MOTORING & CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1400, 22 February 1917, Page 28

MOTORING & CYCLING

At the last meeting of the Wairarapa Automobile Association, a resident on the Rimutaka Hill wrote asking the Assoc ation to bring before motorists generally the annoyance caused to himself and his neighbours by the practice of motorists, when stuck, extracting lengths of wire from fences for use as tow ropes. Frequently he had found from 50 to 100 feet of wire cut out and a whole stretch of fence thus rendered ineffective. The meeting expressed sympathy with the complaint, and promised that the matter should receive publicity. As cne motorist pointed out, however, if a motorist was stuck on the hill miles from anywhere, and he got the chance of a tow home, he would not hesitate to cut wire or anything else that would serve his purpose.

The result of the second race organised by the Te Aroha Cycling and Athletic Club was as follows: —R. Bates (7min.), 1; A. Smaidon (6min.), 2; H. Moon (6min.), 3. W. Cartwright again completed the 14-mile course in the fastest time '(42 l-sth), notwithstanding a slight mishap on the road. There were seventeen competitors.

A non-commissioned officer of a light armoured motor car tattery operating in the German East African campaign, writing home, says:—“The armoured cars have done quite good work here, and can operate well in the bush. Possibly the most suitable type has not been evolved, but the moral effect on the blacks has been enormous; they call them rhinos, as the armour is proof against anything except pom-poms or shell fire.”

A movement has been started at Home to make “summer time” a permanent, all-the-y ear-round institution, it being contended that this would give, during the winter, one more hour’s daylight in the afternoons, when the extra light is most required, and that the dangers of dark streets and roads would be reduced.

An English authority, Mr. H. Massac Buist, states that after the war, to induce private persons to buy motor cars it will be necessary for makers either to produce them at such a low price that the car will be an economy, or such a combination of improvement in design and in materials will have to be introduced as to make the wealthy man dissatisfied with the finest carriages so far available. Owing to war conditions, he says, the different makers have had to standardise their cars much more than used to be the case, and the car of the future will have to be something new in design and material and the main parts standardised, so that the new motorist can take on a car without fear of heavy running costs and of not being able to get repairs and standard parts on tour just as easily as petrol and tyres.

One of the principal reasons for the successful development of the German submarine is the attention which all along has been devoted to perfecting oil-motors for surface propulsion. These are now supplied exclusively by the Germania yard itself and the M.A.N. works, various other systems having failed in competition with the motors built by these two firms. The absolute secrecy observed even before the war makes it impos-

sibie to describe the characteristics of the standardized Diesel engine which was adopted for German submarines in 1912, but, contrary to the sensational stories which have been current, it seems fairly certain that no boat yet built has motors developing more than 3500-4000 h.p.

In the State of Washington, U.S.A, there is a ferry boat on which the motorist may cross under the power of his own motor. The ferry boat is driven by two propellers, and when the motor car is driven on board it is jacked up, belts are passed around the rear wheels, and two pulleys connected to the stern propeller-shaft. The stern propellers revolve at 600 revolutions a minute, and the ferry saves a thirty miles detour.

We ought to have a World’s Fair urges “Light Car and Cycle Car.” many months ago we ought to have taken steps to improve our export trade. Few other industries are so vitally concerned as that of motor

manufacture, especially the newer light car branch. We ought to do everything reasonably possible, having stopped home sales of motor vehicles, to encourage the export of cars. Every ton of merchandise exported from the country has a treble significance. It helps to restore the balance of exchange. It helps to make shipping fre ghts lower, by solving a crucial problem, the return of empty and half-laden freight boats, which is one of the causes of the shipping shortage. And it enhances the prestige of British manufacturers in face of the vigor ous policy of the Americans. We most certainly should have cur World’s Fair, even in war-time.

What France can do we can accomplish. * ♦ ♦ • Owing to his having gone into camp, Mr. I. V. Wilson has resigned his pos tion as secretary of the Wairarapa Automobile Association. The resignation has been accepted with regret, and Mr. Arch Holms, of Featherston, appointed to the vacant position.

The secretary of the Canterbury (N.Z.) Aviation Company, Limited, has received advice from Colonel Gibbon, Chief of Staff of the New Zealand Military Forces, that the Imperial Government will not accept any further nominations for the Royal Flying Corps from candidates over twenty-five years of age. This means that only candidates between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five years will be accepted.

The following new members were elected at the last meeting of the Wairarapa Automobile Association: — E. R. Sinclair, Featherston; John

Moore, Masterton; D. S. Sutherland, Featherston; P. J. May, Martinborough; Mrs. Maud Harrison, Martinborough; Cox Gordon, Wellington; H. W. McMaster, Martinborough.

For not “slowing down” when approaching the Stirling railway crossing while in charge of a motor car, Robert Lochhead was fined £lO and costs by Mr. Acheson, S.M., at Balclutha the other day. It was stated that on the afternoon of December 14 defendant was approaching the crossing at the same time as a train was approaching. Defendant was signalled to by a porter and the driver also blew his whistle, but defendant

paid no attention, with the result that the emergency brake had to be applied, and when the car passed over the crossing it was but three yards from the engine. The magistrate pointed out that it was an offence under the by-laws to drive at other than a “walking pace,” and in the case of motor vehicles they were required to stop. In this case it seemed to him that the railway officials • had taken extraordinary measures to prevent an accident. Defendant did not slow down, nor did he attempt to stop. In his own evidence he had admitted that.

At a meeting of the Wairarapa Automobile Association a letter was received from the N.Z. Automobile Association asking the support of the Wairarapa Association in getting the Statutes and City By-laws referring to the rule of the road altered and made alike. At the present time when overtaking a vehicle the rule of the road states that the driver must keep to the right. The city by-laws provide that when overtaking a tram car the driver must keep to his left. After lengthy discussion the meeting decided that no good could be attained by supporting the N.Z.A.U. It was considered imperative that trams when overtaken should be passed on the left, as by this all danger of collisions with cars or vehicles meeting trams was obviated

An appeal tor assistance was received by the Auckland Automobile Association from the committee of the Hospital Auxiliary Fund, which is arranging to make a collection in Auckland and suburbs on Saturday, March 3. The committee asked the Association for a loan of 25 cars on the day of the campaign to take the collectors to various stations in the city and suburbs. The Association decided to invite members to assist the committee, and it will also welcome any help from owners of motor cars who are not members of the Association. Those willing should communicate with Mr. G. W. Hutchison, the secretary of the Association, at his office in Wyndham Street.

> A motor tour of the North Island, from Auckland to Wellington, via Gisborne, Napier, and other towns, has just been completed by Mr. John Fuller, sen., who was accompanied by Mrs. Fuller and his youngest son, Mr. Raymond Gerald Fuller. The party left Auckland for Rotorua, via Hamilton, and after that, as Mr. Fuller says, they left for trouble. The principal cause of their woes was the rain, which fell frequently, and sometimes with tropical intensity. After Opotiki and Gisborne, the journey was continued through Wairoa to Masterton, thence over the Rimutakas to Wellington. There were numerous adventures encountered, including a narrow escape from an upset on a raingreased incline. On another occasion the car was held up by a nine-horse waggon having been bogged, a heavy shower of rain having turned the road into a quagmire. Mr. Fuller continued the tour as far as the Bluff, from Christchurch.

The very latest thing in the way of an aid to locomotion was seen on the streets of Christchurch the other day, and caused considerable interest (says the “Press”). This was an American machine exactly like a glorified edition of a child’s “scooter.” The little machine, the front wheel of which is driven by a small but powerful engine, got over the ground at a great rate. The passenger, who stood on the platform and steered by means of a handle, which also controlled the engine, seemed to be having an excellent time, and his passage through the town caused a good deal of amusement.