COMMERCIAL MOTORS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 239, 9 October 1928, Page 18

COMMERCIAL MOTORS.

NEW ZEALAND SECOND TO U.S.A.

ONE FOR EVERY 62 PERSONS,

The number of motor vehicles in New Zealand has risen at a phenomenal rate, so that there is now only one country in the world which per head of population has more motor vehicles, this being the United States, says the Hon. K. S. Williams, in his Public Works Statement. Canada and New Zealand are practically on the same footing when vehicles are compared with population, but when we come to commercial motors in particular we find' that Canada has only one to every 98 of population, while New Zealand has one to 62. No other country approaches New Zealand's ratio any closer, and Jaghly industrialised countries like Germany and Italy have only one to 700 and one to 794 respectively—in other words, less than one-tenth of New Zealand's proportion. The result of this exceptional number of commercial motor vehicles is a very keen competition between their owners, resulting in extremely low freights—low from the point of view of motor transport—being charged.

EDISON ON MOTORS.

PAYS TRIBUTE TO CARS.

Thomas Edison pays a high tribute to the motor car. He recently expressed to an interviewer the opinion that the motor, next to the great war, had done more to make people think than any other agency or invention. It had made it easier, cheaper and quicker to go to places, but its great merit was that it had inspired millions to go. It had awakened hundreds of thousands of people from sluggishness, set their brains to work, and had revealed to them how meaningless their lives were becoming. "If the world's unprecedented speed serves to stir our brains, it is worth while. . . The motor car has helped to develop the thinking capacity of people, and to remedy the one inexcusable condition in the modern world—the evil of stupidity." Edison, truly, is a friend of the motor industry.

SIR CHARLES WAKEFIELD'S SPEED TROPHY.

The present holder of the Sir Charles Wakefield Trophy for maximum speed is Mr. Raymond Keech, of America, iu acknowledging the gift, which was to be forwarded by the association to Mr. Keech, Mr. Ernest U- Smith, the general manager of the American Automobile Association, wyote. to Sir Charles Wakefield as - v'S "Your gracious act in thus promoting automobile racing stamps you as,ose oi;. the great patrons of the sport, arid" on behalf of the officer sand directors of the American AutoapSile Association we convey to you our warmest expressions of gratitude and ladj#iEa"tlon for >yOur sportsmanship. - "While it is our patriotic Jiopf, it of course, that the trophy and award will remain in America Jnipy years, we trust that the fine madte wilL stimulate early agd constant endeavours to surpass the prjgs'eitt.record, .V. "May we aay that it is particularly delightful to us to have had the opportunity of observing the fine records made by two Britishers in the past —Major H. 0. D. Seagrave and Captain Malcolm Campbell, whose conduct in America and whose technical ability endeared them to the sporting fraternity of the United States."

MOTOR CUSTOMS IK JAPAN."

Japan is rightly renowned for the courtcsy and civility of its nationals. There is a peculiar .custom in Japan, with a very sensible application. All cars in use in Japanese streets are required to have splashboards lor use in rainy weather. Even a Studebaker President recently purchased for Prfocn Kiloulrakewa, of the Royal household, Imd tp be fltted them- before delivery could bo made. Thus" equipped, wl)A?> » car runs through a puddle the jxswlting spray is deflected by the guards. It is a custom which might >yell be adopted by other countries. Japan demands a tail light which cannot be extinguished from the dashboard. But Japanese authorities also insist on a dome light for constant use ®t night. Maybe this is to prevent" exuberant lovemaking in public. J*P an » one must have**; ® u J b MM>.»a preference to the up-tfe. date (Mnt horn, and no driver can ■ K smoke while driving.