MOTORING & CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1355, 13 April 1916, Page 28

MOTORING & CYCLING

It is stated there are two European countries into which the American “truck” has failed to penetrate. One is Germany, the other is Italy. • • * * The total number of licensed motor ’buses operating on the London streets on December 31 last was 2275. This shows an increase of 115 as against the figure for the previous month, and compares with a total of 2165 one year ago. The Colonial Motor Company, Limited, have placed at the disposal of the Red Cross Military Hospital a total amount of 200 guineas, divided equally between Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. A few'months ago the firm made a gift to the authorities of a new Ford ambulance worth £2OO, which it was intended should be used by the Dominion’s wounded and disabled soldiers. The overland motorist Francis Dirties, left the G.P.0., Melbourne, at 7.30 p.m. on Monday, March 20, for the Northern Territory, accompanied by his brother Clive and his dog. He expects to be away for about 12 months. He is driving a car which has already taken him 37,000 miles in overland trips. His intention is to proceed north to the Gulf of Carpentaria and round the coast to Port Darwin. He will spend some time in prospecting about the King Leopold ranges, in North-Western Australia. Whangarei residents have decided to initiate a movement to present an aeroplane from North Auckland. Already donations worth £3OO have been offered. The proposal has been taken up by the Patriotic Committee, and a sub committee set up to deal with the matter met the other night. It is thought there will be no difficulty in raising £3OOO for an aeroplane and gun to be presented with the distinctive name, “North Auckland aeroplane.” An endeavour will be made to utilise the organisation created for the recent queen carnival. On the motion of Mr. J. R. Mclnnes. chairman of the County Council, a special appeal is to be made to dairy companies. * • • • Leaving Melbourne in his Vauxhall racing car at five o’clock one morning, Mr. Boyd Edkins, a well-known member of the Automobile Club of Australia, arrived at the G.P.0., Sydned ,at 9.55 the same evening. He thus established a new record for the trip of 16 hours 55 minutes. Mr. Edkins’ time was 2 hours 7 minutes better than that occupied by Mr. A. V. Turner—l 9 hours 2 minutes —in his American Underslung car for the same distance. * * * * Owing to the shortage of men available for employment as ambulance drivers, the London County Council has decided to have one of its ambulance stations staffed by women. Each station has five attendtwo motor drivers, the hours of' duty being six shifts of twelve hours in each week. . The rates of pay are 38s. a week, with a bonus of £5 at the end of each six months. The Metropolitan Asylums Board has been employing a number of women ambulance drivers since December last.

Mr. A. E. Cheal, assistant tramways engineer in Wanganui, who some time ago applied for a commission in the Flying Corps, has received notice of his acceptance. In order to qualify for his aero pilot’s certificate, Mr. lheal goes into camp at the Auckland School of Aviation early in June.

In delivering his budget in the House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Reginald McKenna, said he proposed to double the present duty on motor cars un to 18 horse-power and treble that on higher-powered cars. Motor cycles not exceeding four horse-power would pay £2 2s. and higher-powered cycles three-quarters of the duty on motor cars. The motor duties would realise .£BOO,OOO.

Mr. and Mrs. Toogood, of Masterton, have been on a motoring tour of the South Island.

At the annual meeting of the Ontario Motor League, the importance of good roads, both for motor lorries and pleasure vehicles, was strongly urged. The Province of Ontario has a strong building programme of roads under consideration; the idea is to link up the farmers with more market towns, and then join these towns together by main roads.

The Cyclists’ Corps which is being formed in New Zealand for service with the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces will comprise eight officers and 200 men. The corps will operate with the mounted troops, its duties being very much the same as regards scouting. Cycles for the use of the corps will be of the standard pattern, and as these cannot readily be obtained in New Zealand, it is probable that they will be supplied from Great Britain when the troops reach their overseas base. A portion of the mounted rifles’ reinforcements are being used in the formation of the corps.

At the Rangitikei Motor Cycle Sports, P. Coleman, riding a Big X, won the ten-mile open handicap from scratch in 9min. 15sec. J. Dawber won the five miles, I. Morrison (45 sec.) won the Marton Handicap 15 miles, in 14min. 42 sec., Goldsmith (20sec.) was second. R. Jones won the 8 miles 600 yards race, and B. C. H. S. Osgood the 8 miles open.

Sir John Simon, speaking in the House recently, stated that it was not possible to extend the term of 12 months which is covered by a taxicab licence in London. He could not agree to the suggestion that the term might be increased to 15 months in order to meet the difficulties which the taxicab companies are experiencing in the mater of labour, owing to the hard usage to which such vehicles are subjected, and to the fact that the period for which a taxicab can be licensed is fixed by Statute.

The Croix Rouge Francaise have recently received a welcome gift from the Scottish Division of the British Red Cross Society in the shape of a fleet of seventeen new motor ambulances supplemented by a fully equipped repair lorry. In charge of voluntary drivers these cars form a fine convoy, and have just .been sent up to the French lines. Of the large

number of motor ambulances engaged in this useful work many are manned by owner-drivers who have offered themselves as well as their cars.

An Auckland lady twenty-six years of age, in a letter received at the recruiting station, offered her services for the front either as an assistant dispenser on a hospital ship or as a motor-ambulance driver. The applicant explained that she was physically strong and well. She had had six years’ experience as a dispenser, and had gained a certificate with honours in first aid work, while she had had considerable practical experience in dressing wounds. She also said that she had been used to driving a 20-horse-power motor car, and had done repairs and vulcanising. The applicant said she had offered her services twice previously In the event of her application being unsuccessful she asked that an exemption badge be supplied to her. A reply was sent to the effect that the application could not be entertained owing to the regulations not permitting the enlistment of women. The offer was appreciated, and much regret was expressed that the lady’s exceptional qualifications could not

be availed of by the military authorities.

The entire Italian motor industry is working on the production of motor lorries for the Italian and other Allied armies (writes a correspondent in the “Commercial Motor”), for the output is sufficient to meet

more than local requirements. The motor factories of Turin and Milan have not been diverted from their usual activities by reason of the war, and although they have undergone changes, these changes are of much less magnitude than those affecting other Allied countries. As is generally known to British motorists, Italy was not a very great motor lorry producing country prior to the war. F.I.A.T. had a considerable output, but even here the touring car business out distanced the commercial vehicle section; S.C.A.T. and Spa and, in a certain measure, IsottaFraschini built utility vehicles as entirely distinct from touring cars. The others confined their energies to pleasure cars. Long before Italy was involved in the international struggle, the whole of her factories had weaned themselves away from the touring car and were building lorries for whoever liked to buy them.

The Government of Bengal has amended the rules regulating the use of motor vehicles in Calcutta and suburbs and also in Howrah. Head lights are prohibited within the limits of Circular Road and Strand Road, Calcutta, and all lamps must be kept lit

and free from obstructions when a vehicle is in use during the period between threequarters of an hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise. The Commissioner of Police :n his discretion may grant certificates of registration as a motor cab and motor lorry in respect of vehicles that have a clearance below lOin.