MOTORING & CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1457, 28 March 1918, Page 26

MOTORING & CYCLING

A taxi-cab driver, giving evidence at Palmerston North Magistrate’s Court, said that his average takings were 30s. a day, while the expenses amounted to 225. 6d. per day, this including cost of benzine, repairs to tvres and other running expenses. * * * *

Two more pupils passed the flying test at the Canterbury Aviation School last week, namely, David Barnes (Waipara) and Colin Gordon (Christchurch).

Miss Myra Shirtcliffe has resigned her position as motor driver for the Lowry Bay Convalescent Home. Miss Shirtcliffe has carried out her selfimposed task with complete success, and the soldier patients speak with admiration of her efficient driving.

In tests carried out at the New Zealand Flying School, Kohimarama, on Saturday week, the following students gained preliminary qualification for cadetships in the Royal Flying Corps: —M. Otway, Auckland; L. Field, of Gisborne; and; B. Oirr, of Morrinsville. The examining officer, Lieutenant-Colonel J. L; Sleeman, was . taken. from Auckland to the school , by aeroplane-at five o’clock in the morning.

The members of the Canterbury Automobile Association were well in evidence on “Orphans’ Day,” the outing being one of the largest ever handled by them. Over 300 children from the various institutions were taken for a run as far as Rangiora, where they were entertained at the Show Grounds and given a delightful time.

A speed judging competition was held at the foot of Mt. Pleasant, Christchurch, the other day under the auspices of the Pioneer Club. The conditions were that competitors had their speedometers and watches covered, and had to ride up the hill in a certain specified time, i.e., 14 minutes; the one who gauged his time, and necessarily his speed, most correctly to be the winner. The winner turned up in S. Lennie (8 h.p. Henderson), who did the distance in 13min. 30sec. T. Tyson (Henderson) was second, in 14min. 50sec., and Miss C. Kerr (Harley-Davidson) was third, covering the course in 12min. 48sec.

The Royal Automobile Club of South Africa is doing excellent work in connection with the transport of sick and wounded men returning from the front. According to the annual report, no fewer than 794 cars have been engaged in the work during the past 12 months, and approximately 11,250 patients have been carried. The distance covered in connection with the work reached a total of 12,000 miles.

At the last meeting of the Otago Motor Club the following new members were elected: —Messrs. R. Lee, R. T. Duthie, W. R. Hudson, W. E. Lane and J. Williamson (Hyde).

The Wellington Automobile Club has recently been put to heavy expense in appealing against convictions of motorists for exceeding the speed limit (12 miles an hour) through the borough of Petone. The appeal was upheld, and in order to reimburse the club for the expense they were put to, a circular letter is being sent to upwards of 200 motorists, to whom summonses were issued by the Petone Council, asking them for £1 Is. subscription each. Had these motor car owners been convicted (it is pointed out) they would probably have been mulcted to the extent of £5 Bs., and they owe their position to the action taken by the Wellington Automobile Club.

An elderly couple who used a car to drive into Birmingham (Eng.) in order to obtain supplies of various necessaries were summoned in connection with the driver for using petrol contrary to the Motor Spirit Restriction Order. It was stated that the owner of the car was over 70 and an invalid, and that she was obliged to go to Birmingham for supplies that were unobtainable

where she lived. The magistrate dismissed the case, but pointed out that in future other means should be provided to do the shopping.

The first ambulance train built in England for the American Army has been handed over to the American Expeditionary Force by the builders, the Midland Railway Company. The train, built in the record time of nine weeks, cost £40,000. It is made up of 16 cars and is designed to carry 393 soldier patients. Painted in 393 soldier patients. Painted inglossy white enamel, with mahogany polished window frames and fittings, the nine bright ward cars each contain 36 folding cots in three tiers, the cots in the middle tier beingarranged so that they can be folded down to form backs for sitting cases in the lower tier. There are also infectious ward car, dispensary, treatment, operating and emergency rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, officers’ cars, and staff and personnel cars.

The Wellington Harbour Board’s motor ambulance, which has proved such a boon on the waterfront, is referred to in the board’s annual report as follows: —“In December, 1916, the board established a motor ambulance for service on the waterfront at an initial cost of about £220, and has, also at its own cost, main-

tained the service since. During the year several of the board’s permanent staff have become proficient drivers. The ambulance has been used on 32 occasions to carry injured persons to the hospital, or to their homes, and it is generally recognised that by its installation the board has supplied a want long felt on the waterfront.

Canada has a lady truck driver in the person of Mrs. Eva Crane. She is in the employ of the Winnipeg branch of the Dominion Rubber Company; loads and unloads her truck: delivers the goods to customers and railways, and works alongside the men in the shipping department. “I took the job,” she said, “so that a physically fit man could go overseas and fight alongside my husband and brothers in the trenches. I have been used to heavy work, and handling cases is not so much a question of strength as of knack.” Mrs. Crane wears a small plain felt hat and a working suit of khaki, with a pair o: working gloves. She does her own repairs, having spent eight weeks at a motor school before tackling the job.

In making a request to the Hon. G. W. Russell for Government assistance for the Auckland Flying School

at Kohimarama, Mr. J. M. Mennie said the school was in need of encouragement. There were several young men waiting their chance to go there to learn aviation who could not be taken in for want of a sufficient number of seaplanes. The company had sent to America for two more. It seemed too bad that intending pupils should have to be shut out, seeing how they were , wanted at the front. The Minister, while • expressing his interest in the work o: the school, suggested that the. applica-. tion for Governmen: assistance should be made through the Minister for Defence, and that Sir James Allen should be waited upon when he was next in Auckland. If Sir James should bring the request before the Cabinet; Mr. Russe’l sai 1 he would support it.

It is stated that owing to the petrol shortage all private motoring in Holland is to be forbidden, and a severe control of military mo:or vehicles is to be instituted.

According to a statement made by Mr. Henry Ford recently, in placing the plant and resources of his company at the disposal of the United States Government, the immediate capacity of the Ford plant is 2000 one-ton trucks a day. This production, however, can be increased in

the course of a few weeks to 3000 daily. He has intimated his willingness to supply the whole of this output to the U.S. Government at shop cost without profit.

As all motorists know the variation in the quality of petrol is very great. It is evident that the British Army has experienced the same thing, particularly in regard to the effect of such varied quality on the efficiency of aeroplane engines, which, working under such very exceptional altitude conditions and requiring such very exceptional efficiency, may be seriously affected in their work by poor fuel. It is now reported from Washington that representatives of France, Italy, Great Britain and the United States have agreed on a plan to “design” a new brand of fuel for aeroplane use, which is to be taken as a world standard for this purpose. It is stated that this particular grade of fuel does not at present exist, but the engineering scientists concerned are being put to the work of “designing” it. At present the Allies are using no fewer than 10 different grades of fuel for aeroplane work. According to the specifications laid down, it is claimed that the new fuel will be a better fuel than that used in motor cars to-day. This idea of setting out to “design” a fuel to

meet the conditions is quite a new one, and the experiments will be watched with a very considerable degree of interest. * * * * The motor cycle record established by F. Berry over the Sydney - Melbourne overland route —a distance of 565 miles —is a particularly good one. The road conditions were all agfiinst the run, owing to recent heavy rains, and in the circumstances 22 hours 20 minutes is really better than it looks. The machine was a HarleyDavidson with side car outfit and passenger. Mr. Berry’s ride not only establishes a side-car record but reduces J. Bolger’s solo record of 23 hours 41 minutes, which has withstood many attempts since 1913. *. .. * . * * • For runabout work the small electric motor car is coming into favour in America for city use. One big New York garage does a very flourishing business on the following lines: They contract with owners of electrics to house and attend to everything in connection with the runabout. They accommodate 154 machines, the owners of which are charged a flat rate of £8 per month, this expenditure including current required for charging the battery, inspection of the battery, garaging, cleaning, oiling and washing as well as maintaining the inflation of the

tyres. The service is one which appeals to this type of motorist. He is relieved of all worry and rests satisfied that his vehicle is receiving the best of skilled attention. All that he has to do is to ring up the garage from his office and ask for his car. In a few minutes it is at his door, spick and span and ready for duty. Upon returning to his office he again notifies the garage, and his car is fetched, and upon arrival, taken in hand and again put ready for the road. The motorist never has any occasion to visit the garage; It's car is always available for duty at the end of the telephone wire. Some idea of the appreciation of this system may be gathered from the fact that during last year over 30,000 telephone calls and deliveries of cars from the 154 subscribers were received, approximately 100 calls per day. When the scheme was launched a doubt was expressed as to whether the flat rate had not been set too low, but experience has proved other-* wise. The central garage system has also served to demonstrate the benefits accruing from imposing a useful load upon the electric generating station, because, during the past year, 300,000 ~ units of current were consumed for battery charging alone. During the present year this total will be very substantially increased.

The progressive steps in the decline and disappearance of motoring in Germany are recorded by returned English prisoners from Ruhleben camp. Firstly, the pneumatic tyres on cars bringing supplies were no longer seen; secondly, rope tyres were used; thirdly, these gave place to wood blocks and springs; fourthly, the cars drove on the rims; then, when the rims gave out, they were seen no more. Then came the horsed vehicles till the horses were requisitioned. They were succeeded by hand-carts; these have gone, and now the last, or almost the final phase, is that the supplies are taken to the camp by wheelbarrow.

It has been computed that 77 per cent, of the world’s motor cars are to be found within the borders of the United States of America. Every fifth family in that country now owns its motor car and five per cent, of the population is now dependent on the automobile for its living.

Referring to the progress of aviation in New Zealand, LieutenantColonel J. L. Sleeman, while in Auckland last week, said the school in Christchurch was making rapid strides, having a great many things in its favour. The New Zealand Flying School at Kohimarama was handicapped to a great extent by the local climatic conditions. In Auckland, seaplanes were used for training, a class of machine that required a much longer period to become properly acquainted with than many others. The schools at Christchurch and Auckland were distinct; each was accomplishing a special and an excellent class of work. Referring to the future uses of air machines. Colonel Sleeman said the coasts of New Zealand, in the years to come, would require the stoutest defences, and seaplanes would form one of the chief means of defence. As an instance of what was likely to take place in the future, Colonel Sleeman stated that one Saturday he had had a full day’s work of inspecting. In order to save time, a seaplane met him at the Auckland wharf, and m three and a-half minutes he arrived at the flying school at Kohimarama, instead of half an hour by ferry boat. Five pupils went through the prescribed- test to obtain their preliminary certificates. Colonel Sleeman then proceeded to the Narrow Neck camp by seaplane, the trip occupying as many minutes as it would have taken half hours by launch. This rapidity of movement enabled him to inspect the territorials and the Maoris in training there, and to give a lecture to each before work for the day concluded. This could not have been accomplished, except by journeying between the places in a seaplane. Colonel Sleeman said that the development of aviation was vitally necessary for civil purposes, bes'de military and naval. He was confident that five years after the ending of the war private aeroplanes would be possessed by a considerable number of people. Aeroplaning under modern condiUons was as safe as motoring. There was no sensation of danger while in the air, but one of intense security. The only inconvenience was the roar of the engine and the rush of the wind. Colonel Sleeman congratulated Auckland on its excellent flying school, and said its development and progress reflected the greatest credit and showed keen foresight on the part of its owners.

In addition to a large number of vehicles, a large quantity of miscellaneous motor parts were included in a sale of war-worn material recently held in Paris by the French military authorities. Although no information is available as to the condition of the components, it is interesting to note the prices obtained. Thus engine prices ranged from about £2O 14s. for a 12 h.p. Panhard to £4l for a 50 p.m. Charron. Gear boxes were sold at from £4 12s. to £l5; back axles from £3 12s. to £22 Bs., and radiators from £2 Bs. to £5 12s. The

99 war-worn complete motor vehicles which were put up for sale realised a sum of £26,842, an average of just over £270 per machine. ❖ * * * Alexander Wells, an old citizen of Wellsville, Ohio, has a copy of an interesting and novel document issued by the School Board of the town of Lancaster, Ohio, in 1828. The question of steam railroads was then in its incipient stage, and a club of young men had been formed for the purpose of discussing their value and feasibility. They desired the use of the schoolhouse for purposes of debate. This was looked upon by the members of the School Board as an innovation bordering upon sacrilege, as indicated in their reply to the request, which is the document in the possession of Mr. Wells. It reads as follows: “You are welcome to the use of the schoolhouse to debate all proper questions in, but such things as railroads and telegraphs are impossibilities and rank infidelity. There is no word of God about them. If God had designed that His intelligent creatures should travel at the frightful speed of 15 miles an hour, by steam, He would clearly have foretold it through His holy prophets. It is a device of Satan to lead immortal souls down to hell.” —“New York Railway Magazine.”

Years back we looked annually to Europe for the latest tendencies in motor car construction, but owing to

the makers now being mostly engaged in war work, America is the only country that affords an opportunity of judging the trend of motor car construction, etc. So far during the past year there is little sign that the war has made any radical or basic alterations in American passenger car design and price. Two years ago prices reached their lowest limit, and last year there were signs that the price pendulum had commenced to swing the other way. To-day prices show a tendency to go up on account of the increased cost of labour and materials. Prices current a year ago compared with those now in force show that the most popular types are those ranging from £156 to £2OB, £266 to £312 (these the most popular), whilst the cars priced

from the later figure up to £624 come next in favour. Block castings of cylinders are fitted to nearly 90 per cent, of the cars made. Vacuum fuel feed has come greatly into use, 79J per cent, of the cars being fitted with this adjunct. Self-starting and lighting outfits are used in nearly 86 cars out of every 100. The tendency in tyres is for bigger covers and more air space. Battery ignition maintains its lead, 80 per cent, of cars being fitted with this form of ignition. The small runabouts have been shortened in wheel base, whilst the mediumpriced touring models have increased a few inches in length. Higher efficiency engines of a smaller size are gradually coming into vogue, following more closely the European practice.