Notes and Comments.

Waikato Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1402, 22 January 1914, Page 4

Notes and Comments.

A MOTORING QUESTION

There arc not many things nowadays that do not admit of a scientific explanation, hut so far the often-noticed fact that a petrol engine runs better at night has not been satisfactorily elucidated. Writing on the subject, an English authority says that the question is probably as old as the introduction of popular motoring, and it is one of those questions which cannot be answered with a definite yes or no. Everyone must form their own conclusion according to the accuracy of observation and their experience. There is no scientific reason that would explain the alleged phenomenon, that is, one that would explain every case. There is no doubt that at times the atmospheric conditions change at nightfall, and thus may favour the driving. Thus a head wind may cease, and this, of course, makes a considerable difference in the load on the engine. On the other hand attempts have been made no explain the effect as due to chemical change of the atmosphere, which improves the carburation. Scientific authorities do not agree with this in the least. There is rather more support 'for the theory that the greater amount of moisture in the air at night may exercise some kind of physical effect >i the “internal cooling” order. Still, as there is nothing of an exact quantetative nature to deal with in this question, it must remain an unanswered one.

M.M.S. NEW ZEALAND’S TOUR

The full itinerary of H.M.S. New Zealand is just to hand by to-day’s mail. It is an impressive little doom meat. Between the date of its leaving Plymouth on January 28th last year and returning thither, after circumnavigating the globe, on December Bth, the battleship visited fifty-one ports, and covered 45,3194 miles. At these fifty-one ports, the New Zealand was visited by 578,927 people. At one or two places no. one got on hoard at all, this being the case at Oamaru, Hokitika, and Greymouth, while at Westport only two visitors were registered. .Even Milford Sound supplied three. New Zealand’s LoPd visitors to the warship numbered 376,088, or three-fifths of the entire number of those who wont on board during the historic cruise.