MOTORING & CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1334, 18 November 1915, Page 20

MOTORING & CYCLING

Australasia is said to rank next to Great Britain and Canada in the purchase of American motor cars.

The extent and importance of the motor industry in the United States may be gathered from the fact that half a million machines were turned out in 1914.

The Canterbury Automobile Association has received a letter of thanks from the-Defence Office for their efforts on behalf of the returned troopers on the Willochra and Tofua. * * « a A cable message from an Australian firm dealing in British motor cycles states that the American machines are being pushed very hard there, but the British machines are holding their own so far. * * * * A recent cable message from the well-known Triumph Company announces that the great rush at the War Office is now over, and the company has decided to forward one or two of the.T latest countershaft machines every week. The magnificent performances of the English motor cycle and the wonderful reliability it has shown at the front during the past 11 months, have proved to the lay public the h’gh efficiency of the modern machine. Flight-Lieutenant Clive Collett, of the Royal Flying Corps, has made several flights in England, in France and across the English Channel. This young officer is a son of the late Mr. Collett, Government stock inspector, of Tauranga, and is well known in the Bay of Plenty.

,The sum of £22,418 has been spent in New South Wales in automobile outfits in connection with the war on behalf of the Red Cross fund.

Eleven years ago the Buick Company commenced building cars, and their output the first year was 37. In 1914 the output of the Buick Company had reached £9,000,000, and their cars have found enthusiastic owners in all parts of the world.

Advices have been received from England by the local agents that the English Government has released the Napier Company from their vehicle contract up to the extent of forty per cent, of the amount of motors promised. Mrs. R. Hellaby, who is proceeding to England for an extended tour, is taking her 15 h.p. Colonial Model Nap.er landauette with her for use at Home. It is Mrs. Hellaby’s intention to arrange for a chauffeur in England, .as owing to the shortage of high-class cars at present it is almost impossible to obtain a really fine vehicle for private use. The mere fact that about 18,000 people are employed at the Ford factory and assembling plant in Detroit gives a slight indication of the extent to which the motor industry supports the city, for, of course, there are such large employers of laboui’ as the Cadillac and the Packard companies to be taken into consideration, in addition to which there are many ■concerns engaged in different branches of the industry. * * * * The chassis ordered from London for the use of the Auckland Hospital arrived last week. The chassis is a 20 h.p, extra strong Napier, and Messrs. Harrison and Gash, of Newmarket, who are building the body, intend to have the whole vehicle finished and on exhibition at the Auckland Show. i

Two officers of the Commonwealth Aviation School —Captain Harrison, with Major Reynolds as a passenger —have attained an altitude of 8200 ft. in a military biplane belonging to the school. This is stated to be a record for the type of machine used with a passenger. The climb occupied 30 minutes, while the descent, in a series of spirals, was made in 15 minutes.

Lieutenant-Commander Henri G. Van Steyn, of the Dutch navy, recently arrived in New York on the steamer Nourdam from Rotterdam. He held a commission to purchase an unl.mited quantity of aeroplanes and hydroplanes for Holland from American manufacturers. ’“From observation during the war we have concluded that the American aeroplanes and hydroplanes are the best,” said Commander Van Steyn. “All of the machines will be used by Holland as a part of the national defence improvement now be ng undertaken there. We do not intend to enter any war, but wish to be prepared.”

The efficacy of the new signs warning motorists and others of the danger of careless driving on and off the east end of the traffic bridge was questioned at a meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council. The boards, it was said, were of the type ordinarily used for advertising the sale of properties, and the great probability was that to the majority of motorists they might as well be non-existent. The warn ngs should have been of some distinctive colour or shape.

Motorists are recognised as true sportsmen, especially to fellow-motor-ists in distress, but the action of Mr. Arthur Scott in the Otago reliability trial calls for special mention. Although he was a competitor in the trial, he gave up his chances and towed another competitor’s motor and side car from Studholme to Timaru. To an onlooker this performance is a finer tribute to his New Hudson’s efficiency and reliability than it would have been to carry off the first prize n the trial.

It requires almost twice the amount of petrol to wind around in congested streets as to run straight on free roads. Closing the throttle during , the greater part of a hill descent will ' not only be safer, but will save pe'rol. The throttle lever on the steering, wheel is more economical of fuel than the foot accelerator.

General Smuts recently congratulated Driver C. J. Lucas on being the very first man of the Union forces to enter Keetmanshoop. Driver Lucas accomplished this feat with a 12 h.p. Talbot car, one of a fleet belonging to the Second Special Motor Car Contingent, which did such excellent work in the military operations. It may be mentioned that this intrepid young soldier is a son of Mr. J. O. Lucas, who with his Talbot car has won numerous trophies in hill-climbing and reliability contests in the Transvaal; and is also a nephew of Mr. William Lucas, of the firm of Lucas Bros., engineers, Peterborough Street, Christ-

church. Driver Lucas was born at St. Albans, and' leljt New Zealand with his parents when about five years of age for South Africa. * * * • A report of the annual meeting of the Automobile Club of Ceylon, which was Lately held in Colombo, shows that, notwithstanding the war, fifty-six new members joined the club last year, bringing the total paying membership up to 281. It has been decided that not only shall the names of all, German members be struck off the list, but that Germans shall, not be allowed to join the club even after the war is over.

A Russian, talking to a Britisher, engaged in tbe motor trade, remarked lugubriously that he feared after the war the German merchant would very soon play as prominent a part in the trade of his country as before. Asked his reasons for this curious remark he answered; “Because his travellers speak the native language (the Russians are suspicious of transactions conducted through an interpreter), they invoice the goods in our coinage, they make the goods we want, if their sample does not suit us they immediately offer to make the alterations we desire and fulfil their promise. Lastly, they give tis credit.” The last seems to me the only condition on which the German wilil be hampered after the war. The others and even the last surely we can bestir ourselves to meet.

Jules Verne, that wonderful, French' writer, who may be well and appropriately described as a prophet, has been dead 10 years'; but be left several unpublished MSS. that have since been issued in the

French language but not translated into English! up tc now. In the case of “The Master of the World” announced for publication by Messrs Sampson Low Marston and Co. (Ltd.), nc translation has been made before, largely because the incidents seemed then to be so fanciful and extravagant that English and Canadian publishers thought that the public might reasonably object, as many did on the publications of “The Clipper of the Clouds’’; but the numerous conquests of science over be th! sea and air rendered these objections futile and the present world war again proves bow wonderful a seer was the great romancer.