MOTORING & CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1555, 12 February 1920, 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 be inserted in these columns if posted to “New Zealand Sporting and Dramatic Review,” P.O. Box 52, Auckland.

The Auckland Motor Cycle Club has decided to hold another meeting at the Takapuna racecourse on Saturday, March 27. There are nine events on the programme, and prize money to the value of £156 will be distributed.

The question of an aerial mail service for Gisborne was mentioned at the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, and it was decided to write again to the Postmaster-Gen-eral, asking him to keep in mind the promise that Gisborne would be provided with one of the first aerial mail services.

The frequency of street accidents in Gisborne was referred to by Mr. H. F. Forster at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce. The police, he thought, should be asked to enforce the traffic by-laws. He moved to that effect. Mr. Barry said that he thought the police were fairly strict. The motion was carried. Mr. Forster said that driving a car in Gladstone Road on Saturday nights was a work of art. Mr. W. J. Sinclair said that he thought the trouble was caused by the lack of a proficiency test for drivers.

“Are you certain that the defendant’s car was travelling at 50 miles an hour, and did you ascertain the speed from the speedometer on your car?” asked the magistrate in a bylaw case at Wellington of a motor driver who was giving evidence. “I did not look at the speedometer, as all my attention was on the road. I am certain of the speed, as my car was all out chasing the defendant,” replied the driver. “What will your car do?” inquired the bench. “Seventy miles an hour,” answered the witness. The defendant was convicted and fined.

A first step towards the creation of an arterial road from Taihape to Napier was taken by a representative meeting of settlers at Taihape. After an explanation of the proposals by Mr. Mair, the Rangitikei County Council engineer, resolutions were adopted in favour of raising a loan of £60,000 for reading purposes. The works contemplated include the completion of some 50 miles of road and the building of two bridges, and will mean the construction of a good metalled road from the Main Trunk railway at Taihape, via Pukeokahu and Otupae, to Napier and Hastings. Besides providing a new through route, this reading scheme will give needed access to a large area of back country in the course of settlement.

W. Bush, a well-known southern jockey, has the distinction of being the first man in the Dominion to arrive at a racecourse by aeroplane. The record was established on Saturday week, when Bush alighted from an Avro airplane just outside the trees skirting the Riccarton racecourse, Christchurch. There was a good deal of disappointment that the Jockey Club had not permitted a landing on or inside the course, but the machine came down on the actual racecourse reserve. Captain Euan Dickson, in the Canterbury Aviation Company’s new Avro, who had had a busy morning with passenger flights, picked up his passenger .at the aerodrome, and after circling around for a little while flew over the course and was in the air while the first race was being run. After one or two turns a landing was ma.de very neatly, and as soon as the passenger alighted Captain Dicksori flew straight back to the aerodrome.

The case in which Herbert George Hooper (Mr. Burnard) claimed £l5 from the Dunlop Motor Company (Mr. Willock) was continued in the Magistrate’s Court, Gisborne, before Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., the evidence of one witness having already been taken. The claim was for towing a broken down motor car about 20 miles along the Opotiki Road to Motuhora. Defendants contended that the charge was excessive. Herbert George Hooper said that Mr. Dunlop asked him whether he would go out to bring in the car, which was out on the Opotiki Road. He and another man hurried out to the job as quickly as possible and made preparations to bring the car in. They left at 9.35 in the morning, and arrived where the car was situated at about 4 p.m. He found the car 20 miles from his house. Defendant informed him that the car was in good running order, but they found that the steering gear and brakes would not act. Witness once saved the car from going over a bank. Considerable difficulty was experienced, owing to brake trouble, in getting the car along, especially on the up-grade, where they found it necessary to leave it until the traffic had passed. There they left it for the night, and

returned for it next day. The car was hauled about eight miles on the first day. He had taken three horses out, all of which he considered necessary. The whole of the next day was also spent in bringing the car in. On informing defendant that the charge was £lO he offered several lower sums in settlement, and gave £1 on account. The work was reasonably worth £l5. He claimed only £lO on the understanding that it would be a cash transaction. Mr. Dunlop, on engaging him for the work, said that in his opinion two horses would be sufficient, but an extra horse was taken to carry the necessary gear. Ernest Derecourt, carrier, said the distance to the point at which the car was lying was about 70 miles, and that a fair charge to bring it in would be, in his opinion, from £l2 to £l5. The time taken by plaintiff to perform the work was reasonable. He would certainly have taken three horses had he been called upon to undertake the work himself. There would be an added risk to horses in hauling a motor car as compared with other vehicles. John Sloane, carrier, Matawai, said that the estimate of 70 miles, the distance the car was hauled, would be about correct. In his opinion the haulage of a car involved added risks as compared with other vehicles, and that it would only be reasonable in the case of the former to charge on a higher basis. Charles Dunlop, of the Dunlop Motor Company, stated that he employed the plaintiff to bring in the

broken down car. He mentioned to the plaintiff that it would be necessary to take with him someone who had knowledge of the working of the car, and that two horses would be sufficient for the work. The plaintiff said he would undertake the work on these instructions. On completion of the work defendant offered plaintiff £7 in settlement. He claimed £lO. Defendant paid him £l, and said he would pay only £6 more in full settlement. As a matter fo fact, he considered that a reasonable charge would have been £5. The magistrate, in summing up the case, said that the work of bringing in a damaged car, the distance stated, was one which presented certain difficulties which justified a higher charge than that which would be made for the haulage of other vehicles. He also considered that it was quite reasonable to use the three horses. Judgment was given in favour of the plaintiff for £9, with costs £5 12s.

It is stated that the roads throughout Manawatu, Wellington, Wairarapa and parts of Taranaki are in a good condition for motoring at the present time, but in Taranaki, from Stratford j(J .to New Plymouth, they are in a bad**' kJ state.

The By-laws Committee reported to the Wellington City Council at the last meeting that they had been waited upon by a deputation from the Wellington Automobile Club with respect to traffic control, and would report at a later stage on the various matters brought forward by the deputation.

Touching on the future of aviation in Australia, Sir Ross Smith said he believed that there were immense possibilities. There was no reason why they should not build aeroplanes and engines in Australia. It would only require the installation of certain plant, and there was no reason why it should not be done. The work turned out in the Ipswich workshops had proved its , capacity to carry out any class of work. The work done on the connecting rod was splendid. It was a delicate job. He was certain that in a few years thousands of aeroplanes would be flying between Australia and England. Aviation had come to stay, and with the modern high-power type of machine they could go anywhere. With relays of machines and a pro-perly-organised route, there was no reason why there should not be a regular service between Australia and England in the near future.

Thinking his employer wanted her “goat” when she in fact telegraphed for her “coat,” a motor car driver brought a goat in the car from Godaiming to Guildford to meet her On the return journey the car was stopped by a policeman for an alleged contravention of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Order. The Guildford magistrate when told that the employer was a great breeder of goats and often carried them about in her car, dismissed the case.

A serious motor accident occurred near Te Awamutu, resulting in the injury of Mr. R. Gibson , a wellknown resident. It is understood that Mr. Gibson was driving a car along the Pirongia-Paterangi Road at a moderate speed. At the corner of the road, where Mr. J. O. Taylor’s property is reached, there is a high bank with a portion of a fence on top. This has been remarked on for some time as a danger to motorists and equestrian traffic, and recently steps were to have been taken by the County Council affected to remove it. Coming round the sharp bend before reaching the bank, Mr. Gibson evidently slightly misjudged the distance between the car and the bank, and the result was that he struck the bank, and was thrown

forward over the steering gear, striking his head on the steering column. Mr. Gibson lost consciousness, and in this state was conveyed to Te Awamutu. For two days he was in the private hospital, regaining consciousness at intervals. He is now making a good recovery. .

During the recent inquiry in Wellington into the Pirie Street tramway smash, it was stated that it was a very rare occurrence for a motorman to suddenly loss control of his car through fainting. Another instance where this happened is reported in the “Daily Mail,” of October 28, as follows: An Aberdeen Corporation electric tramway car was going along Gordon Street when the driver fainted and fell off the car into the street. The car went on at full speed without a driver. The woman conductor was unable to reach the driver’s platform owing to the crowd inside the car. After going about 100 yards the car smashed into a van containing a number of children who were going away to a school for infirm children. Two nurses were with the children. Luckily, none of the occupants of the van were seriously injured. By this time the people in the tram car had become thoroughly alarmed, but a young man on the top deck came down the front stairs, and although he did not know anything about the mechanism of the car he applied the brakes and managed to stop the car just before it was about to collide with a car in front.

A motor waggon has been placed by the Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief Association at the disposal of disabled soldiers during the tramway “cut” at certain hours daily, between Upper Queen Street and the Central Post Office.

The question as to whether a motor cyclist is permitted to have a red reflector instead of a red lamp at the back of his machine Was raised during the hearing of a case at the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court. The magistrate (Mr. V. G. Day) said he did not think a reflector would answer for a light because the candle lamps of a trap would not show the reflector.

Speaking to a Christchurch reporter on the question of aviation, Sir James Allen, Minister of Defence, stated that the Government had not as yet decided on any definite policy. They had been offered 100 machines, but were not going to take more than 35 at present. Even for this number extra accommodation would have to be provided. It was probable that numbers of returned men, who had had experience in air work (and there, are some hundreds of these), would be brought, together at intervals to refresh their knowledge. The training would be in connection with postal and other work, recruits being enrolled as the occasion demanded. The classes would probably be carried out in conjunction with the two companies (at Sockburn and Auckland) already in existence.

Four Patea youths who unlawfully took possession of a motor car and went for a “joy ride” were brought before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., recently. On New Year’s Eve the accused found a motor car and took it to Manutahi; returning, the car went, over the bank, considerably damaging it, estimated by the agents for the car at between £BO to £lOO. The magistrate said that the result of their conduct was far beyond any fine that could be imposed, viz., £lO. They would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence at any time when called upon during the next six months. One of the conditions was that they were to pay compensation at the rate of £45 each to the owner of the car by 45 weekly instalments of £l.

A sad fatality occurred at Napier, when Eric Victor Ritchie, of the firm of Anderson. Ritchie and Co., motor engineers, Napier, lost his life in a motor accident near Tangoio, at a corner below the top of the hill known as the Devil’s Elbow. Deceased, a returned soldier, was 22 years of age. The car, a large Super-Six Hudson, was occupied by the driver (T. Mitchell), the deceased, and H. Fletcher, of the Napier Telephone Exchange, the three being seated in the front seat. In rounding the corner the car slipped off the road broadside on. and dropped over the bank into a gully a chain and a-half below. At the place where the car slipped the road is of clay formation, unmetalled and was greasy after the rains.

A Gisborne motor enthusiast has purchased a monoplane.

Major W. Watt, of the Royal Air Force, who distinguished himself during the war, returned to New Zealand last week, and is at present in Napier.

Mr. D. Crozier, of Christchurch, who has recently returned from a motor tour through the North Island, says that in some of the northern districts, notably in the area from Auckland to the Waikato, the local authorities are hard at work road repairing, a duty which during the years of the war had by force of circumstances to be more or less neglected. Although it was satisfactory to see that overdue repairs were now being effected, yet it made the lot of the motorist very hard, there being so many stretches of road broken up for repair purposes. Round about Auckland city the roads were excellent.

“I consider a motorist is justified in going on to his wrong side of the road in order to avoid a collision — provided he avoids the collision.” said Mr. Herbert Macintosh. Christchurch City Motor Inspector, whilst giving evidence in a motor collision case heard at the Magistrate’s Court. “He is excused if he is successful,” remarked counsel for the plaintiff.

Quite an amusing line of defence was taken by a young man charged before Mr. E. Page, S.M., at the Wellington Magistrate’s Court with riding a motor cycle too fast across the intersections of certain streets. Constable Smith had been giving evidence respecting the speed at which defendant had been travelling, and defendant proceeded to see if the constable knew anything • about speed. “Are you a judge of time,” asked defendant. He proceeded to explain that if the constable was not a judge of time he was not a judge of speed. He suggested that a test should be made, and produced a watch, which he handed to the magistrate. The constable was told to commence to count to himself (at a given signal) what he estimated to be 20 seconds, and signify when he thought that space of time had elapsed. When the constable said “Time” the watch had registered 32 seconds.