The Motorist.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 772, 22 December 1904, Page 22

The Motorist.

(By

"Petrol.”)

OPENING OF THE TAKAPUNA MOTOR-BUS SERVICE.

The North Shore-Takapuna MotorBus Syndicate commenced running their new buses on Wednesday of last week, the occasion being taken advantage of to invite a large number of gentlemen interested in the project for the inaugural run. Among those present were— Messrs R. R. Menzies (chairman of the syndicate), Mr W. Handley (DeputyMayor of Devonport), Messrs C. C. Dacre, J. A. Walker, G. V. Edgcumbe, and F. Mason (members of the Devonport Borough Council), Mr J. C. Webster (town clerk of Devonnort), Messrs C. Ranson (manager of the Northern Steamship Company), P. M. Hansen and M. F. Carey (Auckland Electric Tramways Company), and A. Cleave (hon. sec. of the Auckland Automobile Association). The guests mustered about three o’clock at the Victoria Wharf, and proceeded out to the Lake in the new buses. At the Lake Hotel, the Syndicate and the Cousins and Atkin Company entertained the visitors, and a few speeches were got through, success to the venture being duly toasted. Mr Atkin, in replying to the toast, stated that after his trip to England he was of opinion that the new buses were absolutely the best for the service, and he believed they would give entire satisfaction. Three ’buses are at present in commission, the two large ones bein£ Chelmsford cars, built to the “Ideal design by the Cousins and Atkin Carriage Factory, Limited. These cars are most substantially built and neatly finished, with spring, seats and speciallystrong solid rubber tyres. The cars are fitted with 30 h.p. steam motors, with an ordinary working pressure of 3501 b, the heating power being supplied automatically by kerosene. Each of these cars are licensed to carry 16 passengers, and they will be constantly engaged in the Devonport-Lake service. The third car, a Serpolette, is a very handy runabout, which will carry nine passengers, and will be used for auxiliary service, or as an adjunct to the main service, as occasion may require. Two other Serpolette cars, each carrying twelve passengers, have been ordered by the syndicate, and are due to arrive by the Kaikoura. There will thus -be then five cars available for the service. The time occupied in the journey between Devonport and the Lake will be about twenty minutes.

The Automobile Club of America intend taking a very active part in next year’s race for the Gordon-Bennett Cup. Last year America was not represented, their eliminating trials proving such a fiasco that it was deemed advisable not to send a representative to Homburg. A circular has been issued to those interested setting forth the conditions upon which entries will be received. Each entrant must deposit £l2O, and before 15th April, 1905, must file an affidavit vouched by two responsible persons containing the following statements :—(1) That the car has been completed for a period of over four weeks ; (2) that they have driven the car over 1000 miles on the road ; (3) that they have driven the car over 250 miles without stopping

the engine ; (4) that they have driven the car more than 40 miles in less than one hour on track or road.

The movement on the part of railway companies to employ vehicles propelled, by internal combustion engines, for coping with the traffic on branch lines, where regular trains do not pay, is spreading irt Germany, and the Bavarian Minster of Traffic has issued an invitation for tenders for the delivery of railway motor-carriages. At the same time, the Minister of Traffic has also invited tenders for motor-cars designed! for road postal service. Five classes of vehicles are to be employed for this purpose, three kinds being used for town traffic and two for work on the country roads. The country cars are to convey several passengers, as well as mails, and a special class of low-powered postal cars is being built for the (conveyance of parcels and light goods sent by rail to outlying districts away from the railway. ♦ * ♦ * A prominent motorist, in discussing the matter of ignition, considers it would conduce to safety and comfort to have some device whereby the ignition gear would automatically adjust itself to . its latent point as soon as the motor stopped ; it would then always be in the best position for starting up. An alternative method for arriving at the same result would be to have an interlocking apparatus to prevent the starting handle being applied till the ignition is fully retarded.

Twelve electric motor-cars are now employed by the Paris Postal authorities for the conveyance of letters from branch offices to railway stations. Six of these cars have pneumatic tyres, and the rest are fitted with solid tyres. The cars weigh 1| tons, and will carry half a ton of mail matter at a speed averaging 12 miles per hour. The first trials took place on slippery and muddy streets, during heavy rain, and were very successful.

London has long been promised a regular motor-omnibus service, between several of the suburbs and the city proper, and last October saw it utilised. It is stated that they have proved themselves to be capable of greater speed than their rivals, the electric trams, while they scored materially when, as all railroads are subject to, the electric service was blocked by the failure of a car, or a stoppage of the current. The break-down of one motoromnibus does not affect the rest ; a spare vehicle is always ready to replace it.

The. enterprise of the Dunlop Tyre Co. in organising the big overland Motor Reliability Competition from Sydney to Melbourne, on the 21st to the 25th February next, promises to receive considerably more support than was anticipated when the contest was first mooted. From all parts of the eastern states the Dunlop Tyre Co. is receiving applications from motorists for the conditions of the ride and maps of the route, and from present indications the event promises to be an interstate one of considerable interest and importance. Entries for both the car and motor cycle sections close on 28th January, .1905.

The victory of Leon Thery in the,Gor-don-Bennett Cup race at Homburg last June gave to France the right to hold the 1905 contest in their country. The French Automobile Club has already been moving in the matter, and, it is stated, the Government has refused to allow the race to take place on French soil. Such an alarming statement has given rise to a great deal of ill-feeling, and, it is understood, the French body has asked the German Minister of the Interior whether it would be possible to hold the International Cup race of 1905 on? the Taunus track. The course at Homburg, where the event last took place, is admirably suited for such a race, and forms a very good test. Should the French Government adhere to their views, it will largely affect the French automobile industry in many ways. There is plenty of time before next year’s race comes round, and it is to be hoped the French body will be permitted to hold the race oh their own soil, after fighting so hard for the honour.

A new motor spirit, entitled “Petsen,” has been put on the market by an English firm, and some valuable advantages are claimed for it. The addition of a small quantity to the ordinary petrol used in motors does not in the slightest degree alter its nature in use,but give a most agreeable perfume to the exhaust. Thus, instead of the motor car becoming described as “evil-smell-ing,” the near future will see its advent welcomed as would be a nosegay of flowers. Our prophetic eye sees the motor-car in the place of honour at garden fetes and other open-air gambols,

with the engine exhausting the perfumes of Araby into the nostrils of delighted guests. However, as a matter of sober fact, the unpleasant smell which some motor-cars leave behind them is due to an excess of lubricating oil in the cylinders, which is burnt up by the explosions, and finds its way out by the exhaust-pipe. This fault can be remedied by a little care on the part of the driver, and all good motorists are requested to take heed.