MOTOR & CYCLING

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

MOTOR & CYCLING

WITH TENT AND MOTOR

MAKING THE MOST OF SUMMER.

THE ECONOMY OF CAMPING.

(By “Trip.”), While primarily intended for the motor-camper, these articles will he equally serviceable to those travelling afield who prefer the more comfortable accommodation of hotels.

They will give up-to-the-minute information about road conditions,and camping facilities; and so that they may be of full service, queries will

be answered. The writer is prepared to suggest detailed itineraries where readers give the dates of their holidays, and places they wish to visit. All queries should be addressed to “Trip," P.0..80x 1178, Wellington, and should be accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope for. reply. Queries are dealt with in rotation, so should be sent some weeks in advance of the time

the journey is being made. The remarkable increase in the popularity of motor-camping manifested in New Zealand during recent years is but a counter-part of similar conditions in every country into which the motor-car lias penetrated. Just as the advent of the car made possible the habit of “week-ending” far from the home town, so has it now thrown open the countryside to jaded city dwellers. The disadvantages of camping have one by one disappeared, for as motor-camping increased in popularity it became profitable for local authorities to provide decent facilities for those who preferred this means of touring afield. To-day it is possible for the motorist to travel throughout the length and' breadth .of the. Dominion, and to visit all our principal tourist resorts, without spending one penny on hotel bills. Almost every little town. has its motor-camp to-day, while in certain cities, such as Christchurch, and at some tourist resorts, such as Rotorua, : the facilities provided are sq good that camping becomes a luxury. <■ :...

ECONOMICAL HOLIDAYS.

The depression through which the country ie passing at the moment points the need for economy. - There is no more economical holiday possible for a family than a motor-camping one. Provided several people are making the journey, the car is the cheapest possible form of transport, while the costs of camping are negligible, once the capital cost of the camping equipment has been settled. If finances will not stand the strain of any holiday at all, that is unfortunate, but if it is merely a case of reduced expenditure, then the claims of motorcamping cannot be too strongly stressed. Many who originally chose motorcamping because o-f its economy now continue with it because of its freedom, for it has a fascination all its own. It is true that the weather has an unkind habit of playing tricks just at the very times-when'all motor camps, are filled to overflowing, but even then, it is often not as bad as it is painted, provided there has been wise selection of equipment.

, Originally hotel and boarding-house-proprietors were very much against the provision of elaborate camping grounds, especially the recognised tourist resorts, because it was considered that motorcamping would ruin businesses. Exactly the reverse has happened, for to-day at Christmas and Easter we find all hotels filled to overflowing, and the motor-campe crammed with people. The ■truth is that the steady development of motor-camping has made it possible for hundreds of people to go further afield, and to see more of their 'own country for lees money than ever before. It is for this ever-growing section that these articles pre written, and it is only with ,their co-operation that they can be of the greatest possible use.

MAKING IT SUCCESSFUL.

For thorough enjoyment of a motorcamping holiday sound planning is essential. There are a few cardinal rules for the novice, but, beyond that, individual inclination and experience are the two principal factors. A good tent, comfortable beds' and handy cooking utensils make all the difference. Cheap tents are quite all right while the sun shines. If you don’t feel you can afford the price of a really good tent, it is better to hire one—a thing which can now be done almost anywhere for a few shillings a week. Secondly, you have to plan a sensible itinerary —a thing which often sounds easier than it is in practice. Badly chosen routes and holidays where too great distances have to be travelled are two of the rocks awaiting injudicious motor-campers. With only limited time available it is essential to select a holiday that will be accomplished without too great a* rush, especially where children are included in the party. There are a few —only a few, thank goodness —who seem to enjoy thoroughly the type of holiday in which they “do” the whole of one island in ab-ut. ten days, travelling hundreds of miles daily. 'Such holidays are devoid of comfort, and involve a strain on the driver.

The third essential —I admit it may sound silly at first —is to have good meals. Nothing makes camping less attractive than badly cooked meals. If weather or other conditions make it impossible to cook good meals, go and buy them. You will be far better off in the long run. Enough has been said, I think, to show the need for sensible planning of . the motor-camping holiday. Individual circumstances vary very considerably, and the type of journey that is quite suitable for two adults is utterly unsuita'blel if children are included in the party. The idea of these articles is to give motorists information about journeys worth making in both islands, and at the same time let them know about' the camping grounds, and the various spots at which it is worth while breaking the journey. Typical itineraries, covering a fortnight’s motor-camping holiday in either island, will be given, but as there will be many who will want t» make journeys other than those given, the offer has been made to plan itineraries, covering those places which the motorist wishes particularly to visit. Most motorists will do little camping for at least another month, thus leaving time for careful selection of equipment. I have already .indicated briefly that comfort depends on this selection, and in mv next two contributions will detail many of the articles which have proved invaluable. misplaced ingenuity. AN UiN DESIRABLE GADGET. (London Motor Correspondent.j From lime to time well meaning inventors attempt to induce us to add to our motor cars various devices which

hare no connection whatever with the--actual needs of a motor car. or.,its uses.. Some of these inventors render the automobile amphibian by tacking on a boat; others, sticking to the uses of they car on land, would enlarge its size immensely and convert it ifito; a Pullman’ carriage complete with 'bedrooms and kitchen; yet others, ’ who have less expansive ideas about size, Would, turn the car into a mobile, concert hall by fitting it with a wireless set and loud speaker, which will enable drivers, if desired, to <lo their motoring to "a Bach Concerto, from Berlin or a Jack Hylton jazz from London. -

These extensions to motoring remind me of the type of knife, highly popular in Victorian days, which, was at the same time a pair of scissors, a nail-file, and a corkscrew, They could neither cut, file, nor draw corks'well, but people liked to buy thorn because they seemed to give such a lot for the money. In the same way some motorists riiay be attracted by the plan of various American makers to sell their ears with wireless sets as a standard fitment.. Personally I distrust any attempt to sell a car upon anything but its merits as a car, for I do not see how makers can afford to give at a low price both a good wireless set and a good car.

DANGERS OF MUSIC.

In any event the fitting of a wireless receiver .to a car, instead of attracting me, has the opposite effect, despite the fact that I am as fond of music as the next person. Being human I occasionally scrape my gears, and I do not suppose a Beethoven, apdahte: movement, or a delicate Chopin-etude- would be improved by tlie: sound af"igeairs-- that decline to mesh. Moreover, as I have often indicated, I consider the driving of a car to be a whole-time' job, demanding the utmost concentration, and Bach, Beethoven or Brahms, instead of being a solaee, can easily exercise a sinister •influence by taking the mind of’ the driver off tlie road. Finally, when I go out motoring it is to enjoy the pleasure of effortless transportation and the Unfolding scenery. Nor do I hail with any enthusiasm the news that a novel adaptation of radio to a motor car lias been made by a Midland inventor, whereby it is possible for a driver to throw his voice SOO or 300 yards ahead. We are told that during a trial run of a .car fitted with the new invention, pedestrians, cyclists and other road users were hailed by a voice which directed them to l move to safety. We are not told whether these road users obeyed the instructions bawled at them, but I know that if in my pedestrian moments I were ordered by a voice -to move to the left or right, I should resent it.

According to the inventor, the device would enable a police car in pursuit of bandits to clear the road and 1 thus travel non-stop—fire engines. seem to be able- to make. their way quite, well without tfie aid of the microphone—but ray concern is not with such uses of the device, though the new invention would certainly be useful for telling the driver who cuts in dangerously, or gives the wrong signal or almost forces you Into the ditch, what you think of him-

TOURIST TROPHY RACE.

Another Tourist Trophy -Race has come. and . gone, and already - people are discussing where the next .one- ought'do pe held. It is certain that the Isle of Man, which finds that the motor-cycle races no longer, attract the large crowds of former years, will do its utmost to induce the R.A.C. to make the island course the. venue for the next ear race. Those who have witnessed the races over the Ards Circuit in Ulster, and even those who participated in them, will probably ask why there should be any change at all and in what respect the Ulster authorities have failed- to do all that it was in. their power to; do to make the event a success. TheTt.A.C., assuming that it decides upon a change, will not find a reply, easy,' for it is conceded on all ’hands that Ulster seconded the efforts of the organisers wonderfully and that-but for their treatment of the course the bad weather might have played havoc .with human lives.

As to the race itself, it was naturally disappointing to ■ find the board: swept by the Italians, but no one will 'begrudge them their splendid.success. At the same time the- withdrawal of Herr Caraeciola certainly diminished the dramatic value of the Contest. It was almost like Hamlet Without the Prince?

BRITISH CAR “PUSH.”

We have heard so much in the past of great British “pushes” in the overseas markets that but for certain factors it might be easy to attach little importance to the latest announcement of such an offensive. Any movement with which the Rootes Brothers are concerned must, however, be taken seriously, for they have proved themselves capable in the past of following their words with deeds. ? It will be remembered that the Rootes Brothers were the moving spirits in the founding of the Humber-rHillman-Com-mer Continue, and that only recently they entered into an arrangement with •the Prudential Insurance Company for the financing of certain 'schemes. Apparently these schenaes. are now ready to be launched, and: it is reported that they include the earmarking of one of the large Coventry factories for the production of cars exclusively for sale overseas. Specially instructed salesmen, versed in the merits and capabilities of this make of car, will be sent to the overseas markets to hell this model, which, naturally, will be a product suitable both as regards design an<| price ■for the markets to be tackled.

The Combine has not yet revealed which of two cars has been chosen to attack tlie overseas markets. For all I know it may be both makes, for the one is a “six” and the other a straighteight. What I do know is that reductions in price are afoot at any rate in the case of oik, which, thanks to the introduction of the methods of quantity production indicated last week, is to be turned out in large numbers.