MOTORING & CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1459, 11 April 1918, Page 26

MOTORING & CYCLING

At the motor cycle sports held in Napier on March 30, the lightweight championship was won by F. Springfield, on a Douglas. In the Open Handicap, Mangham beat Coleman after an exciting race, H. R. Crawley being third. * * ❖ * Mr. Gordon Eliott, son of Mr. M. A. Eliott, of Palmerston North, has been successful in passing his tests at the Auckland Flying School, and will leave for England at an early date to join the Royal Naval Aerial Service. * * * * “One way to get over the trouble with dazzling lights on motor cars,” said Mr. W. G. K. Kenrick, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court at Palmerston (reports the “Standard”), “is to have a by-law like they have in Auckland, providing that the light must be thrown on the road a certain distance in front of the car.” * * sp Five more pupils of the Canterbury Aviation Company passed their tests last week, namely: Messrs. E. G. Webster (Little River), D. McKay (Spreydon), W. B. Brown (Wellington), W. D. Dunlop (Aramoho), and N. S. Hartson (Napier). Colonel Chaffey and Captain D. M. Robertson expressed themselves as particularly gratified with the work of the young airmen. One of the fliers took up with him some potatoes to act as mock bombs, which he dropped in the course of a figure eight descent with such precision that the first fell within three feet of its intended mark. General approbation was expressed at the success of the experiment. * * * * An institution has just been opened at Balham, S.W. (Eng.), which gives free instruction to men in the use of artificial limbs. The equipment of the school includes steps, sloping footways, a “grass” walk, etc., to accustom men to the use of artificial legs on varying surfaces, and there is also a bicycle to tempt the more venturesome. Ultimately the idea is to train the discharged soldier in a trade, or possibly to enable him to return to his pre-war occupation. s * * * According to a report presented to the Wellington City Council by the motor inspector there are now 135 taxi-cabs licensed in the city. There was recently considered by the bylaws committee, which recommended that, in view of the number of vehicles being more than adequate for the public requirements, each additional application should be granted only when the committee was satisfied that the vehicle complied in every respect with the motor inspector’s requirements. This was agreed to. # Jc * Only a week or so ago there appeared in many illustrated papers the picture of a French officer who had both legs and one arm shot away, but who had been supplied with new limbs so splendidly fashioned and adjusted by the surgeon that he is now able to drive a motor car with ease and safety to himself and his passengers. He may be seen any day driving on the Paris streets, and scarcely to be distinguished from men who have never been to the war at all. The Wellington City Council has decided that a license of a taxi-cab driver, who had been convicted for being drunk whilst in charge of a vehicle and for colliding with a woman and child in Featherston Street, should be suspended. Respecting another taxi-cab driver, convicted

for drunkenness, it was resolved that he should be given a warning that only because of his past long and satisfactory service in a branch of the corporation employ would he be granted a monthly permit during the next licensing year, and also informed that such permit will be immediately terminated if a repetition of his offence is reported. A certificate of ability to drive a motor car -was issued to a returned soldier whose eyesight is temporarily affected through an injury received whilst on active service, in view of medical opinion that his eyesight will soon be normal. * * * * It is remarkable the mileage that can be obtained from a well - made motor car, driven with care and discretion. An authentic case is recorded where a 28 h.p. car travelled over 262,000 miles, consumed 15,000 gallons of petrol, used more than 200 tyres and has been driven by 25 different drivers. It is estimated that the car is still good for another 100,000 miles. The distance already travelled is equal to nine and a-half times round the world.

Motoring has had a further set-back in England. Just when the use of coal gas was beginning to be adopted in lieu of petrol to enable owners to get some use out of their vehicles, the Board of Trade has decided to bring coal gas under the same regulation as applying to motor spirit. It is not intended to prohibit the use of gas for motor vehicles in so far as, subject to other considerations, it may be available, nor to license the quantity that may be used, but to confine its use to essential purposes only. This probably means that coal gas will only be available for commercial use, doctors, etc., and the every-day motorist, who used his car for utility purposes, will still have to keep it in the garage. In commenting upon this decision, the “Light Car” (England) says: “It cannot be denied that the announcement by the Board of Trade, reported covering the use of coal gas, is a body blow for those who had great hopes of this fuel rendering us independent of petrol supplies after the war. For the moment, the anti motoring interests, assisted by the

quiescent attitude of our motoring associations, have triumphed. The unrestricted use of coal gas, at its present stage of development, is undoubtedly necessary for it to make the progress that is desired. It is the car owner denied petrol who will experiment with gas. Licensed users of petrol will go on using that fuel to a very great extent. The announcement appears somewhat contradictory in its terms, for it is stated that it is not intended either to prohibit the use of coal gas or to license the quantity purchased. It seems clear, however, that the intention is to prohibit all unnecessary motoring, or the use of cars for purposes which many would regard as necessary, but a cold official mind would consider to be otherwise. We regret the step that is forecasted. It seems to be based upon a desire to reduce expenditure upon labour in the manufacture of gas containers. In face of the indifferent attitude displayed to the enormous waste of labour on the manufacture of luxuries, a subject upon which the daily press as a whole remains discreetly silent, we can only view the coming action with

regard to the use of coal gas in motor vehicles as paltry.” & 3$ & An instance of long cycle tyre life has just been brought under the notice of the Dunlop Rubber Company. A cycle shod with Dunlop tyres was purchased by a Victorian shearer early in 1910, and, despite the fact that heavy loads have been carried over thousands of miles of the roughest of roads and bush tracks, the same tyres have been in use up to March this year. Nearly eight years’ continual riding on one set of covers is a remarkable record of durability. During this period, 14,970 miles were travelled (recorded by cyclometer) and only two punctures were sustained (in the back wheel) during their life. As a tyre record this takes some beating. * m ♦ A steam-driven motor cycle machine, constructed and designed by Mr. William Taylor, in England, has many original features. The frame is that of an old F.N. shaft-driven machine. This has the enclosed bevel drive slightly altered to give the

necessary room for the engine and boiler to be mounted in line. The boiler, which is of the multitubular type, is 12in. hig h and 9in. in diameter and has 120 half-inch copper tubes which carry a working pressure of 5001 b. A seamless steel was used for its construction, with screwed-in ends, -which are electrically welded. The burner is of a simple type with pilot, and is arranged for burning paraffin fuel. The engine is of the single-cylinder doubleacting type, of 2gin. bore and 2Mn. stroke, and is coupled direct to the back driving shaft. Thus arranged, the engine is geared 6J to 1. The circular tank is divided into two parts, one containing fuel and the other water, the former being fed under pressure to the burner. The boiler feed is pumped through two water heaters, first through an exhaust heater and afterwards through a coil placed in the fire-box. The exhaust is condensed as much as possible by a surface condensor, the hot water being returned to the boiler and uncondensed steam escaping. The machine was tried on the road, and would steam steadily at

25 miles per hour. A higher speed could be enjoyed for short spurts. Its rather heavy weight, trouble with the burner in a high wind, exhaust steam, small water carrying capacity and the wastefulness of the single expansion engine in steam at this high pressure were a few unsatisfactory points observed. The rise in steam pressure on a sudden stop did not tend to make one feel at ease in the saddle. With the scarcity of lighter spirits for fuels for internalcombustion engines, the steam motor cycle may yet come into more general use in England. ❖ # * >1: England is still purchasing large quantities of American motor waggons for military purposes. For the nine months ending last September no less than 5820 motor waggons, valued at £3,091,940, were shipped to England. For the corresponding period of 1916, 4723 similar vehicles were imported from the States. On the other hand, passenger cars declined from 11,815 in 1916, to 963 in 1917, a drop representing over £1,500,000.

Cycles and motor cycles to the value of £16,355 were imported into Spain during. May last, as compared with only £5758 in the corresponding month of 1916. * * * A motorist charged at Invercargill with failing to notify change of ownership of a car said that he was unaware of such a by-law. In his opinion the vendor ought to tell the purchaser. Senior-Sergeant Burrowes said that evidently people did not read the papers, for these cases were continually cropping up. The Magistrate, in imposing a fine, pointed out the necessity for notifying the change of ownership. * * * Following on recent happenings, the By-laws Committee of the Wellington City Council have made the following recommendations to that body:—“That the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board be informed in terms of the Motor Inspector’s report, in reply to its request for information as to what speed limit the council will permit for its motor ambulance while being driven through the city on specially urgent occasions ; and also that the board be informed that, in consequence of numerous complaints . having been received regarding the speed at which the motor ambulance is driven in the city, unless greater care is exercised by the driver for the protection of the general public, the council will take steps to prevent him driving in future.” Councillor Godber said the hospital authorities had brought the man to book, and told him that unless he was more careful they would have to get another driver. In the case in question, the life of a woman was saved by the driver getting her there at such a fast pace. Councillor Wright said the other side of the question was that by rapid driving people might be killed. If the man had a clear run, let him drive as fast as he liked, but the lives of the public must be cared for. Councillor Luckie said the committee was of opinion that a 15-mile limit was sufficient. This man had, however, come under the unfavourable notice of the inspector. Councillor Fitzgerald said the man should be told not to go fast through the principal

streets. Councillor Godber: He has been instructed not to do so. The recommendation was adopted. Two motorists in England were summoned recently for contravening the Motor Spirit Restriction Order. Neither could attend the court, as there was no other means of travelling than by motor car, and they were afraid of risking further prosecution. They were fined ss. each. They need not have been afraid to travel to the court by motor, says an authority, as that is one of the purposes for which motor spirit may be used. “Performance of a public duty” includes attendance at or upon any court of justice. * * ♦ « Motoring from Auckland recently, says a Waikato paper, the Rev. Lambert, of Te Awamutu, picked up a pedestrian who was trudging his weary way in the same direction. The passenger duly alighted on reaching his destination, and the car proceeded on its way, but when in the Te Rore district the driver, looking round, discovered that the hood and upholstering of the back' seat were well ablaze. The hood was quickly removed and the flames suppressed, but not before the hood itself was destroyed, huge gaps burnt in the upholsterings and the varnish at the rear of the car all blistered. Mr. Lambert acted the good Samaritan to a complete stranger, and so the loss is irrecoverable so far as he is concerned, but the incident teaches a

lesson to motorists to make it a firm rule that the butt-ends of cigarettes are thrown well over the side and not backwards, as is presumed to have happened in this instance. * Mr. Barnet Glass passed away at his residence in St. Kilda, Melbourne, last month, after an illness extending over several months. Mr. Glass, who was in charge of a hose and waterproof department in a large factory in Manchester (England), came to Australia in 1870, the time of the gold rush. He decided to manufacture waterproof garments in a small way, and also to import general rubber goods. He proceeded to England, and purchased a plant for manufacturing rubber goods; but on arrival the maritime strike was on, and the plant was returned, and Mr. Glass abandoned the project. In 1897 his son-in-law proceeded to England, and purchased a complete plant for a rubber works, which was opened at Kensington by Hon. A. Deakin and Messrs. Watt and Best, this being the first rubber goods factory to be opened in the Southern Hemisphere. Difficulties arose owing to shortage of labour and heavy losses were made. In 1905 the company amalgamated with the Dunlop Rubber Co., but a law suit eventuated. Mr. Glass, with the assistance of his son and son-in-law, decided to restart business, and so formed the nucelus of the pre-sent-day company, Barnet Glass Rubber Co., Ltd., one of the largest rubber concerns in Australasia. Mr. Glass leaves a widow and five children by a former marriage—Mrs. Ormiston, Mrs. P. Glass, Miss Nina Glass, Mr. E. Glass and Mr. J. Glass. The deceased was interred in the Melbourne General Cemetery, a large number of representative citizens following the cortege.

Within a year after the authorities of Foochow, China, had finished an eight-mile stretch of well-constructed macadam road, 90 bicycles were in daily use in that city. Prior to the building of this modern road there was, it is stated, not a wheeled vehicle in the district. 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. # The whole motor van service of the Gas Light and Coke Company, London, is now in charge of Miss M. Barrett, who has risen since the war from being a typist in the office until she now controls a great department hitherto run by a man. “As one man after another left, this woman took his place,” said Mr. Milne Watson, the managing director, to a “Daily Mail” reporter. “She arranges for the petrol supplies, keeps records of running costs, arranges for all repairs, interviews men and women motor van drivers, and controls the entire business with great accuracy. We have over 2000 women now working for the company. They cannot drive the heavy lorries or do heavy stoking, but I think they do everything else. We have had small barrows made for them to wheel, and we lighten the heavy work as much as possible. The girls did not like wearing trousers at first, but when I saw one working on a coke heap with big feathers in her hat and high-heeled boots I made up my mind that that fashion must go. So we provided them with trousers and overalls and we barred high heels.”