The Motorist.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 703, 27 August 1903, Page 13

The Motorist.

(By

“ Spark Intensifier.”)

On Saturday, August 22nJd, the members of the A.A.A. met at Dr. de Clive Lowe’s residence. The run on the fixture list was to have been to Mt. Eden (summit), and home via Royal Oak. However, the President decided to make it Panmure and home via Sylvia Park. • The cars left at 2.20, and reached Panmure in good time. Here afternoon tea was served, and Mr C. F. Bell took excellent “snap-shots” of all the cars. A delightful afternoon was- spent, and all seemed highly satisfied with the run. The only little mishaps were a broken spring, and damage to the rear tyres of both wheels on Mr Isaacs car. The following is a list of the cars and occupants present :—Mrs Owen and chauffeur ; Dr. Rayner and Mrs Rayner ; Mr A. Cleave and son ; Dr. Knight and 2 sons ; Mr Isaacs, chauffeur, and 2 visitors ; Mr R. B. Spinks and Mr W. T. J. Bell ; Dr. Purchas and chauffeur ; Mr G. Henning and Mrs Henning ; Dr. de Clive Lowe and Mr C. F. Bell. Mr Warren Blythe did not join the Association run. On Wednesday, the A.A.A. were present at Cornwall Park. They wished to do this in order that Sir J. Logan Campbell, the Association’s patron, may see that the members intended it to be a little mark of the esteem in which they hold their worthy patron. Dr. A. C. Purchas very kindly placed his 12-h.p. “Darracq” at Sir John’s disposal.

A writer in the “ Windsor Magazine gives some interesting comparisons as regards the speed of motors. It is second only to the bird, and he names the hawk, which can travel at the rate of 150 miles per hour. While the motor s pace is set down at 90 miles, the cyclist’s at 45 miles, the best average run of the locomotive is quoted at 65 miles per hour. In estimating the cost of travelling the writer states that for a horse to transport the same weight as the motor-car 100 miles he would require four days, his food would cost 15s, and seventeen buckets of water would be required. The motor would cover it easily in half-a-day at a cost of 6s 6d, and then be in a condition to run it over again immediately after. Then the matter of control is touched upon. Experiments have proved that a loaded van or light waggon, travelling at 12 miles per hour, cannot be stopped within 10 yards, whereas the motor, going at the same speed, can be brought to a standstill in a little over one yard. From this he infers that it is not necessarily the fastest vehicles that are the most dangerous.

It is confidently expected that motor cycle racing will attract considerable attention during the approaching Australian racing season (says “ The Leader ”). Sydney and Adelaide are lucky in possestsing suitable racing tracks, the former having two and the “ City of Churches ” dne. Melbourne has not yet got one decent track. There was some talk of the Melbourne Exhibition trustees rebuilding their track on up-to-date lines, but as nothing has yet been done the chances are nothing will. _

Of the remainder of Mr A. Cleave s overland trip to Wellington on his 5-h.p. Locomobile, he tells me that he left Napier on Tuesday, and had a pleasant run to Hastings, calling at Messrs Nelson Bros. Freezing Works. Thence he went to Waipawa, staying the night there, and next morning set sail for Eketahuna, a distance of nearly 80 miles. “Owing to the delay of the Railway officials in not sending on our benzine,” continued Mr Cleave, “we only made Pahiatua, some 60 miles from Waipawa, good roads being experienced the whole of the way. The following . morning we started and reached Masterton that evening, arriving in Wellington on Friday evening. Here we experienced the greatest difficulty in finding a place to stable our motor.' It was raining in torrents, and a living gale was blowing, but all the persuasive eloquence I possessed proved of no avail in persuading a livery stable proprietor in Cambridge terrace to allow us shelter for the night. This man’s inhospiitality was evidently directed more ,as a protest against motors in general, but if he be guided by my advice, he will, in future, not show such stupid hostility. However, a friendly dairy factory sheltered the wayworn travellers for the night, and next morning; we fell in*to the hands of a good Samaritan named P. H. Leigh, the Motor Car Depot, Taranaki Street. Mr Leigh shewed us every kindness and con-sideration-doing sundry repairs that we required, and I would recommend all travellers to visit him. Owing to urgent family affairs, we had to expedite our return, and thus missed the run through Taranaki, to which we had been greatly looking forward. The trip, however, proved highly enjoyable and iinteresting.”