The Motorist.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 746, 23 June 1904, Page 14

The Motorist.

(By

“Petrol”)

The result of the eliminating trials of the Gordon-Bennett Cup Race, which were run at the Isle of Man, did not prove very satisfactory for different English makers, as only two out of elevt n cars came out without either tyre or mechanical troubles. The cars picked to represent England were one Wolseley and two Napiers.

The result of the French eliminating trials is not known up to now However, a cable giving the result of the race that the Continental builders still lead the world, as the six arriving cars were: —First, the French second and third Germans ; fourth, fifth and sixth, French. The winning machines were as follows :— A 75-h.p. Richaid rasiei (first), a 90 h.p. Mercedes (second), and a 90-h.p. Mercedes (third), while time other machines (French) finished. Comments on the big race are given m another column. The number of Darracqs is gradually increasing in Auckland, and I have to record two more sales this week, viz., one 15-h.p. four-cylinder Darracq to Ur. Lewis and one 15-h.p. Darracq to Mr ... Bockaert. * * * * Another enthusiastic motorist in Auckland intends to have a Darracq, but has not quite made up his mind whether to go in for a 19 or 15 h.p. * * * * ' I have met Dr. Knight driving about lately in his new Cadillac, and although he used to be a believer in steam, he seems quite happy in his petrol car. Without a doubt the little 6-h.p. De Dion which Dr. Gordon has had in use for some considerable time must be a thoroughly reliable car, as I have seqn it being driven about through all this wet weather, apparently without any trouble whatever.

* * * * It will be of interest to the motor public to know that Mr Tom Skeates, saddler, of this city, has put his energy into making a chrome leather protector for motor tyres. We have examined a sample of one which he has made lately and it seems a real success. This is Mr Skeates’ own design, and it does great credit to the maker, c

While calling at Messrs Skeates anh Bockaert’s this week I was very pleased to see the construction of the motor garage in full swing. This go ahead firm intend to make motorists feel quite at home in their garage. I hear that they will shortly open up large show rooms, where Darraco. De Dion and Humber motor cars will be stocked and exhibited. I understand that the plans of the show rooms are now being drawn up by Mr Keals, architect.

The Howick ’bus still seems to be doing good work, and it is remarkable considering the bad state of the roads, which are now at their very worst, how d’ keeps up to its regular time. I understand that it is also proving a financial success which is evidenced by the syndicate having decided upon cabling for a second ’bus of the same make.

The Rotorua Motor Coaching Company are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their two 24-h.p. Darracqs. ♦ * *

■ Mr Chambers’ 12-h.p. De Dion was out for a good spin last Saturday, and Jem XtT uXstand some ff o«I speeds were recorded between Panmure and bt Helier’s. .

I have lust to hand diagrams of a new ohangJ speed gear which « abolish the common and to the pirsc , ever attendant vexatious troubles of motor car gear changing. The Hitchon Pat ent Change Speed Gear was exhibited foi the first time at the recent shows ini Lodon, and was quoted as cue of tin sc wonders of the Crystal 1 alace Show. It is no untried article, as the inventoi a submitted it to actual pract ue. a.m severe tests, on his own during the last two and a-half years. One of them was a touring Daimler, weighing ovu> 32cwt, and after traveling several thou sand miles, over the hilly roads oi, a cashire, Derbyshire, and sun o u.<. counths, it has been submitted to me-

chanical experts for examination, and found to betray no signs of failure or wear. Mr Hitchon is well known m England and America as a director of one of the largest firms of textile machine makers in the world, and as a patentee with a career extending over twenty years of more than average success. One of his sons, a young man of some experience with motor cars, is at present on a health visit to the colony, and- 1 either he or his friend', Dr. Stopford, will . show diagrams of the new gear, which is applicable to any standard type of cai.

Melbourne constables are attaining the fleetness of foot said to be possessed by English custodians of the peace (says “The Australian Cyclist”). In England not so long ago a constable swore m the box that “ a car was going at twentyfive miles an hour, and I ran after it and caught it.” Constable Hickling, of Melbourne, is getting remarkably spry on his pins, tor just the other night he was reported in the evening paper to have declared that day in the court that a motor cyclist, who he considered had crossed a

city intersection at too .high a speed and been called on to dismount, -touched something on his motor and fl<w past him like an arrow. ■ut he pursued an caught, the motorist.' fi he rider was fined. Comment is useless, but we should like to know the name of the trainer who is retained at the -police barracks, as we are seriously thinking of taking up foot running ourselves. ' *

Cycle and motor shows, apart from being profitable investments as far as attendances are concerned, also prove lucrative to the exhibitors. As an instance of this is cpioted the result of a six days motor show held at Buffalo, New Non-, when 5'J.000 people paid for admission, and 3()0 cars were sold, aggregating a value of £BO,OOO, er an average < f over C 265 per car. 1 J. it *

A question not infrei,ui ntly asked in regard to motors is, '"hat is the cost per rnile of the engine? fill's is av< rv oi < n question, however, ar.d varies indefinitely The query is generally- juit to the users of motor-cyiles by these who have a fane.

for this class of machine, and are desirous of first counting the cost. No. two machines will give the same result m regard to speed and distance, oil consumption, etc., but what constitutes a record in cheap travelling is where an English motor-cyclist covered 300' miles at the rate of ' sixteen miles per hour, at the cost of 8s sd. This, of course, does not include wear and tear of the machine.

The King's enthusiasm for motoring continues unabated, and he is constant ' adding to his stud of cars. Ihe Daimler Company recentlv received an order iqi another'car (making the sixth of this firm’s construction), which will carry in all seven persons. It will be a 28-h.y.

An exchange tells an amusing storv of a trick played upon an alleged arniv physician by three prominent automobile dealers in'that city, thereby exposing a rank fraud. It appears that a well-dressed and groomed gentlemanly-looking individual has been going the rounds of the tiade under the pretence of buying a motorcar, and after inspecting some of the best

and most expensive models, asking for a demonstration trial at each < mporium. Expecting a sale, the willing dealer was most happy to give him a good s pi n through the most fashionable part of the city, and out for thirty or forty miles m the country, ‘‘ just to prove the motor before purchasing. This became noticeable to' other victims. A conference was held, the “Dr.” watched, and then it was’ found that he was living in a backroom in a back street, he previously havino- given a swell hotel address. Ihe trap was this. He was met by a large dealer in a beautiful Toledo ear. “.Jump in, he cried : ‘\got a new car . here, and I want to give you a demonstration; justthe thing you want; swell thing tor the city; knock them all out m the country.” The “Dr. ' yielded ; off they drove, meeting two of his friendly 7 dealers on the road, drove out to a place agieed upon, which was twenty-four miles from the city, twelve miles from the railu ay 7 station, and five miles from the nearest house, and getting on towards evening. “Doctor, we want a picture of you in this car,” they said; “ it will help us m the trade.” Very readily the doctor scrambled out of the rear and took his place at the wheel. One of the party snapped his camera, but the pictuie yy as a failure. Yhen the doctor alighted and leisurely prepared to resume his seat in the rear, the conspirators suddenly started the machine, and it was a hundred feet from the doctor before he realised what had happened. “Good-bye, doctor; you’ve played us for suckers good,but you kept it up too long ; good-bye ! It was eighteen hours before the Dr. reached the city back-room, it is to be hoped a wiser man. i # # * *

Following upon the successful meets of the Automobile Club of Victoria, and the rapid progress the club has made with so o-oodlv a complement of members; and representing as they do such a numbei of different types of motors, it would not be out of place to suggest that as such o-ood tracks are being constructed, such as the one at Aspendale Park, by Mr J. R Crooke, that an Interstate Automobile Gvmkhana upon a large scale be held in the early part of the approaching season (says “Melbourne Punch ). ouch a meeting, we think, would be lo the advantage of all interested in motoring, ihe combined meets of interstate clubs is one to which every encouragement should be given. It widens the experience of motorists who might otherwise have a tendency to become somewhat local in their knowledge of automobilism .and narrow in their views of points and performances, of cars. The interchange of opinions which results from those combined meets is a valuable feature to be remembered in estimating their utility.