MOTORING & CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1573, 17 June 1920, 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. Rox 52. Auckland.

The peculiar effect that the lights of a motor car have upon horses grazing on the streets at night was illustrated by a witness giving evidence at Palmerston North concerning the recent motor collision near Sanson. Witness said that one night he was driving down Rangitikei line, and passed an apparently quiet horse, which immediately jumped right on top of the car. Others present at the enquiry agreed that the effect of bright lights coming on horses at night was often very strange, and that motorists generally were careful with animals straying on the roads.

The City Council dealt out invitation for the Prince’s visit with a lavish hand, but one body that might have been remembered at such a time got none, says “Carburettor, in the “Dunedin Star.” During the whole of the war period and even at present the patriotic work of the Otago Motor Club has been a challenge and an inspiration to other organisations, both sporting and public. Even the other week members were giving their services and their cars to enable so’dier patients to see the Prince, yet as a club they were ignored or forgotten when it came to a little honour.

At the general committee meeting of the Auckland Automobile Association it was decided to hold a petrol consumption test on Labour Day, October 25, to be decided on ton mileage formula and actual mileage. The City Council, in reply to a suggestion that the council remove certain centre tramway poles, wrote stating that two poles opposite the Domain entrance would be painted white, and a consideration would be given to the suggestion that poles commencing a series should be lighted. A further letter from the City Council stated that the traffic inspector denied that carts stood between the safety zones and the footpath. The zones were frequently visited by officials and all carts were kept moving. It was decided to place the organisation at the disposal of airmen in the province, as the members considered that every effort should be made to encourage the development of the art of flying.

The aviation display held on the Makaraka racecourse, Gisborne, on June 3 attracted a very large attendance. The machine, under the capable control of Pilot G. B. Bolt, made in all 16 flights, on 15 carrying passengers at an average height of about 2000 feet, and all agreed that the sensation of flying was a most delightful one. Mr. Otto Hansen, of Kaitaratahi, who accompanied the pilot on the first passenger flight, declared that it was impossible to do justice to the feeling induced by the speed and altitude. Mr. Hansen was conveyed over his own home at Kaitaratahi, where he dropped a valise into one of his own paddocks. Miss Halbert also flew above her home at Manutuke, and her favourable impressions of the flight seemed to be general among all the ladies who took the opportunity of a trip in the plane. Amongst the passengers who flew were: Misses Fyson, Nelson, Halbert, Mander, Fraser (2), and East; Mesdames Livingstone, Jackman, A. Harris and nephew, and H. F. Forster; Messrs. E. Witters, D. McKeague. O. Hansen, C. L. Ferguson, and Fitzgerald. The Makaraka course made an ideal ground for the purpose, the wide level stretches inside the course providing abundant room for the machine to manoeuvre.

The Canterbury Automobile Association is having about 100 additional signboards erected, indicating names of rivers, direction notices, and “slowdown” warnings. A number of signboards are also being prepared for the Kaikoura and Marlborough districts. These districts are not yet under the association’s province, but in the interests of touring motorists the association is having the notices erected at required points.

The Minister of Internal Affairs told a deputation from the New Zealand Automobile Association last week that legislation would be introduced next session dealing with the registration of motors and motor traffic generally. All parties concerned would be given an opportunity of placing their views before the Government. The deputation stressed the enormous increase in the number of motors in the Dominion. It would seem that the time had now arrived to amend, modify, or standardise some of the laws and regulations relating to motor traffic. The chief points dealt with were taxation,

roads, registration, by-laws, and needed amendments to existing acts. In considering the various methods of imposing taxation, the union had been guided by what it believed to be a thoroughly sound principle, namely, that taxation must be based upon the use of the vehicle and not merely upon its possession. It was, therefore, submitted that the tax should be by way of ad valorem Customs duty upon imported tyres of all descriptions. A reform of the reading system was asked for, and the proposals included the setting up of a Highways Board, which would classify and control arterial highways. The regulations providing for the registration of motors required radical amendment. So many muddles and abuses existed under the present system that it should be replaced by a completely new statute. The proposals included in the Motor Bill introduced in 1914 were generally endorsed. They provided for central registering authorities —Government officials acting independent of local control. In order to secure uniformity throughout the Dominion, a set of model by-laws, dealing with motor traffic should be framed. The union also urged the need of regulations to secure the safety of the public. The Minister promised that the various points submitted to him would receive careful consideration.

The de Haviland aeroplane which has been carrying out passenger flights in Gisborne, will in all probability undertake a flying tour of Hawke’s Bay, Palmerston North, and the Wanganui districts.

The present epidemic of motor accidents and the prevalence of reckless driving again emphasis the need of a more effective control of the drivers of motor vehicles. As we have several times pointed out, emphasises the “Dominion,” the existing system of licenses for cars and drivers is hopelessly inadequate, and in some districts seems scarcely to be enforced at all. What is wanted is a national drivers’ license, which must be carried on his person by every motorist in charge of a car and produced whenever demanded by the police, and on which any convictions for driving to the public danger shall be endorsed. A license forfeitable for glaring or repeated offences should have a decidedly useful effect in eliminating gross carelessness in driving, now far too much in evidence on the roads.

“Nobody travels in a motor car at the rate of 10 miles an hour,” remarked Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., at Palmerston North during the hearing of a charge of negligent driving. He also said that “10 to 12 miles an hour” was quite the usual pace stated during the hearing of Court cases, but that day he had been in a car in which the speedometer showed 10 miles an hour, and it was just crawling along.

At a meeting of the executive committee of the South Island Motor Union, it was resolved to support a request from the Auckland Automobile Association to members of Parliament and the Minister of Internal Affairs, asking them to give some practical encouragement to the efforts which are being made to produce motor spirit locally. It was agreed to write to the Minister of Internal Affairs, asking him to instruct the police in the South Island to prosecute all persons driving cars at night with electric headlights behind plain lenses. It was decided to ask the affiliated bodies to report on the question of official hotels. It was resolved to write to the Minister of Internal Affairs on the lines of the letter to local members of Parliament, urging that annual licenses be granted to motorists.

Mr. Robert Allan, of “Ronaki,” Nelson, is leaving on an extended tour of the East. He intends to visit Macassar, Maloncias, and thereafter put in some months on Arrow Islands. Then he will go over to Sumatra, and later to Siam and Saigon, taking Java en route. It is Mr. Allan’s purpose to add to his. fine collection of butterflies and birdskins. He will also continue to collect for the Dominion Museum.

The latest English mail to hand states that experiments are to be made in London with rail-less tramway cars with a view to their adoption by the London County Council, thus avoiding the difficulties and high cost of constructing ordinary tramway routes. The new cars will resemble omnibuses with overhead trolly wires. Two classes of cars will be given a trial, one a singledecker, holding 28 passengers, and another with double decks, carrying 64 people. The use of the cars to link up the “dead ends” of the present system and on the hil’s in the outer districts is being considered.

A remit was submitted to the Farmers’ Union Conference at Feilding to the effect that the Government should be urged to obtain independexpert advice as to the locality in which to bore for petrol, and to put down some, purely prospective bores, similar to the Queensland water bores, to a depth of five to .six thousand feet. Mr. Hugh Morrison (Masterton) moved as an amendment that the Government should be requested to obtain the services of a competent geologist to prospect the country with the object of ascertaining whether petroleum existed in New Zealand or not. Mr. Morrison stated that he had a petroleum gas spring on his own place, and a number of oil experts and geologists had expressed the opinion that there was a distinct possibility of petroleum being found in New Zealand in payable quantities. It would be useless to put bores down indiscriminately without first having a thorough geological survey made of the country. The matter was one of national importance, and though it might cost some thousands to induce a scientist to come out from England it would be more than compensated for if petroleum was found to exist. He added that petroleum can be used in almost a crude state by oil-burning steamers. The amendment was carried.

A large and valuable motor car belonging to Dr. Sharp, of Otaki, was recently destroyed by fire. The doctor, after attending patients at his private hospital, about 11 p.m., was in the act of lighting the lamps, when there was an explosion, and in a moment the . car was on fire. Efforts were made to save it, but the flames had too strong a hold. It is thought that someone, during the doctor’s absence, hsd interfered with the benzine tap, as it was fairly evident that the ground was saturated. There was only a small insurance, and the doctor will be a heavy loser. » * * * During the month of May, 26 motor cars, 26 motor cycles, and six motor lorries were registered in Hastings. The figures for May, 1919, were respectively 18, eight, and two. Since April 1, the beginning of the Borough Council’s financial year, the registrations total 76, as against 47 for the same period last year. The motor registrations in Hastings in May are the largest for many years past. There was a fair attendance of cyclists at the riieeting held at Eltham to promote a road race. Mr. H. A. Nuttall was voted to the chair. In reply to questions, it was stated that Mr. A. Beesley had donated trophies for a race, and it was agreed to accept his generous offer and hold a race at an early date. Mr. H. Andrews moved: “That a club be formed, to be known as the Eltham Cycle Racing Club.” Mr. Coleman (Ngaere) seconded the motion, and it was carried unanimously. Mr. H. Andrews was appointed secretary, and it was decided to leave the election of other officers to a future meeting, to be held in the near future. The first race meeting will be held on Thursday, July 15. Messrs. H. A. Nuttall and A. Beesley were appointed handicappers, and Mr. F. Vincent timekeeper.

“There are too many motor collisions,” said Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., at the Palmerston North Magistrate’s Court. He added that a great number of the accidents were caused by people driving on the wrong side of the road until they met somebody else, and then they pulled off, the delay in their action leaving a certain amount of doubt in the minds of other people.

RECKLESS DRIVING. CORONER ADVISES CARE. At the inquest concerning the deaths of Arthur Eglinton, Alfred E. Penny and Frank Kidman which followed a collision near Palmerston North, the coroner (Mr. E. Goodbehere) said that it was his duty to consider the evidence given at the enquiry as to the cause of the deaths of the three persons mentioned, and it was also his duty to decide on the evidence available what blame was attachable to any person concerned. In the first place he complimented the police on the full evidence they had managed to collect, stating that they had apparently obtained all the evidence available. It was a most lamentable affair that three lives had been hurled into eternity so suddenly, and if there had been any carelessness or recklessness on the part of any individual it was quite right that he should suffer the consequence. As in most cases of the kind, the different persons in the accident gave different versions, as it was difficult for them to gauge accurately and truly the position, and they were apt to jump to conclusions; and for that reason it was difficult to get at the truth. The evidence in this case was very difficult indeed. That given by the surviving persons who were, in Mr. Eglington’s car and Mr. Eglington, junr., was emphatic in stating that the lights were burning in Eglinton’s car and that it was on the correct side of the road, while the evidence of the five persons in Newth’s car was that Eglinton’s car had no light, and some of them stated that it was on the wrong side of the road. It seemed a miraculous thing that one car should be coming along and crash into another car,, even if it had no lights, and that the first thing to be known was the crash itself. It seemed to him that an experienced driver looking out could not fail to see another car at least a few yards before he reached it. The evidence given regarding the position of Eglinton’s car, continued the coroner, strongly pointed to if being on the correct side of the road. Evidence had been given by several witnesses that that was so, and Mr. Mitchell, who was a dis-interested witness, and whose car was the first on the scene, said that this was so. He (the coroner) found that Eglinton’s car was on the right side, and that up to a minute before the crash occurred Eglinton’s car had lights burning. As to the speed at which the cars were travelling, it was difficult to come to a conclusion on that point as the evidence varied very much, but he . could assume that Eglinton’s car could not have got up such pace as it had been been at a standstill 300 yards away. The other car was travelling at a speed of 25 miles an hour, and probably more. There was no other evidence of the speed except the time taken in travelling from the racecourse, but that was not reliable as they could not tell exactly what time the car left Wanganui or what time it stopped at Turakina. He did not think the pace could have been more than 27 to 30 miles an hour right throughoutthe journey. He did not consider that 30 miles an hour or even a little over was excessive in that particular place, and there was nothing to show what the pace was except that given by those in Newth’s car, and they were agreed that it was

from 25 to 30 miles. He (the coroner) did think that there was a failure on the part of the driver of Newth’s car to keep a proper lookout, as it was quite clear to his (the coroner’s) mind that Eglinton’s car lights were lit when he left his gate. If the other driver had taken ordinary care, he must have seen the lights and have been prepared. Therefore, he found that there was some negligence shown on the part of Newth in failing to keep a proper look-out. Under the circumstances, all there was for him as coroner to do was to bring in an open verdict that the deceased died from injuries sustained in a motor collision at Sanson on May 20. The coronei' then brought in a formal verdict to that effect, specifying the dates on which the deceased died and the injuries sustained by them. The coroner added that he would like to remark on the reckless driving which undoubtedly was carried on throughout the country and which caused the accidents they read about so often. To his mind, these accidents were the result of recklessness or carelessness. It was very necessary that some action should be taken to prevent reckless driving, for if a man drove slowly and carefully there would be no accidents. If the authorities took action these painful accidents that they were so con-, stantly hearing of would be at least minimised.