MOTOR & CYCLING NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 842, 26 April 1906, Page 12

MOTOR & CYCLING NOTES.

(By

“Petrol.”)

My Christchurch correspondent wires as follows: —

At the Kaiapoi sports on Easter Monday R. Arnst made two attempts to reduce Martin’s mile motor-paced record of Imin 46sec. In the first go the motor did not generate sufficient power, and Arnst had to ride the last lap without any pace, the time being Imin 49sec. In the second attempt the pacing was much better, and. Arnst left the mile behind in Imin 44 4-ssec, lowering the record by 1 l-ssec. Quite a flutter of excitement was caused in cycle and motor circles on Friday morning when the news flashed round the town that the Dunlop Tyre Company’s large warehouse in Lichfield-street had been totally gutted by fire early that morning. The fire must have been burning some time, as it had a firm hold of the building when discovered by a newspaper runner about four o’clock. The brigades were soon on the spot, and after two hours’ hard work managed to get the fire under. By this time, however, the stock had been totaly destroyed. The company had an insurance of £9700 on the stock, which comprised a large quantity of motor tyres in all sizes. Of course a full stock of various kinds of motor cycles, bicycle tyres. The loss is much to be regretted, and the popular manager, Mr. E. H. James, has received many expressions of sympathy from all parts. During the progress of the fire at the Dunlop Company’s warehouse dense volumes of smoke completely obscured some of the firemen, and a few of them were overcome by smoke. Melting rubber burned some of the firemen severely, while one man had his uniform covered with a sticky mass of rubber. There were a few bicycles in the warehouse, and thesewere also destroyed.

Mr. A. Cleave, hon. sec. of the A.A.A., left in his 15 h.p. Darracq on

Friday last for a three weeks’ trip to Wellington. Although he did not start until after lunch, Hamilton was reached in good time, and Rotorua early next morning. From Rotorua the much-travelled motorist went on to Taupo, and then left for Napier. The roads were, as usual, bad, but tnen this is an invariable rule in the North Island.

The race at Kaiapoi for the fivemile New Zealand championship was contested by C. F. Baker, R. Arnst, D. Wyatt and C. E. Burton. The pacemakers made the race fast throughout, and Burton, with two laps to go, dropped out. Just before the bell rang the order was Baker, Arnst and Wyatt, and as the last pacer retired, Wyatt, with Arnst at his wheel, shot out with a fast and well-sustained sprint. Baker immediately “ jumped” to Arnst’s wheel, and as Wyatt’s pace slackened with three hundred yards to go, the Sydney Thousand winner made his effort, but Baker held his wheel, and challenging at the last bend, fairly outpaced Arnst and won by over a length. Time, llmin 9 3-ssec.

Despite occasional contradiction, there is no doubt that motor cycles are gradually but surely working their way to the front. Their essential qualities are simplicity, convenience, and utility. The motor cycle is as yet in its infancy, and its usefulness has not yet been generally appreciated. A week or two ago we were able to record the fact, says the “ Motor Cycle,” that the Warwickshire County •Council had adopted motor bicycles for the use of road surveyors in that district. Following this came a notice that in future three motor cyclists would be attached to each squadron of Yeomanry for despatch work. What is still more satisfactory is the decision of the British Governmeht to place a contract for a large number •of motor bicycles for the use of the army. The utility of motor cycles attached to the Motor Volunteer Corps, and their low running cost, during last year’s military manoeuvres, were naturally not overlooked by the authorities. After various trials, the Secretary of State for War "has placed a contract with a British firm for motor cycles for use in the army. The outside public will now be enabled to judge for themselves the capabilities of the motor cyclist as a despatch carrier and in the performance of other duties.

For the first time in the history of the movement, English manufacturers made more cars in January than were imported. They also state that they have arranged for far larger outputs, a fact which has drawn a letter showing keen appreciation from Mr. F. S. Edge to an English trade paper. During January the Home manufactures of cars by the principal firms approximated £468,000, the imports only amounting to £317,000.

A device has recently been patented in England for using the engine to inflate tyres on a car. The method is as follows: —A conduit having both shut-off and non-return valves, is attached to the end of the cylinder. A gauge is also attached to the conduit. Means are also provided for attaching a “ connection.” Inlet and throttle valves, connected so as to ensure that as one opens the other shuts, are also provided. When it is desired to inflate a tyre the throttle is closed by means of a lever situated on the dashboard. The shut-off valve on the conduit having also been opened, upon the compression stroke of the piston, air which has been drawn into the cylinder by way of the inlet valve and the ordinary admission valve is forced by way of the conduit and connection into the tyre.

A curious idea has taken possession of the minds of many motoring enthusiasts, and that is that the parts in a six-cylinder model are most unlike those in, say, a four-cylinder car, and that the number of parts in the sixcylinder are 50 per cent, more than in the four-cylinder variety. This is altogether a mistake. Of course, in the car possessing the most cylinders there must necessarily be more parts. So far as special design is concerned, there is really little of this required. In a recent letter to the “ Motor News,” Mr. S. F. Edge, the pioneer of the six-cylinder movement, says with regard to the relative parts used in a six and four-cylinder car that in order to see exactly how many parts were required to turn out a complete model of the above types he had them counted specially. For a four-cylin-der model, 776 separate and distinct pieces were required, while for the

six-cylinder motor less than one quarter additional pieces were needed. It will be apparent to motorists that the last-named type will wear much better than the four, as owing to the very even turning movement the large number of pieces that are necessary in multiple cylinder engines have the shock on each part so reduced by the Napier six-cylinder principle.

The organising of the proposed tyre race in France is conditional upon at least five entries being received. Up to the date of closing with ordinary fees, only one tyre .maker sent in an entry, but as the period is extended, with double fees, to May 15, there is still a chance of the race being promoted, though it must be admitted that it is a very small chance. So long as the race was merely a pro-

posal, makers expressed themselves as willing to take part in a contest which aimed at the improvement of the pneumatic tyre, but on the regulations being published they nearly all backed out upon one pretext or another, until there could be no doubt as to the ultimate fate of what promised to be a very interesting race. On account of the attitude of the tyre firms, the makers of spring wheels have displayed an inclination to withdraw from them, and in the event of the tyre race falling through the manufacturers of elastic wheels will probably organise a contest of their own.

The German Government has just arrived at a decision with regard to the taxation of motor cars. For the purpose of taxation cars will be divided into series of classes according

to horse-power. Class B, cars of 6 h.p., 25 marks per annum; C, of 6 to 10 h.p., 50 marks; D, of 10 to 20 h.p., 100 marks; and E, of above 20 h.p., 150 marks. In addition there will be a tax on Class B of 2 marks per horsepower; C, of 3 marks; D, of 5 marks; and E, of 10 marks. Tourists visiting the country with their own cars will have to pay for a three days’ sojourn 3 marks, for a five days’ sojourn 15 marks, and for thirty days’ sojourn 40 marks.