MOTORING & CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1521, 19 June 1919, Page 26

MOTORING & CYCLING

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

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Automobile Union will be held on Friday, June 27.

Altogether 8544 officers and 169,322 other ranks have been “dispersed” from the Royal Air Force.

At a meeting of the Poverty Bay Motor Association, Mr. S. S. Dean was elected delegate to attend the conference at Wellington.

The King has been pleased to approve the alteration of the title “Secretary of State for the Royal Air Force” to that of “Secretary of State for Air.”

The Napier City Council and the Hawke’s Bay County Council respectively registered 25 motor cars, three motor cycles, one motor lorry and 13 motor cars and three motor cycles during May.

Within the past few weeks (says the Ashburton “Guardian”) several ladies’ bicycles, left outside business premises during working hours, have been missing. Some of the lost machines were subsequently found damaged alongside hedges a few miles from Ashburton.

Mr. J. E. Moore, of Christchurch, who, during the war, was on the engineering staff of the Aviation School at Sockburn, qualified for his flying certificate last week. Colonel R. A. Chaffey and Captain D. M. Robertson were the examining officers.

In reply to a deputation from the Otago Motor Club regarding the good roads movement, Sir William Fraser said the question was a very big one, and would have to be discussed by the Government as a matter of policy. They were faced with conditions which did not exist 10 or 15 years ago, and a remedy would have to be provided.

The Postmaster-General (Hon. W. D. C. MacDonald) has stated that Colonel Bettington, of the Royal Air Service, who is making a report to the Defence authorities respecting aviation, would also, probably, give the Post and Telegraph Department information as to what air mail services could be advantageously established in the Dominion.

It was decided at a meeting of the committee of the Auckland Automobile Association that the rule relating to the. qualification for membership be enlarged to admit motor truck owners, with the proviso that the association’s badge shall not be used on vehicles plying for hire or driven for commercial purposes. Mr. M. H. Wynyard was appointed to represent the association at the conference of the New Zealand Automobile Union, to be held in Wellington on June 27.

A return compiled in Wellington by the trade commissioner shows the number of motor cars and motor cycles registered in various districts as follows: —Auckland and Poverty Bay, 1326 cars, 576 cycles; Hawke’s Bay, 407 cars, 191 cycles; Taranaki, 328 cars, 203 cycles; Wellington, 1024 cars, 591 cycles; Nelson and Marlborough, 152 cars, 52 cycles; Canterbury, 564 cars, 517 cycles; Westland, 161 cars, 124 cycles; Otago and Southland, 743 cars, 413 cycles.

Flight-Commander Phil Fowler, son of Mr. J. Southey Fowler, of Feilding, is now at Swingate, Dover, where he is in charge of transport, aerial and otherwise. Flight-Com-mander Fowler, who is only 23 years of age, has made several wonderful flights, and has accomplished fine work. Recently he volunteered for Russia, but was turned down. He expects now to leave shortly for Afghanistan.

At last meeting of the Wellington Automobile Union, a sub-committee was set up, consisting of Messrs. C. M. Banks, W. S. Wilson and the secretary with power to add to their number, with the object of putting forward a scheme to increase the membership of the club, a grant of £25 towards expenses being passed. Four new members were elected, and Mr. W. S. Wilson was elected on the committee, the vacancy being caused by the resignation of Mr. C. H. Izard (president), for the remainder of the financial year.

A New Zealand soldier, writing to his parents in New Plymouth, says: “Things are moving along in the air now; on fine days there is a regular air ’bus service from London to Paris. You have a fair amount of room in a closed cabin, sit in wicker chairs secured to the floor, and passengers change seats at various times so as to have a change of view. They have just assembled a new machine, which, compared to the Handley-Page, our biggest bomber, is as a Newfoundland to a fox terrier. It can fly for 40 hours without a stop, and can carry 100 people for 500 miles at 90 miles per hour. We will yet have an air mail service from New Zealand to London.”

Startled by a motor car rushing along the road, a married woman missed her footing on a footpath in Blenheim and fell into a ditch. In a letter read at the meeting of the Borough Council (says the Marlborough “Express”) her husband stated that her coat and dress were ruined by the water and mud, and made a claim for £5. The Finance Committee advised that the council should not acknowledge any liability. The matter was referred back to the committee.

“Carburetter,” in the Dunedin “Star,” writes: Bridge accidents are too frequent at present. Why not paint all bridges white? A white object can be readily observed even in the darkest night. This fact can be easily demonstrated any evening. Even on dark, wet evenings white objects, such as white painted buildings and cement channels can be seen easily. In London, during the height of the air raids, the kerbings were made white, so as to enable users of the darkened streets and footpaths to find their way more easily.

When the Minister for Lands (Hon. D. H. Guthrie) was in Pahiatua last week, he was met by Messrs. W. Wakeman and J. D. C. Crewe, who asked that a short piece of road, about four miles, between Marima and Tokomaru, be constructed. It was claimed by the deputationists that if this was done Government land would be opened up and a shorter and good stock route to Longburn provided. Mr. Guthrie promised to investigate the matter.

“It would be well if motorists would note that they are required by law to take all precautions possible in respect to the use of brilliant headlights on motor cars. Many motorists think that they are at liberty to use brilliant lights on country roads, though not in the cities, but there is probably more danger on narrow country roads than in the towns, the streets of which are well lighted.” This remark was made by Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., at Lower Hutt Court.

At the last monthly meeting of the committee of the Wellington Automobile Club, correspondence from the Hutt County Council was read stating, in answer to the club’s application, they had instructed the in-

spector of works to erect signposts around Trentham where necessary. In answer to the club’s letter urging that special legislation should be introduced, making it a criminal offence for a person to steal the use of a motor car, the Minister for Justice intimated that he had received previous similar representations, and the matter had been noted for consideration in connection with legislation for next session.

At the last meeting of the Dunedin City Council the question of purchasing motor vehicles for the Works Department was discussed, and the opinion was freely expressed that preference should be given to trucks of British manufacture. As a result of the discussion, Councillor Wilson agreed to withdraw a clause in the report of the Works Committee recommending the purchase of certain

vehicles. The committee now reports that it is obtaining further information with regard to the whole of the tenders for motor trucks, and when this is to hand, the matter will be again investigated and reported on. In the meantime, it recommends that authority be now granted to purchase the one-ton Ford truck as offered for the sum of £275. There is work waiting for a light vehicle of this description, adds the committee, and the recommendation has no bearing on the general question, which has yet to be decided by the council.

Dazzling headlights on motor cars were again the subject of discussion by the committee of the Auckland Automobile Association at their last meeting. A letter was received from the City Council, stating that it was proposed to pass a new by-law requiring that no person shall drive, between sunset and sunrise, any vehicle provided with a lighting device of over four candle power, equipped with a deflector, unless the same shall be so designed that no portion of the beam of reflected light, when measured 75 feet or more ahead of the lamp, shall rise above 42 inches from the level of the vehicle. The chairman, Mr. G. Henning, said the association had no knowledge of any

serious accidents caused by the use of dazzling lights. If a poor light, such as that suggested, were used, it would be more dangerous than present lights. A four candle power light would be of little use in fog or rain. He was quite aware that many drivers had their lights so deflected that the light was thrown into the trees, but that was no argument in favour of the council’s proposal. Mr. A. Grayson referred to a serious accident that recently happened in the south, attributed to a driver being hampered by dazzling lights on an approaching car. The chairman said he thought more accidents were caused by poor lights than by brilliant ones. After some further discussion, It was resolved that the matter of finding a reasonable solution of the question be brought before the approaching annual conference of the New Zealand Automobile Union. A sub-committee, consisting of Messrs. Henning, Grayson and H. T. Shepherd, also was appointed to deal with the matter.

At the last meeting of the Taranaki County Council a new by-law was passed, subject to confirmation, which in effect amounts to a tax on all vehicular traffic on the county roads. The fees to be charged ranged from 10s. per annum for a gig or sulky to £5 for a five-seated motor car and £l5 for a motor omnibus. Provision is made for half fees for half-yearly licenses.

In the case in which Magnus, Sanderson and Co., Ltd., claimed the sum of £565 for the sale of a Thorneycroft motor lorry and accessories from McEntee and Guilland, of Auckland, the jury brought in a verdict for the full amount claimed, and judgment was entered, but leave was reserved to the defendants to move to set aside the verdict if it were proved to be wrong in law. The case was an interesting one in law, as the verdict of the jury and judgment hung on a Court of Appeal precedent which held that innocent misrepresentation of goods sold did not protect the buyer of such goods if he were subsequently dissatisfied with his bargain.

Measures restrictive of motoring are gradually being introduced, especially in Victoria. For instance, no motorist may overtake a tramcar on the right-hand side; a pace of - 12 miles an hour may not be exceeded on Beaconsfield Parade, South Melbourne, and now a speed of 20 m.p.h. is to be the limit on Heidelberg road between Merri creek and Darebin creek bridges. We may expect other restrictions, says an Australian writer, because neither the Automobile Club nor motorists, individually or collectively, kick hard enough against them. By submitting to repressive regulations we simply invite others.

Cycle racing has always been popular in France, and although peace has not yet been signed, the Parisians are already being well catered for in this direction, and amongst the visitors to France is the New South Wales crack, R. Spears, who has been racing in America for some years now, developing into a great sprinter. Spears has already shown his ability by defeating the French champion, Dupuy, in a match, and the Parisians cannot find words to express their admiration of the Australian sprinter. Another event which Spears was recently successful in was the Brussels six days’ race, in which he teamed with Seres and won.

British motrists still complain of the red tape and restrictions in connection with obtaining re-grants for petrol, of which, they assert, there is abundance in the Kingdom. “It looks as though the motorist will still remain chained to officialdom,” says a correspondent to a London motor journal, adding, “that ever since the Lloyd George Budget of 1909 the motorist has been singled out to provide road improvements for all road users, and the ten millions sterling recently voted for British roads merely is the accumulated tax of 6d. per gallon on fuel used.”

An inquest was held by Mr. S. E. McCarthy, coroner, into the death of Samuel Donald Drabble, aged 20, who died in the Christchurch Hospital from injuries received through colliding with a motor car driven by Amy Florence Hadfield. The evidence disclosed that the deceased, who was riding a motor cycle, approached a street intersection at the same time as Mrs. Hadfield. The latter swerved her car to avoid collision, but without success, deceased hitting it and striking a telegraph pole. The cause of death was hemorrhage and laceration of the brain caused by fracture of the skull. A verdict was returned to that effect, and that the evidence did not disclose negligence on the part of either deceased or Mrs. Hadfield. Deceased was a prominent Rugby footballer, a member of the' Linwood Club, and had been selected as an emergency back for the Canterbury team. He had only passed his “teens” and was 6ft. 3in. in height.

In the course of a lecture in London on the future of aviation, Mr. Claude Grahame-Wright stated that Sir Alfred Butt had ordered a fourseater aeroplane, which he hoped would enable him to be present at a matinee at one of his London theatres and to attend a performance at a Paris theatre the same night. Possibly later he would take his companies from London to Paris by aeroplane.

Existing opposition to motoring appears to arise from two main causes, according to the temperament or the affluence of the objector. The temperamental objector dislikes the automobile because of its high speed, as if that were necessarily dangerous. The objector of the other class is prejudiced because of his perhaps temporary inability to own a car. Where the opponent is included in both classes, there we may have the strongest opposition. If the automobile were not very much faster than the horse there would be no justification for its use, for the initial cost, as well as that of operation, is too high.

The British Government has decided not to sell any cars, motor trucks or tractors used in war service. It stated that after the War Department has decided upon the number of motor vehicles requisite for the permanent army establishment, the balance will be turned over

to the Post Office, Commerce, Interior and other departments. If there still remain any vehicles unallotted, they will be placed at the disposal of the various counties for agricultural, National Guard, and other purposes. This decision will be welcomed by the motor manufacturing firms in Great Britain, and they will not have to compete with tens of thousands of second-hand motor vehicles which, if placed on the market at bargain prices, would have meant a big setback to the English motor industry.

It seems to have become fairly well grafted on to the minds of a large proportion of those who buy and sell motor cycles, and as much in the case of the purchasing public, that for sidecar use anything less than a 5-6 h.p. engine—that is to say, one 650 c.c. upwards—is of little use for side-car work. The retailer has a genuine excuse for his belief, for he knows that the average side-car user, as a rule, loads his machine with passengers and luggage without regard to its nominal h.p. rating, and appears to think that because of its being a double-tracker it ought to be able to get along under any load that the construction will support, without regard to the engine and what it is able to haul. In the circumstances it is not unexpected that the trader believes it is wise to counsel the purchase of a big twin, exerting its 8-10 h.p., as a machine so fitted cannot very easily be overloaded. There is, however, another and a totally different side to the question—while the high-powered outfit fills a place which

no other is suitable for, there exists a big demand for the lighter, less expensive, and more generally handy class of outfit, propelled by a single or twin-cylinder engine of to 4 h.p., having attached to it a side-car of reasonably proportioned size and weight. Those who demand this style of vehicle in preference to the heavier and faster ones, are content in most cases with a lower standard of speed and weight-carrying capacity, and they have, moreover, an eye to the smaller running, etc., costs of which the smaller engine permits. Wonderful results have been obtained with medium-weight side-car combinations in the way of engine power and hill climbing, whilst economy in petrol consumption and other outlays is a marked feature of their use.