MOTORING & CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1490, 14 November 1918, Page 28

MOTORING & CYCLING

Photographs of private motorists In their cars, snapshots taken while on tour, or accounts of motoring trips and other of interest to carowners, wi'i be inserted in these columns if posted to “New Zealand Sporting ar d Dramatic Review,’’ P.O. Box 52, Auckland.

At Sockburn, on November 2, four more pupils of the Canterbury Aviation Company took their “tickets.” These were A. L. Piper (Christchurch), L. R. Henrys (Wellington), I. J. Black (Blenheim), and A. W. Morland (Rakaia). Major V. teeming, M.C., and Captain D. M. Robertson were the examiners.

“In my. opinion, motor cycle riders are more addicted to speed than are motor car drivers,” said Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., during the hearing of a case in Wellington. “A motor cycle is also more dangerous to the public. A motor car usually can be heard and seen approaching, but a motor cycle is upon one almost before a person is aware of its approach.”

“Motor car owners welcome taxation,” said Mr. C. S. Owen, of Dunedin, at the Chambers of Commerce Conference. “As it is at present a motorist may have an accident through a fault in the road which may cost £2O, whereas such accidents would not occur were the roads put in order with taxation moneys. They welcome taxation.”

A party of 130, including 100 returned soldiers, were given a motor car trip from Ashburton to the Lake Coleridge power house. About 30 cars were lent for the purpose, and leaving about 7 a.m., they were back again at 6 p.m. Luncheon and afternoon tea were provided for the party at Mr. Gerard’s Snowdon station.

How completely the motor car has taken the place of the old-time method of conveyance, the buggy and horse, was plainly evidenced at the Kelso show, says the “Ensign.” Instead of the long row of fettered horses to have been seen at a similar function a decade ago, there was an imposing array of up-to-date models to the popular makes of car bordering close on 100. This at least was an outward sign of the prosperity being enjoyed at the present time by the farming community.

With the late batch of returned soldiers was Captain L. H. Brake, of the Royal Air Forces, who left New Zealand two and a-half years ago to take up flying, in which branch he made rapid strides. Captain Brake has seen considerable service, particularly in the Mediterranean, and has taken part in the raids on Constantinople.

Mr. J. A. Taylor, junr., who passed his examination at the Christchurch Aviation School, is to proceed to England at an early date, under orders.

A matter of some moment to motorists and local bodies is referred to in the report of the Wairarapa Automobile Association. The passage in the report reads: “The association, thanks to the ability displayed by its solicitor (Mr. T. E. Maunsell), successfully contested the legality of the by-law of the Greytown Borough Council fixing the speed limit at a uniform rate of 12 miles per hour. The result should be the fixing of speed limits ranging from 15 miles per hour, through cities and towns, to 25 miles per hour on main highways, as recommended by the New Zealand Automobile Union.

Driver Lionel McDonell, N.Z.F.R., of Parewanui, Bulls, has returned to the Dominion on furlough, after over four years of active service. Driver McDonell was attached to the Wellington Mounted Rifles, but was later transferred to the N.Z.F.A., with which unit he left Egypt for France. Driver McDonell, who was severely wounded at Gallipoli, has two brothers serving in France, one of whom is returning invalided to New Zealand.

Owing to the greatly increased demand on castor oil, which is the only satisfactory lubricant for rotary aeroplane engines, 108,000 acres have been specially sown in America with castor oil plants, the seed being supplied by the British Government. In the rotary engine the petrol gas is taken through the crank case, where it comes in contact with the lubricating oil, but as castor oil is only slightly soluble in petrol, its lubricating qualities are practically unaffected, hence its superiority over other lubricants for this type of engine.

It is interesting to note that it takes 17 gallons of petrol to keep the 400 h.p. Liberty aeroplane—the type adopted as standard in America—in the air, and this is stated to be 40 per cent, less than is generally required to fly similar power aeroplanes of other makes. The approximate cost of flying a big powered machine, including every incidental down to interest on capital, wages, repairs, etc., is said to be about 2s. per mile.

There is little doubt that the Victorian crack, E. A. Tamme, is the best long distance road rider in Australia to-day. At the end of last month he started in the New South Wales 40 miles road event from Parramatta to Windsor and back, and scored fastest time from scratch, finishing up fourth, covering the distance in lhr. 40min. lOsec. In 1916, Tamme rode in 13 races, scored 12 fastest times, and gained three .firsts, two seconds and four thirds, and he has done exceptionally well since then, both on road and track. This year he probably put up his finest performance when he established a new Australian record in competition, by negotiating 25 miles on an out-and-home course, in the splendid time of lhr. 2min. ssec. Tamme, who is only 25 years of age, intends retiring from active racing this season.

Is it a fact that during the period of instruction of New Zealand flying cadets in England such cadets receive only Is. per day and no separation allowance is paid to their wives or other dependents? This is a question to the Minister for Defence, placed on the Order Paper of the Representative Chamber by Mr. W. J. Dickie, M.P. for Selwyn.

According to recently issued statistics from American sources, the growth of automobile production in the United States during the war has been progressively on the upward scale, the figures being: 1914, 1,754,570; 1915, 2,423,788; 1916, 3,544,952; and 1917, 4,941,276. A large number of these machines is made up for war lorries and similar chassis. The total number of cars of all sorts in use in the United States is estimated at 5,000,000, or one car for every 21 of the population.

The authorities of the State of North Carolina (U.S.A.) requested the holder of each of the 65,000 motor driving licenses in the State to undertake to dispose of 100 dollars’ worth of War Savings Stamps. Most of the drivers responded, and many of them sold thousands of dollars’ worth.

Mr. E. S. Pees,, the honorary secretary of the Manawatu Voluntary Motor Corps, in discussing the work of similar organisations in other places with a recently returned sol-

dier, was informed that a transport that had arrived at Melbourne lately brought a large number of Australian soldiers and also a small number of New Zealand boys. The Melbourne Voluntary Motor Corps, which comprises some 1200 cars, turned out in royal style to offer their assistance, and all the returned boys were well looked after. The New Zealand boys were particularly well entertained. The boat arrived at seven in the morning, and at 8.30 they were allowed to land. The motor corps had provided motor cars to take them for a spin. They were motored out to Yarraglen, about a 30-mile run out, at which place dinner was arranged for them. After dinner they motored around, arriving back in Melbourne at 4 p.m., and in the evening they all went to the theatre. Wherever they went they were met by a host of young ladies, who showered them with beautiful flowers. Altogether the New Zealand boys’ comfort was looked after admirably. They were not even bothered with their luggage, a special baggage guard being allotted to take their baggage from one ship to the other, and everything was placed in the cabins without any trouble to themselves. A lot of credit is due to Mr. Manson, New

Zealand’s representative, for the help he gave the motor corps in organising this outing. On another occasion the Melbourne Motor Corps turned out with 300 motor cars to do honour to 900 French black troops who were returning to the French Islands. Mr. E. S. Pees advises that good work has been done by the local corps since its inauguration.

Mr. Ford, the millionaire motor car magnate of Detroit, has approached the United States Government with a proposal to establish a huge farm for returned U.S. soldiers. He is convinced that the married soldier can be converted into a successful farmer, and to prove the soundness of his contention has purchased and laid out a 4000-acre farm, which is to be cut up into 10-acre lots, at Dearborn, in Michigan. Mr. Ford made a journey in September to Washington and laid his scheme before Secretary Lane, who promised him that no time would be lost by the United States Army authorities in selecting the proper kind of men to carry the project through successfully. Mr. Ford declares that it is not to be a

charitable proposition. The motor manufacturer means merely to finance the ex-soldier, to lend him the . fully equipped fram at its full valuation, with the understanding that it., is to be paid for by the farmer’s earnings. That agrees completely with Secretary Lane’s suggestion, which is that the Government sell them the land and lend them the money to develop it, the repayment to be on . the easiest possible terms. “This is my idea,” said Mr. Ford to the correspondent after his visit to the secretary. “I will install the crippled soldier and his wife in a comfortable home, with an appropriate-sized barn, on the little farm which I have already laid out on my place. He will have five head of cattle, some chickens, and a tractor which will plough, harrow, thresh, churn, and do almost any sort of work necessary. He can readily operate this machine even though he is crippled. This whole layout I will value at 400 dollars, . which is as nearly as I can figure its actual worth. I firmly believe .. that the man will be able to earn an excellent living and to pay back his indebtedness in 10 years., after which he will own the property and will be able to lay up his profits for s his declining years.”

Five young Wanganui men who are joining the Royal Air Force left last week en route to port of embarkation for England. They were Messrs. Melville, Richardson, Collier and Warnock, all of whom received their training at Christchurch, and Hair, who was trained at Auckland.

A rather unusual circumstance was revealed in a case of excessive speeding heard before' Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch. Evidence was called by the police to the effect that two motor cyclists had travelled along Leinster road at excessive speed. One motor cycle had a number, which was taken, while the other had no number. They could not swear defendant was one of the cyclists, who had travelled too fast to permit of recognition. The defendant admitted that he had travelled down Leinster road about the time and date mentioned, but that he was not riding the motor cycle the number of which had been taken. He and his companion had changed cycles in order that each might se e how the other’s machine went. The machine he was riding did have a number, although it might have been obscured. The defendant refused to give the name of his companion, and the magistrate held that he was not bound to do so. SubInspector Mullany: “I expect we shall get him all the same.”

Says the “Hawera Star” of November 5: —A motor car journey, that for pluck and perseverance will probably stand as a record for many a long day, was undertaken last week-end by two Hawera young ladies. A wedding was arranged to take place in Hawera at eight o’clock yesterday, and on Saturday it was discovered that through an oversight the bride’s brother, who was in camp at Featherston, had not been notified, and as he was the only male representative of the family in the Dominion, it was essential that he should be at the ceremony, A young lady friend then volunteered to motor through to Featherston to bring him, and she, with a girl companion, left Hawera on Saturday night in a Buick car. They reached Palmerston without mishap late that night, and early next morning set off through the gorge. At Pahiatua the car got bogged and had to be dug out, and this delayed their arrival at Featherston till two o’clock in the afternoon. They then discovered that the man they had come for was on leave in Wellington. So the motorists went straight away over the Rimutakas, arriving in the Capital City about-5.30. After locating their man, and partaking of some very welcome refreshment and re-fill-ing the car, the home journey was commenced about 8.30. All went well till near Foxton, where a couple of punctures caused two hours’ delay. No further trouble was met with until a few miles out of Hawera, and the party then left the car and resumed the journey on foot. They had proceeded some distance when another car picked them up, and they arrived in Hawera just twenty minutes before the ceremony commenced. Needless to say, the young ladies, after such a long journey under such adverse weather conditions, were quite exhausted when they arrived home.

As showing the number of motor vehicles that passed through the town from the Waverley races, a local resident who took the trouble to count them for some 30 minutes found the rate to be as follows: In the first ten minutes 40 passed, in 15 minutes 73 liad gone by, in 20 minutes 112, in 22 minutes this number had gone up to 122, whilst in half an hour the total had reached no less than 160. These represented only a fraction of the total number passing through, whose value must have represented an enormous sum of money. The injunction to economise benzine and utilise it only for business purposes, had evidently fall; en on deaf ears, so far as this portion of the Dominion is concerned. — “Patea Press.”

“By labelling all motor cars a luxury, and taxing them on every penny of their cost, an undoubted check will be placed on the sale of British cars and our factories will suffer thereby,” remarks “The Pall Mall Gazette.”

The exports of petrol from the United States during April last, despite the shipping difficulties, reached a total of no loss than 20,862,303 gallons, as compared with only 16,604,130 gallons in the corresponding month of 1917. Of the shipments, France received nearly one-third, with the United Kingdom next taking approximately one-fourth, Canada and Cuba following with about one-seventh each.

Owing to the fact that so many men have joined up for military service, women are now being largely employed at some of the big American motor garages. At one establishment in Boston no less than seventy-five are now working; the petrol-filling station is in charge of a woman, another is in charge of the checking of cars entering and leaving the. garage, another works the lift, while several are at work in the stores department. * * » * The English newspapers give prominence to a daring exploit by an Australian pilot, who attacked and secured a direct hit on a moving train. The rear portion broke loose and overturned down an embankment. The pilot brought to a standstill the front

Australian pilot, who attacked and secured a direct hit on a moving train. The rear portion broke loose and overturned down an embankment. The pilot brought to a standstill the front portion of the train, pouring in 300 rounds. He also shot down a German scout, and, although wounded, beat off seven Fokkers, one breaking to pieces in the air. When his ammunition was exhausted the pilot fired Verey lights. On the way home he lost consciousness owing to loss of blood, but recovered within a few * yards from the ground over the British lines. He flattened out the machine by a tremendous effort, and landed safely.

It is always difficult to forecast, says “Motor Cycling” (England), but we should say that probably the largest number of motor cyclists in future will be owners of fairly simple lightweights costing, say, £3O. For this type of machine we should suggest a 2% h.p. two-stroke engine, a twospeed gear, spring forks, and a fairly simple equipment. The machine must be essentially a solo mount, light in weight and practically no more difficult to handle than an ordinary bicycle. Given such a machine produced in large quantities, we think it could be safely predicted that the accession to the ranks of motor cyclists would be on an unprecedented scale. It will be remembered that the type of machine that we are now suggesting is what has been termed “motor cyclette.” This type sprang into existence and was becoming very popular the year before the war, and was obviously bringing to the pastime many new devotees. There must be many a cyclist who, from increasing years or a desire to taste the joys of the mechanically-propelled vehicle with its wider range and absence of fatigue, will look to motor power to provide recreation after the war. If a machine sufficiently light in weight, very economical to run, and scarcely more difficult to handle than a bicycle, were placed before them it is obvious that it would meet with considerable popularity.

John D. Ryan, Director of Aircraft Production in the United States, recently said: “The people of this country have been carried away with the talk of tens of thousands of fighting and bombing aeroplanes, and have been impatient when they have heard of the few we have produced so far. There never have been 10,000 aero-

planes on either side of this war at any one time, and until within a month, if even now, there have not been 10,000 on all sides and all fronts of the war adde’d together. We must learn to think and talk of things we want to win with in the quantities that can be furnished and in the time required to furnish them. We will have aircraft in type, in quantity and quality to accomplish what we have set out to do —to win the war. We have set that as our mark, and in the way of our progress there may be disappointments—but no failure.”

A war correspondent of the “Berliner Tageblatt” (says the “Daily Mail”) reports an interview with an Austrian general, Uzelar, who, speaking of aeroplanes, said: “England, thanks to the sporting training and high average intelligence of her sons, has a much richer supply of human material to draw from than we have. The captured English airman is correct in his behaviour, and never betrays any information.” £ £ £ £ £

According to the French journal “L’Auto,” two occupants of a French tank, a young corporal and a mechanic, recently kept at bay a strong force of the enemy for thirtysix hours. The tank was on its way to attack a section of the enemy lines, but a derangement occurred in front of a hostile machine gun section. The occupants when called upon to surrender replied with their own machine gun and a revolver to such good effect that they accounted for a large number of the enemy, and held their position until they were relieved after being stranded a day and a-half. Even then they insisted on effecting repairs to the damaged tank and proceeded to carry out the undertaking on which they had been sent.