Judge's Opinion.

Progress, Volume III, Issue 4, 1 February 1908, Page 137

Judge's Opinion.

Interviewed after the announcement of the awards Mr. A. Cleave, of Auckland, said that the trials had been an emphatic success. It had been suggested that the speed was too slow. " I don't believe in faster speeds," said Mr. Cleave. "If the limit had

shape "of scorching." The undulating country south of Timaru provided enjoyable travelling, and in the last fifteen miles there was a good hill climb to Dunedm. The run back to Timaru was a repetition of the second day's, and the return to Christchurch by way of Rakaia Gorge supplied another fairly severe test. The road on the last day in parts reminded ,him very strongly of some of the stretches on the route between Auckland and Wellington, chosen for the North Island trials twelve months ago. He had expected that a good proportion of the cars would come through successfully, in view of the improvements that had been made during the past four or five years. The engines were now very near perfection, and the fact that 95 per cent, of the competing cars had returned from the five hundred mile run close to the appointed time and in good condition was proof of their reliability. There were really very few stoppages, and these, except m the cases oi two cars, would not have occurred in ordinary touring, because the necessary adjustments would have been made at the ordinary stopping places. The cars were not touched, except in the matter of oiling, from the time they left Christchurch until they got back. The arrangements made for housing them were perfect, and it was impossible for anyone to touch a screw without the fact being noted. He was greatly pleased with the running of the small cars. The performance of the 10 h.p. Cadillac was, to his mind, wonderful, and he doubted whether anything better had ever been done in the Dominion. The management, Mr. Luxford concluded, was excellent, and had the full confidence of the conpetitors.