MOTORING & CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1548, 24 December 1919, Page 28

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 he inserted m these columns if posted to New Zealand Sporting and Dramatic Review, 1.0. Box 52, Auckland. ;;

The Attorney-General, Sir Francis Bell, states that the recent conference on the carriage of benzine cargoes on coastal steamers had considered all aspects of the question in a thorough and helpful manner, and?he had no doubt that the resu would be that regulations would be framed making for safer conditions than at present obtained. The report of the conference is now being carefully considered by the Government.

Captain L. Isitt flew from Sockburn to Ashburton and back on Tuesday week. He left about 2.15 p.m., and, after flying over the town, reached the aerodrome again about 3.1 b p.m., the journey having taken almost exactly an hour. It was an even flight without a hitch, at an average height of 5000 feet. Mr. J. E. Moore was a passenger in the machine.

A serious railway crossing accident was naSowly averted at Whangarei the other day. A motor car driven by a well-known Kamo resident (Mr. J S. Mackay), who was bv his wife and niece, who proceed ing to Whangarei, and when negoti & ing a level crossing collided with paling engine. Luckily tta thrown sideways clear of the tracK, and the occupants escaped.

The Wellington City Council lias had the question of street traffic Wore it for a number of /ears, Mt recently the increase m motor vehX in 'the streets had tended to outstrip the efforts made at reguia S The position is now becoming acute says the “Post,,” and there isurgent need tor the e s tablish . m ™‘ f j‘ a comprehensive system of traffic control A number of valuable suggestions towards ’ securing this were made by the City ? Traffic Inspector (Mr. L. Drake) in the course of an interview. Mr. Drake is strong y in favour of relieving the the main channel of traffic through Willis Street and Manners Street by improving the surface of Jervois Quay, Taranaki and Tory Streets, thus furnishing alternative routes between the north and south ends of the city. Most motorists would prefer 'to avoid the narrow, crowded streets in making a through trip, it they could get a decent road surface elsewhere for locomotion. At preseiit the macadam parts of the suggested alternative routes are not m a condition to attract the motorist away from the main thoroughfare. Mr Drake holds that the more general good streets are in the city, the wider the traffic will tend to spread and relieve the overcrowded central channels. For the safety of Pedestrians, the suggestion is that footcrossings should be arranged at street intersections, where the traffic is heavy, and notice boards set up to mark the.places. A “Safety First campaign was needed also, and the public ought to be warned . against oblique or diagonal crossing of streets crowded with swift-moving traffic. For the control of traffic . more thoroughly, it is urged that, if the police cannot spare sufficient officers, the City Council should undertake the work, and train men specially for it as a traffic squad. Patrolmen should attend to all traffic, whether vehicular or pedestrian. In front of schools situated on a street or road where there is heavy traffic or tram service, guard rails should be placed along the kerb to prevent children rushing out of school directly on to the road. It is understood that the City Council is considering in detail the question of traffic control, and probably will discuss a general scheme .early next year.

Dargaville had the honour of being the first town m New Zealand to receive a mail conveyed from Auckland by air, and the event was fittingly celebrated by the ringing of the fire-bell and the blowing of the sirens at the local factories and on the river steamers in port. Later, from the balcony of the Northern Wairoa Hotel, the Acting-Mayor (Mr. W. J. Robertson) heartily welcomed the aviators to Dargaville. Mr. Robertson also warmly congratulated the Postmaster-General on his enterprise in having a trial made in the carriage of mails by seaplane and on selecting Dargaville as the first town to enjoy the innovation. The seaplane was a twin-float of 125 h.p., and her crew consisted of Mr. George Bolt as pilot, and Mr. Leo Walsh, director of the Flying School, who was in charge of the experimental run. The aircraft started at 10.15 a.m., and gradually gained elevation, passing the North Head at about 1000 feet above the sea. Following the Rangitoto Channel she made for the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, crossing it at 1820 feet. Opposite

Kawau she had made 2300 feet, and at ’Leigh 3200 feet. Shortly_ after passing Leigh the pilot bore inland, and when near Mangawai 3900 feet had been gained. When near her westernmost point, over the Wairoa River, she was at her utmost height for the trip (4200 feet), and thenceforward she descended by degrees, finally volplaning to her landing place on the river, opposite Dargaville, sharp at 11.50 a.m. —an hour and 35 minutes from the time of departure from. Auckland.

Travellers using the East Coast Road will ; be pleased to learn that the contractors for the Makarori and Tatapouri sections of the road are making good progress. In a short time the road will be available for traffic,, and cut out the necessity of using the beaches at this end. At the present rate of progress the road is expected to be ready for traffic about .the middle of January.

Speaking to a “Dominion” reporter, Mr. W. Stuart Wilson said he had been informed that the Government was spending £5OOO on the northern side of the Paekakariki Hill. This expenditure, he said, would be of very little use, since that portion of the road had a level surface already. If money were to be spent anywhere on the road, it should be on the Wellington side of the hill, which was the dangerous portion. In any case, the expenditure represented mere tinkering, since the essential work was the proposed deviation.

While cranking up his motor car at Geraldine (South Canterbury), the Rev, A. T. Thompson met with a painful accident. The engine backfired, with the result that Mr. Thompson’s arm was broken.

A conclusion was reached before Mr. E. Page, S.M., in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court, in the case in which Arthur Turnbull was charged with failing to keep as near as practicable to the left-hand side of the road. The case was a sequel to a recent collision between a motor lorry driven by Turnbull and a tramcar. Defendant claimed that he was proceeding along Lambton Quay from Willis Street, and intended to cross to Featherston Street. He was doing this when a car approached. He endeavoured to turn back, but was struck by the car before he could do so. According to the prosecution, Turnbull was on his wrong side at the time of the accident.. The magistrate, after hearing further evidence, fined defendant £1 with costs. Mr. A. M. Salek appeared for defendant.

At last meeting of the Otago Motor Club (Mr. A. E. Ansell presiding), a letter was read from the town clerk (Mr. G. A. Lewin) to the effect that the City Council would make an effort to enforce the existing by-law restricting the speed of motor vehicles to four miles per hour at street intersections, and while passing stationary tramcars. He also stated that when the next by-law on the matter was being prepared it was intended to include a provision prohibiting motors from passing trams while stopping to set down or take up passengers. As the association’s representatives at the conference to be held in Dunedin in February for the purpose of forming a South Island Motor Association, Messrs. Ansell, Halliday,. Stevenson, Wright and Roberts were appointed.

The motor car as a means of transportation is driving all the electric car lines bankrupt, remarked Mr. D. H. Rundle, of Nelson, in a letter written from San Francisco. Wherever you want to go in California these days you can go in twin six cars, costing here £lOOO each. They are very comfortable, and 50 per. cent, cheaper than railways. Mr. Rundle adds California to-day has an auto for every six of population. The country towns are crowded with them, driven or owned by people of almost every nationality. Petrol runs about lid. a gallon, though to local people that sounds high, as-., in 1914 they got it for 4Xd.

“In future I intend to impose substantial penalties in cases in which motorists do not observe and comply with the by-laws respecting speeding,” said Mr. E. Page, S.M., at the Wellington Magistrate’s Court, when a batch of offending motorists came before him. In. some of the cases the police evidence was to the effect that the limit of 15 miles per hour had not been greatly exceeded, but in others the offences had been more serious, and the fines were consequently made more severe.

A request for assistance in the maintenance of main arterial roads was brought before the Prime Minister’" by a deputation representing the Rangiora, Kowai, Waipara, Cheviot, and Amuri County Councils. ' Mr. G. Witty, M.P., introduced the deputation, which was headed by Mr. R. Evans, who said that the districts concerned were called upon to maintain the main road to Nelson, from which they derived practically no advantage at all. That road cost from six to ten times as much to

maintain as any other in the country, owing to the heavy motor traffic upon it, and Mr. Evans suggested that the local bodies should be subsidised £ for £ on whatever they spent on such roads. After hearing other speakers, Mr. Massey said that, as far as main roads were concerned, we were now in a transition stage, and what was good enough 50 years ago was not good enough now. He noticed that many districts were now going in for tar-sealing, and he thought that a very good idea, one which would get over the difficulty to some extent. Whether the main roads were taken over by the Government, or whether an arrangement was made with the local bodies, it was quite certain that the Government must assist. Some revenue, he considered, must be got out of the motor traffic to help in keeping the roads in repair. Better transit for the people in the back country was imperative, and the railways could not totally relieve the situation. He advised the deputation to get its proposal before the Minister of Public Works, and it would come before Cabinet. He quite sympathised with the deputation, and agreed that something after the nature of what had been suggested should be granted.

Mr. Andrew Irvine, of Liverpool, recently rode on a motor cycle to the top of Voel Fras, near Llanfairfechan, which is 3000 feet high.

The Wellington District Repatriation Board has decided that all trucks and motor vehicles over which the Repatriation Department holds security shall be covered by a comprehensive insurance policy.

In a recent advertisement, the advertiser offered to accept a car in part payment for two houses on long lease.

A meeting of business men in Sydney adopted a motion recommending commercial men of Australia to support financially the promotion of commercial aviation, internal and overseas.

Captain J. C. Gleeson, of the American Air Force, intends making an extended tour of New Zealand next year.' He is a son of Mr C. L. Gleeson, of New York, who has been connected with many successful industries. Captain Gleeson was stationed at Old Sarum aerodrome, Salisbury, England, while being trained and soon became one of the most promising pilots. He saw considerable service with the American Air Force in France, and was looked upon as one of their most courageous aviators when he “crashed near Bapaume, and after a lengthy spell in hospital was compelled to go on one of the instructional staffs.

As a result of representations made by Mr. McKinnon to Sir James Allen during his visit to Otago Central regarding the formation of the new Gladbrook Road, the Hon. D. H. Guthrie (Minister of Lands) has now informed Mr. McKinnon that the work of forming this road, which will serve many of the new soldier settlers of the district, is to be put in hand at once.

From time to time some very fine motor car drives are recorded in Western Australia. One of the lat 7 est was that of Mr., H. McLeod, who drove from Carnarvon to Perth, a distance of 770 miles, in 56hr. 50min. t Through taking a wrong bush track, he actually covered an additional _BO miles. On paper the figures do not look much, but those who know the country recognise the merit of the drive, which easily beats the rail time.

The entry of American cars, says an English writer, will do much to stabilise the British motor industry. It is bound to bring about a lowering of prices, which will make itself noticeable far beyond motoring circles. Even the threat of the American invasion will produce effect over here, for manufacturers will know that if they fix their prices too high, the prospective purchaser will prefer to wait for an American car. We know, however, that the united States is suffering from a shortage of cars, so that the number able to be spared for exportation must be very limited. Moreover, prices have advanced l in the States, and cargo space is scarce. For example, at present the list price asked in England for a certain representative American car of 1919 is £475, whereas the same make of car of slightly higher power in 1914 was sold here for £275. The additional £2OO asked for the post-war car includes more than import duty and freight.

The adoption of the 28in. by 3in. wheel for high-powered motor cycles has certainly been attended by good results, and where roads are not good or machines have to be driven over very irregular surfaces an ample crack case clearance is a boon. In this country the need of such is keenly felt. The mischief is, however, that so many people making or possessing such machines are apt to nullify the advantages thereof to some extent by fitting low-built sidecars, ' and the driver, conscious of the fact that the crank case clears the ground by eight inches or more, thinks he can steer any course he likes on the worst of roads or tracks. Many nasty hits have been registered in this way, the side-car chassis in some cases sustaining severe damage. If we are to have big clearance for the engine, then, to be logical, the whole turnout must be built higher from the ground.

A fire in the motor garage owned by Mr. Greg Neilsen, Waipawa, destroyed four cars in for repairs, two of which were uninsured. The bulk of Mr. Neilsen’s stock was saved.

Mr. Percy Coleman had just returned from America, where he has been, competing for the past two years, bringing with him the latest eight-valve 7 h.p. Indian racing model Mr. Coleman will be a competitor at the Napier Club’s meeting on the Napier Park racecourse on Monday, December 29.

In connection with the aerial service between London and Amsterdam, two sets of aeroplane landing wheels and tyres to suit the special conditions of the Dutch landing grounds were required in a hurry. The Palmer Tyre, Ltd. (who it will be remembered made the landing wheels and tyres of every bombing and fighting seaplane that left England during the great war) did not happen to have this particular type in stock in London at the moment, but with their usual enterprise immediately got into touch with their Paris house. The tyres were handed over to the Paris representatives of the Aerial Transport and Travel, Limited, brought over to London by the next “Airco” machine, and within five hours these landing wheels and tyres were ready for fitting to the British Aerial Transport Company’s machine, waiting to proceed to Amsterdam.

A man charged at the London Sessions with attempting to steal a car —which was fitted with a secret theifproof device —was acquitted on pleading that he was the innocent dupe of a man whom he met while on service in France.

There are many motorists who do not realise the importance of changing the oil in the base chamber periodically. They do not realise that the oil becomes dirty and loses body by use, and very often the first indication they get that something is wrong is the overheating of the engine. Some, however, fail to take the hint. A man lately complained bitterly that his car had lost power and was overheating on the hills. Upon taking it to the agents, the firm’s expert put various leading questions to him, and at length asked him when he had last changed the oil in the base chamber. His reply was that he had not done so at all. On being asked what mileage he had covered he mentioned 10.000. It is little wonder that his car was suffering from overheating, for even though replenishing from time to time, the lubricating qualities of the mixture in his base chamber must have been very poor owing to the amount of rosidum deposited and the remnant of oil which had lost its body.

At a conference of the London Aero Club, Mr. Andrew Fisher, High Commissioner for Australia, decided that subject to verification of his machine, Captain Ross Smith was the winner of the Commonwealth Government’s prize of £lO,OOO for the first to fly from England to Australia, having fulfilled all the conditions. The “New York Times” says editorially that Captain Ross Smith has done a wonderful thing for the prestige of the British Empire. He must be hailed as the foremost living aviator, for he never blundered or faltered.

The proposed experiments in the carriage of mails by seaplane in the Auckland district are to be made early in January. The PostmasterGeneral, the Hon. J. G. Coates, states that the trial runs will take the form of a round service between Auckland, Dargaville, Whangarei, Thames, and back to the city. One of Messrs. Walsh Brothers’ seaplanes will be used in the first instance, but a new machine is being secured by the Postal Department for use in the later developments of the service.