Motor & Cycle

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1597, 2 December 1920, Page 30

Motor & Cycle

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.

Flight-Commander Philip Fowler, of Feilding, has, been appointed a pilot for the aviation company recently formed at Timaru. -

Miss Eleanor Marshall, a New York golfer, recently furnished her caddie with a “scooto-motor” for travelling over an 18-hole course.

The South Canterbury Motor Company expects to y get four machines going shortly on* reconnaissance for landing-places between Timaru and Invercargill.

A postwoman and a woman worker in aiT’Wircraft factory are assisting two men and an architect to build cottages at Midhurst (says the London “Daily Mail”). The two women and, two men built a five-roomed cottage in eight weeks, of common earth rammed hard between wooden framings. They paid for carpenter’s work and thatching.

The London “Safety First” Council has issued a reminder of novel design to those motorists who are apt to forget that accidents really do happen. This consists of a varnished and gummed slip, bearing the words “Safety First,” which is affixed to the windscreen of cars, and whilst it does not affect the appearance of the vehicle it acts as a constant warning to the thoughtless driver.

Officers were elected as follow at the annual meeting of the Wellington Automobile Club: —President, Dr. Prendergast Knight; vice-presidents, Messrs. C. M. Banks and W. Stuart Wilson; committee, Messrs. S. Underwood, B. L. Donne, J. J. Williamson, H. W. Lloyd, L. R. Partridge, W. Pryor, and W. G. Mantell; auditor, Mr. W. S. Wheeler; secretary and treasurer, Mr. H. J. .Stott.

■When a motor party in a Rolls car were travelling near Taihape, three straying horses came galloping from the opposite direction. Two passed the car, but the third took a leap at the car, crashed through the windscreen, cleared the occupants from the seat, and landed on his back in the rear seat, pinning down two occupants, who were badly knocked about. The injuries to the horse necessitated his being shot.

In regard to the “safety first” campaign, the report of the Wellington Automobile Committee states that notices were issued warning the public how to use the streets, which members were requested to paste on their cars. The committee notices with regret that this idea has not been taken up in a whole-hearted manner by members. At the same time the committee considers it is the duty of the City Council to recognise its responsibilities to the public on how to board and leave trams, etc. The committee is still in communication with the council with regard to this matter, arid undoubtedly intends to continue the safety-first campaign on other lines.

The Minister for Internal Affairs states that an amendment to the Motor Regulation Act will be introduced next session, providing, among other things, for the licensing of motor drivers. Mr. E. Newman had drawn attention to the fact that while engineers were required -to show qualifications before running stationary engines, a child was allowed to drive a powerful motor car, and accidents had resulted.

One day recently the Napier-Wel-lington mail train ran into a motor lorry at. Palmerston North. The driver escaped, but the lorry was smashed. It is stated that two other lorries were standing waiting for the train to pass when the third arrived and ignored the warning bell. • » « «

“It is to be regretted that certain South Island associations, represented by the Canterbury and Otago a associations, have definitely decided to cut adrift' from the New Zealand Automobile Union, and have formed what is self-styled the South Island Motor Union,” states the annual report of the Wellington Automobile Club. “Your committee regrets that ■ such is the case, inasmuch as the interests of the two Islands are identical, and nothing had occurred to justify any such step.” * * * *

A vote of condolence and sympathy with Mrs. Clarke, Mayoress of New Plymouth, in her bereavement though the recent aviation tragedy, was passed, on the motion of Councillor Mcßae, at a meeting of the Woolston Borough Council. The following resolution was,, also carried by the Christchurch City Council: — “We, the Mayor and councillors of of Christchurch, on behalf orthe citizens of Christchurch, wish to express our deep regret and sorrow at the fatal accident which has deprived New Plymouth of her Mayor, the late Mr. James Clarke, and New Zealand of a great aviator in Captain Richard Russell, D.F.C. We also wish to express our deepest sympathy with the relatives and all those who must sorrow at the loss of their dear ones.”

The personnel of the new Commonwealth Air Board and Air Council has been gazetted. The Air Council is to consist of the Minister of Defence, Rear-Admiral Sir E. P. Grant, Major-General Sir C. B. B. White, Squadron Leader S. J. Goble, Lieut.Colonel R. Williams, and the Controller of Civil Aviation, who has not yet been appointed. The Air Board will consist of Lieut.-Colonel R. Williams, director of intelligence and organisation; Squadron Leader S. J. Goble, director of personnel and training; Captain P. A. Mcßain, director of equipment; Mr. A. C. Joyce, finance member. These two bodies will control and /administer the new Air Force.

The Order of the British Empire has been conferred on Charles Hill, a Doncaster farm horseman, who is believed to be the only farm hand to have received such a distinction. During the war an aeroplane came down in a field where Hill was working and immediately burst into flames. Hill rescued the pilot in the nick of time. Unable to get to 'the front of the aeroplane owing to the heat, he ran to the back and lifted the pilot, Lieutenant Gill, from his seat. Lieutenant Gill was then unconscious and his leather jacket was burnt to a cinder, but after a long illness he recovered. *♦* • ' The By-laws Committee of the City council has received reports from the City Engineer and the Chief Traffic Inspector with reference to the question of traffic control in the city, and recommended that the City Engineer be authorised to make arrangements for the erection of signs in the main thoroughfares where he considers advisable to indicate crossing places for pedestrians. The signs are to be illuminated at night and coloured in such a way as to be noticeable during the hours of daylight. The committee also recommended the council to take into consideration the appointment of a body of men to take control of the traffic in congested streets of the city not at present controlled by the police. * ♦ « •