MOTORING & CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1497, 2 January 1919, Page 28

MOTORING & CYCLING

Photographs of private motorists in their cars, snapshots taken while on tour, or accounts of motoring trxps and other items of interest to carowners, will be inserted in these columns if posted to “New Zealand Sporting and Dramatic Review, “.U. Box 52, Auckland.

INTER-STATE RELIABILITY TRIAL

BETWEEN MELBOURNE AND SYDNEY. The proposal to inaugurate an interstate reliability trial between Melbourne" and Sydney, as outlined in a communication from the Dunlop Rubber company, met with a' favourable reception generally, but there were a few motorists who considered it inopportune, at least so soon after the cessation of hostilities. In this connection, however, it should be said that no’ date was mentioned as to the time at which it might be held, because it was fully realised that many months must elapse before we could obtain shipments of cars in the ordinary way (writes our Australian correspondent). Again, it was recognised that to introduce the keen interest in the performances of the motors, as was manifested in the early stages of automobilism, it would b e advisable to have as many postwar models of the different makes of motors participating, so that we could form, by comparison, a true estimate of the value of the many improvements —major and minor—which we can reasonably expect on the new models. To this end it was thought we could arouse the interest of the British and European car manufacturers in a big inter-State trial, and probably induce them to each enter one or more of their products with a view to demonstrating their greater efficiency, and to retaining their hold on the Australian market.’ It will be seen, therefore, that many monthsnecessarily must elapse before the cars could be made available and reach us, and as it is certain that the present season would be too early for such a result, it might be advanced that the Christmas holidays of . next year would be the earliest available date for such a competition. Another added interest in the contest was the suggestion that a new course should be adopted—a course that would present the average conditions met with on touring over average Australian roads—and the route to Sydney via Gippsland, past Mallacoota, and along the South Coast road was proposed. This route contains all sorts and conditions of road surface, and we are indebted to Mr. Geo. R. Broadbent, the well-known mapman, for some particulars of the course. It may be said her that as Mr. Broadbent has now in the press a special motor guide of this route, framed on the same lines as those already published of the route between Adelaide - and Melbourne, and that between Melbourne and Sydney via Albury, the particulars available are accurate.

The full distance by this route is 680 V2 miles, of which not more than 80 miles may be termed bad under ordinary conditions. There are many stretches of excellent road both in Victoria and New South Wales which more than compensate for the indifferent sections. From Melbourne to Swan Reach —13 miles east of Bairnsdale—a length of 190 miles in all, the road is fair to good—excellent for 90 miles. Thence to Nowa Nowa is a typical bush track, but beyond is the worst stretch en route, of some 15 miles, and until within 6 miles of Orbost, when there follows a length of graded mountain road of 90 miles, to Genoa, fair to good if dry and with a ruling grade of 1 in 19. From Genoa to Eden (Twofold Bay) there are 40 miles of indifferent bush road, but passable, and as the streams — Genoa, Kiah, and Nulliga rivers, and the Timbillica Creek , which once gave trouble to travellers —are now bridged, the chief difficulties are removed. From Eden along the South Coast road, a distance of 316 miles, motorists will find little to trouble them; it is hilly, but the surface generally is good, while the scenery is most attractive. Already much interest is being directed to this alternate route between the capitals, and

has been deepened by the proposal of the Dunlop Rubber Co., and the promise to provide the “Liberty Cup,” value 100 guineas, as a trophy. The matter is now being considered by the automobile clubs in both States, which were desired to undertake supervision of the trial should it materialise.

At last meeting of the Canterbury Automobile Association, Mr. A. S. Clarkson, for the Soldiers’ Car Committee, reported that, during October the car did 12 trips, carrying 108 men and covering 489 miles. During November and up to the 12th of that month, the car did 11 trips, carrying 90 men and covering 413 miles. The car was placed at the disposal of the Epidemic Relief Committee on November 13th, and up to December 7th it covered 2306 miles, or 92 miles per day. The committee placed on record its thanks to Mr. Woods for his kindness in voluntarily taking

charge of the car during the absence of the association’s driver. As a slight mark of appreciation of Nurse Maude’s splendid work, it was unanimously decided to have her motor car overhauled and painted free of cost to her, and also to elect her an honorary member of the association. The chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board wrote thanking the association for the splendid work carried out by members of the association during the influenza epidemic. But for the work done by motorists, the board considered it would have been very difficult to cope with the epidemic.

Owing to the way in which the motor has revolutionised traffic during th e last few years, and the terriffic cost of road making and maintenance, Cr. Liffiton moved at the Wanganui Council meeting. “That in view of the fact that in the near future there must be heavy expenditure in road construction, owing to the enormous amount of wear and tear caused by motor traffic, and also taking into consideration the heavy cost of maintenance which has to be faced every year, it is advisable to send a thoroughly competent engineer to America to enquire and report fully

on road construction and maintenance, also labour-saving machinery; that the other local bodies who are also faced with the same difficulties as ourselves be invited to contribute towards the cost of sending an engineer to America.” Cr. Liffiton ably supported the motion, and was strongly backed by a minority of the councillors. The others, however, considered that there was ample information to be had in American pamphlets, that if it were necessary to send an engineer the Government should pay his expenses, and that if American engineers could not decide amongst themselves as to which was the best type of road, how could a New Zealand visitor settle the question?

Fox- many years, and especially during the war, cycling as a sport has been at a low ebb throughout the Commonwealth, save, perhaps, in the case of road-racing, when, prior to the

outbreak of hostilities, the various clubs throughout the States made this phase of racing a leading feature. When recruiting commenced no sport suffered more severely than cycling; 90 per cent, of the riders —a larger proportion in some States —were accepted for service, which demonstrated the physical advantages of cycling. As a matter of fact, the League of W.A. Wheelmen lost almost the full strength of racing members, and for three years there was no meeting called simply because a quorum was unobtainable. While in the northern States — New South Wales and Queensland — amateurism is fairly strong, it had not so good a following in Victoria or South Australia, consequently the sport languished to a greater extent, because of the differences, notably in Victoria, between the league and the clubs. It was patched up to some extent for a while, but now has become so marked that the Inter-Club Cycling Association seems to have discarded the league, and issued a prospectus to form a syndicate for the purpose of reviving an Austral Wheel Race meeting in Melbourne next Easter at the Exhibition.

Timely advice to motorists is given in a recent circular issued by the Dunlop Rubber Co. respecting not only the treatment of tyres, but also their inspection, because of the near approach of hot weather, a few samples — isolated days, truly — of which we lately have had. There are

many motorists who, so long as their tyres do duty, fail to periodically inspect them for latent weaknesses. Not having had the blissful experience of repairing a puncture, perhaps for several months, the condition of the cover is quite unknown, and so long as the tyre gives service the driver is disinclined to disturb matters. Some day there comes a blowout —the penalty of freedom from tyre troubles —and if nothing else follows —nothing of a more serious nature as a result of the burst cover —the motorist may perhaps regard himself fortunate. Careful periodical inspection of the tyres after almost every outing often repays the driver, for although the cover may be sound, it may not reveal any defect whatever, he may find a nail or stone, or other foreign substance, embedded in the tread, which only needed time and use of the car on the road to find its way right through the cover, which might eventually result in more than a mere puncture.

At the meeting of the Otago Motor Club the chairman (Mr. A. E. Ansell) made a presentation to the retiring president (Mr. J. A. Roberts) of a gold pendant in the form of the club’s monogram. Mr. Ansell said Mr. Roberts had occupied the position of president for four years. He had worked consistently in the interests of the club, had regularly attended meetings, and the present very satisfactory state of the clubs’ affairs was largely due to his efforts. Mr. Ansell made special reference to the activities of Mr. and Mrs. Roberts in making arrangements for the conveyance of returning soldiers to their homes by motor cars, his remarks being heartily applauded. Mr. Roberts briefly responded.

At a meeting of the Otago Motor Club a letter was received from the secretary of the Good Roads Association of New Zealand, asking the club to form a branch in Otago. It was decided that a deputation, consisting of Messrs. Ansell, J. A. Roberts, and H. W. Reid, wait on the Expansion League to consider what could be done to forward the work in Otago.

At recent flying .tests conducted at the New Zealand Flying School at Kohimarama, Auckland, the Royal Aero Club’s certificates were gained by Mr. J. H. Cornfoot (Feilding) and Mr. H. J. Wardell (Masterton).

At a meeting of the Otago Motor Club, Mr. A. E. Ansell (president) stated that it was quite impossible for the club to conduct the transport of returning soldiers to their homes without the unanimous assistance of all motorists. The committee had

drafted a circular, which would be posted to every motorist in Dunedin, giving some idea of the work the club had done in meeting returning soldiers and conveying them to their homes, and soliciting the assistance of owners in the good work.