The Motorist.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 826, 4 January 1906, Page 15

The Motorist.

(By

“Petrol.”)

The English 1903 Motor Car Act expires this year, and there is a great deal of speculation regarding what form any new regulations will take. This depends, of course, almost ent’rely on the recommendations that will be made by the Roya. Commission that is now sitting. Motorists are very hopeful that some of, if not all, their grievances will be adjusted ; but even the most optimistic (accord ng to London “ Sportsman”) does not really believe that the speed limit will be re’axed ’n any way, if at all. Nevertheless, it may be likely that police tactics in trapping motorists and the tendency of county magistrates to infl’ct exorbitant fines will receive a check.

There has been a large increase in England of late years in the number of cars fitted wth brougham type bodies, arranged so that the passengers can travel with the greatest amount of comfort irrespective of what the weather may be. This, in the opinion of an exchange, may poss bly explain the b g demand there is at present for high-powered touring cars, for such bodies are very heavy and not suitable for placing on light chassis. • * •. *

Many Auckland motorists have been away tour’ng during the holidays, and these report a pleasant time, the roads being for once in a wh le in good order, although the dust nuisance still prevails.

The Austrian Government having received satisfactory assurances that the Vienna D amler Company could turn out a desirable war-motor vehicle, recently had one equipped. Every portion of the motor, especially where the inmates would be enclosed, is protected by heavy steel plates, the wheels of the car even being sheltered to with n a foot or so of the ground. The only weak-looking part in the turnout is in front, the bonnet seem ngly being very poorly protected. The wheels also in front are exposed, the designers rely’’ng on their being covered on the outside by sheet steel discs. On the back portion of the car is a little turret, in which are studded several holes, where the muzzle of a rifle may be 'nserted in case the inmates wish to fire at an enemy. '

According to the latest files the road motor ’buses, employed for two years past as feeders to the Great Western Rai way, England, carried in that time 1,436,071 passengers, and ran 667,640 miles. Throughout the entire period of running not a single fatal acc’dent of any kind occurred to the passengers, the public, or the servants of the company.

One of the latest important English firms to turn its attention to the manufacture of motor ’buses is the Scott, Stirling Company, of Twickenham. The firm is at present executing an order for 100 ’buses for the London Power Omnibus Company, Lim’ted. Each vehicle will be of the double-decked variety, and will be of Brit’sh manufacture throughout. The car will seat 36 passengers. The engine will have four cylinders, and will give out 22 h.p. at 750 revolutions a minute. The power will be transmitted from the motor to the road wheels by

means of an internal expanding parallel clutch of special design, thence through the variable speed-gearing, and lastly to the differential box, which ’s mounted on a new combination axle. The gear box has three forward speeds and one reverse, the approximate ratio being 4,8, and 12 mi’es an hour. The tyres are of the twin type, w’th a 3t inch section.