with J. L. Burton, who, after overcoming all difficulties over a distance of .3426 miles and establishing remarkable time from Fremantle, via Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney to within 100 miles of Brisbane —his destination, was compelled to terminate his fine effort at Warwick (Queensland), owing to rain having made the black soil plains between Warwick and Toowoomba impassable for motor traffic. Through no fault of the driver, car or tyres, Burton, who was naturally a very tired man when beaten by the elements, completed the journey by rail to Brisbane, and was thus robbed of the record for the trans-conti-nental run through to Brisbane. A FINE PERFORMANCE. Burton’s drive was a remarkable one Leaving Fremantle at 8.10 a.m. (Melbourne time) on Thursday, 7th inst., aboard a Dunlop shod “Special” six Studebaker car. he put’ Up a particularly fine performance on reaching Adelaide (1734 miles) in 3 days’ 13 hours Bmin. despite the fact that he’' lost several hours through a coHL<iOh With an iron telegraph post, wtrith itas smashed and falling into the 'car A 0 injured the mechanician, J. FiggifiS, ‘that he had to be left at the Port (S.A.) Hospital. Burton’s time’ to the’ S.A. capital established a new record, being Ihr 58 min better than his own previous figures for the journey. After a few hours’ rest Burton, accompanied by an, Adelaide mechanical, left for Melbourne early on Monday morning. 11th inst. His progress to Victoria was somewhat delayed owing to the front axle of the ear having been slightly bent in the collision with the telegraph post, and the rough travelling across the “Coolong” de.sert (S.Aj having intensified the trouble rendered the steering tight, thus increasing the work of driving, particularly to a man who had been at the wheel for nearly four days and nights. Melbourne (2329 miles) was reached on Tuesday, 12th inst.. at 1.54 a.m.. 4 days I7hrs 14min, after leaving the West, thus bettering Burton’s previous record by llhnj 12mm. After 3$ hours’ sleep (making only 10J hours sleep in 5 days and nights), Burton left for New South Wales at 6.56 a.m., and without forcing matters arrived at Sydney (2889 miles) at 5.55 a.m. on Wednesday, 13th inst.. his time from the West to Sydney being 5 clays 21 hours 45min—16hrs 12min better than his previous record. After only a few hours’ rest. Burton left Sydney on the last stage of his great undertaking at 12.15 p.m. TEST OF ENDURANCE. He had already established three new records, and desired a 'fourth—Fremantle to Brisbane—but as before mentioned the fates were against him. and he could not proceed further north than Warwick, when the boggy- black soil tracks made further progress impossible. Up to Warwick Burton had covered 3426 ! miles in 192 hours 50 minutes, a wonder- . fill effort without parallel in th e history of Australian motoring. It i« interesting to note that the fastest time that one can journey by rail from Perth to Brisbane is 145 hour 40 mins., which will convey an idea of what a great achievement Burton put up in his drive across the continent. It was a remarkable test of endurance of man, car and tyres.