MOTORING & CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1560, 18 March 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 t>e inserted in these columns if posted to “New Zealand Sporting and Dramatic Review,” P.O. Box 52, Auckland.

A singular accident occurred on the Taneatua Road, Whakatane, on Saturday week. While Mr. Skinner, of Te teko, and Mr. James Macready were motoring to Taneatua, by some means the steering gave way and the car capsized, pinning the occupants beneath it. The two men remained in this position until some friends came along and released them. Both escaped with a few bruises. * * * *

“I’m quite prepared to stop using my motor car if the benzine shortage continues,” asserted a member of the Farmers’ Union at Te Awamutu. “But I don’t mind telling you I’m out to get enough benzine to keep my plant going for the rest of the season. I’ll play fair, however, and won’t sign false declarations.”

The London “Safety First” Council has again resolved to offer money prizes and diplomas to. drivers of vehicles for “freedom from accidents during the year 1920.” A “Safety First” scholarship, £5O in prizes, and certificates for best essays written by children attending schools in the Greater London area also will be offered.

As an outcome of' his suggestion that an airplane flight should be a feature of the visit of the Prince of Wales to Wanganui and towns on the coast, Mr. W. Bruce, chairman of the Wanganui Schools Committee, has received a letter from the Prime Minister, thanking him for his suggestion and stating that the matter had been referred to the Minister of Internal Affairs, who has charge of the arrangements.

Traffic became blocked in one of the narrowest mid-city Wellington streets the other day (says the “Dominion”) owing to a number of large taxis being held in waiting outside a photographer’s premises for some 20 minutes or more whilst a wedding party submitted itself to a sensitised plate for the benefit of the family album. It is understood that such practices are to be interdicted shortly, cars in waiting being made to move on to the nearest, parking place until they are needed again by their joyous passengers.

Sir Arthur Whitten Brown, one of the world’s greatest flying men, arrived in Sydney early this month, accompanied by Lady Kathleen Brown. They are, in fact, on their honeymoon. In June last year Sir Arthur Brown and Sir John Alcdck flew across the Atlantic in a VickersVimy, the journey being a continuous flight of 15 hours 57 minutes. The whole world took an interest in this great feat, the contest in which the Australian flyer Hawker failed after a thrilling and gallant attempt.

A person with a statistical mind, who resides near Scorching Bay (on the southern side of Fort Ballance), Wellington, states that between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday week- 317 motor cars and 38 motor cycles passed round the Forts Road. This is the road round Point Halswel-1 (which leads from Evans Bay to Seatoun, via Scorching and Karaka Bays) which was closed during the war period, and has since its opening become Wellington’s most popular marine drive. As the capital has a Queen’s Drive, it has been suggested that this road —which is going to become increasingly popular—-should be named the Prince of Wales Drive, with the hope that it will one day be extended from Seatoun to Lyall Bay. via the Heads. .

Talking to a Palmerston North reporter, Mr. E. S. Pees, who has just returned from a trip abroad, strongly advocated every business man, and particularly men who held public offices, going away from New Zealand for a trip. “But they don’t want to be content with seeing America only, they want to go to England. I was much impressed with the stability of England. There is an air of permanence about her that America lacks. However, I regret to say that in the motor ear and motor cycle business it. is absolutely impossible for England to compete with America. The States has the business, and is likely to retain it.”

Considerable interest was taken in a discussion by delegates to the Conference of Chambers of Commerce in Wellington on the question of the improvement of the main arterial roads of New Zealand. Mr. J. B. Waters (Dunedin) moved: “That the conference re-affirm the following remits: (a) That the Government be

requested to solve the difficulty asso-ciated.—witlr-a-rteriaL-roads by putting into operation a scheme-similar to the Victorian system or that" of the Central Government of the United States, which provides for construction and maintenance on a basis of 50 per cent. State payment and a 6 per cent, time repayment system for the balance, apportioned among interested local bodies. Such a scheme would be useful in furnishing employment for unskilled returned soldiers, (b) That conference requests Government to introduce a Bill providing for the...taxation. of motors and other power-driven vehicles, the revenue derived from such tax to be allocated by three commissioners, appointed for the purpose by the Government, to local bodies solely for the improvement. of arterial and' main district roads.” The success of the toll-gate system was described by Mr. C. B. Macpherson (Hawefa),. who said that considerable sums were raised in Taranaki by toll-gates and helped to maintain good roads in the district. Mr. A. Harris (Wanganui) said that in his dis' 'ct they had decided also to install the. toll-gate. Mr. A. F. Roberts (Wellington) said the tollgate system was extravagant in the cost of collection. At the same time he . would congratulate Taranaki on its good roads. (Hear, hear,) He believed a tyre tax would furnish the money required more economically. Mr. Waters said he had been informed that the Victorian system was working most admirably. The remit was adopted. The conference also passed a resolution that representation- be made to the proper authorities regarding the necessity of the speedy completion of the main road from Wellington to Auckland.

The possibility of a flight from New Zealand to Australia was discussed in Christchurch by a New Zealand flying officer. Apart from the opinion expressed in Australia at a gathering to welcome Sir Arthur Brown, who was navigator to the late Sir John Alcock in the Atlantic flight, that it was an opportunity which should be taken by a New Zealander, he said the flight would. be easy enough, for the winds in the Tasman Sea were dependable, blowing for two or three days at a time, and there was no variation of the compass as there was in the Atlantic flight. The prevailing winds were north-west and southwest, and an airman could get almost a direct following wind from New Zealand. The chief difficulty, he continued, was finance, for an airman would want at least £5OOO before he could get a machine suitable for the flight. He added that the proposal had been made -to the New Zealand Government some time ago that a flight to Australia should be undertaken, but the Government would do

nothing. If an aviator should undertake the flight, however, the Government should subsidise him, or if a prize were offered by the Australian or New Zealand Government there would be plenty of New Zealanders ready to essay the flight. Summarising the prospects of a flight, the officer stated that it could be undertaken as a Government venture, or if the Government offered a sufficient prize, limiting the contest, say, to New Zealanders, British manufacturers would be encouraged to take the matter up as in the case of the Australian flight.

Twenty-seven motor cars and five motor cycles were registered in Masterton during the month of February.

The need for the improvement of the arterial roads of the Dominion was mentioned by the Prime Minister in Wellington. Good arterial roads were absolutely essential to the development of the country, said Mr. Massey. The country roads must be made good enough for motor traffic if people were to be attracted to country' life. Lots of these roads were hardly fit for bullock traction at present. Mr. Massey added that he had legislation in hand designed to secure the improvement of the arterial roads. He hoped to be able to place it before Parliament during the coming session. When the completion of arterial roads made it possible for motor cars to run from Auckland to Wellington and from Taranaki to Auckland, then the Government would be able to fall back upon the roads of less importance. He did not believe that good roads would ever interfere with railway traffic. Th.ey would bring traffic to the railways, not take it away from them.

At the Magistrate’s Court, Gisborne, Harry de Lautour was charged with failing to have either head or tail lights on a motor car driven by him on the night of the 16th inst. Mr. Stock, who appeared for Mr. de Lautour, pleaded guilty on his client’s behalf, but contended that there were extenuating circumstances attaching to the case. Mr. de Lautour had left his car in the street on the evening in question to go and have tea at the hotel. He left the hotel about a quarter past seven, returned to the car and drove home. Although after sunset it was not actually dark. A fine of £1 with 14s. costs was imposed.

Discussing road-making at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers, Mr. A. D. Dobson, city surveyor, Christchurch, gave an interesting address on the tar macadam footpaths and streets in Christchurch. It was in 1910, he said, that the City Council decided to commence laying down tar mac-

adam in the streets, the. surfaces of which were consolidated and of proper contour. Up' to that year, with few exceptions, all the ■ streets were formed of water-bound macadam. The work begun in 1910 had been carried on steadily ever since, a little being done year by year, and at the present time 14 miles were tar-coated. Some of the streets had a substantial coat of tar macadam; others, particularly in the residential quarters, had merely been tar painted and grit covered year by year, until now a good wearing coat existed. The results had been most satisfactory. The cost of maintenance had been substantially reduced, the dust nuisance much mitigated, and the tar macadam, even on traction engine routes, was successfully carrying the traffic. No street surface could be harder than the material of which it was made, and the stone and tar mixed could not be expected to make such a solid surface as concrete or wood blocks on a concrete foundation, such as were being constructed in other cities but the work which had been done in Christchurch showed that where the conditions were suitable excellent streets could be made at (at most) a third of the cost of the methods usually adopted for substantial work. The first tar carpet laid by the council was 3in. thick, and cost Is. 6d. per superficial yard. At the present time 3in. finished and well-rolled coat would cost from 2s. 60. to 3s. per superficial yard.

Reserved judgment was given by Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., in the case in which Percy McKenzie Pratt, of Hawera, claimed £53 15s. 6d. as special damages and £2O as general damages against William John Coombe Maddever, of Pahiatua, by reason of a collision between the motor cars of the respective parties which occurred on the Paekakariki Hill on July 18 last. His Worship held that plaintiff. was entitled to re-, cover, and gave judgment for plaintiff for £62 15s. 6d. and costs, amounting in all to £72 16s. 6d. Judgment was also entered for plaintiff on the defendant’s counter-claim.

A • claim for £25, being refund of deposit paid for the purchase of a motor car, was made by Benedict Veza, labourer, against William Clarkson, motor agent, at the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington. Plaintiff received an offer of a motor car from the defendant for the purpose of entering the taxi business, the purchase price being £260 plus £l7 12s, The terms were £4O deposit (of which £25 was to be paid in cash and the balance to be paid when convenient), and £1,5 per month. Plaintiff had to wait some time for the car to be handed over, and finally, after registering himself as a taxi-driver, he decided not to go on with the purchase, but defendant would not accede to the request for a return of the £25 paid as deposit. Plaintiff therefore claimed for this amount. Mr. J. A. Scott appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. T. Young for the defendant. The evidence of both parties was taken, and the magistrate, Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., gave judgment for plaintiff for. £5, with costs £1 12s.

Some interesting remarks were made by Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., at Gisborne, in concluding judgment in a motor car repair case,, in which the defendant, on a counter-claim, had obtained substantial damages as the result of being held up on a holiday tour through the negligent workmanship at a motor garage. He said: “At first sight these (£7B 18s. 6d., with £2O costs) may seem heavy, damages to arise from an act of negligence in replacing a broken axle. It may. be as well to point out, for the benefit of garage proprietors, that the case ■seems to me to establish a principle that is fairly self-evident. Two considerations point to an ever-present liability to heavy damages in such cases. The first is that from the nature of the car itself, and the uses to which it is ordinarily put, the results of negligence may first become apparent when the car and its owner are far away from headquarters, in the way of serious injury to property, human life and limb. These facts must, I think, be taken to be in contemplation of both parties when a repair job is offered and accepted. The second consideration is that garage proprietors ordinarily hold themselves out as providing highly skilled labour, and their charges are based on a high scale of wages. The liabilities must be measured accordingly.”

The parking of cars was brought up in Christchurch during the hearing of cases when several motorists were charged with leaving their motor car’s in the street unattended for a longer period than that allowed by the City Councils by-laws. All were convicted, but no fines were inflicted. The first defendant called was Maurice J. Russell. Mr. F. W. Johnston, who appeared for defendant, said A that the by-law under which the charge was laid was the result of a compromise. If all the cars had to be put in garages, the latter would not hold half of them. The putting of the by-law into strict operation" would lead to a position which could not be tolerated by the business community, members of which used their cars sometimes half a dozen times during the morning. Their cars had to be within call. In actual practice the by-law had been given a trial and found unworkable, so much so that a conference in November last between representatives of the City Council and the motor car and motor cycling interests recommended that parking in suitable places should be fixed. The defence held that it was unreasonable to forbid a man to have his car in front of his premises for

even as long as two hours at a time. If he had to go .to a garage to get it, he might as well leave it at home. All the City Council had to do, if his Worship decided that the by-law was behind the times, was to select suitable places for parking cars, say, in the centre of certain streets. “What is the difference,” asked the magistrate, “between leaving cars alongside the streets and leaving a trap there and taking the horse out? That would not be allowed, but there is no difference in principle between the two. It would be bad business for a business man to leave his car outside his door and stop other people from getting there. The motorists don’t own the streets yet. Mr. Johnston: I am quite well aware of that, but motors have come to stay, and if this by-law continues in operation, motorists will be unable to use their cars. Mr. Day: It is no more hardship to go to a garage than for the owner of the trap to go to a stable. Mr. Johnston: We must have progress. Mr. Day: Yes but not to interfere with other people’s rights. Mr. Johnston: Well, directly we interefere with other people’s rights they can take steps against us for obstructing the highway. Robert B.’ Walker, motor salesman, expressed the opinion that if parking places were appointed, the whole matter could easily be settled. His Worship said he could not say the bylaw was unreasonable. ’ If one car were allowed to stay indefinitely alongside the footpath there was no reason why others should not be across the street. If the City Council, however, allowed taxi-cabs to stand for hire in the middle of the street there was no reason why they should not allow motor-cars to do likewise. He would simply enter a conviction against defendant. In future cases fines would be inflicted.

At the hearing of an appeal in the Wellington Supreme Court in respect to a motor collision, the Chief Justice said: “It is the duty of drivers of motor cars to stop immediately when they see danger, but that is what they won’t do; they go on and on regardless of the consequences.”

The Postmaster-General, the Hon. J. G. Coates, was interviewed by a “N.Z. Times” representative with reference to the Sydney cablegram stating that the Australasian Aerial Transport Company will shortly be registered at Melbourne with a capital of £700,000 to establish passenger, cargo and mail services between Australia and New Zealand. The. Minister stated that so far the department had not been communicated with on the matter: but, of course, it would be prepared to consider any proposal that might be made for an intercolonial aerial mail service. Mr. W. R. Morris, secretary, to the Post Office, said that the department had no information on the subject of any proposal on the part of the Commonwealth authorities to establish communication with New Zealand by means of airplanes. If the Commonwealth Government chose to send its mails down here by airplanes, of course our Postal Department would receive them. The Commonwealth might send them in that way, but the department had no information on the matter. The promoters of the

company must have received some encouragement from the Australian Government, he would say, to warrant the registration of a company with a capital of £700,000.