MOTOR-CYCLING

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22520, 30 September 1938, Page 19

MOTOR-CYCLING

CANTERBURY AUTO-CYCLE CLUB

Fixtures October I—Social1 —Social Afternoon. October B—Gymkhana (Show Grounds) October 22-24—West Coal trial.

To-morrow afternoon's social trial to Ouruhia Park is an entirely new event and should prove a popular one. Riders will be given an average to maintain, and several novel tests will be held en route. Competitors are asked to assemble at Victoria square at 2 p.m., and will be dispatched at half-minute intervals from 2.15 p.m. On arrival at the park, a programme of gymkhana events will be held. Points will be awarded for each competition —the class winners being the riders with the highest aggregates. Riders will be the guests of the club at afternoon tea, and are asked to bring their own cups. Post entries will be received up to the time of starting. Details of the reliability trial to be held at Labour week-end have now been drawn up. Competitors will be dispatched from Christchurch, with the first check at Culverden. The next stop will be made at Lewis Pass for afternoon tea, then non-stop to Reef ton Sunday's run will include stops at Inangahua Junction, Buller Gorge, Westport, Greymouth, and Hokitika, with the lunch check at Punakaiki Blowholes.

The last day's run will be from Hokitika to Christchurch, via Arthur's Pass, with stops at Dillmanstowh, Otira, Bealey, and Springfield. Averages are such that all classes of machines will be able to maintain, and this, combined with excellent road conditions, should make a very enjoyable and inexpensive week-end. PIONEER MOTOR CLUB FIXTURES Saturday, October 15—South Island Beach Championships. Sunday, October 16 —Opening Run. Saturday. October 29—Giant Scramble. Permission has been granted the club to run the South Island beach championship meeting at Central Brighton over a two-mile course (one mile straights), commencing at a point approximately 200 yards south of the pier. The classes to be run include the 250 c.c. and 350 c.c. South Island beach championships (each of 10 miles), also 10-mile open and 500 c.c. handicap races. An outstanding entry, representative of the South Island, has been provided for, and the club anticipates a most successful fixture. The now

well-known rolling start, first employed by the club in the New Zealand beach championship event last February, will be employed, and several innovations are being made in arrangements to ensure the efficient running of this important meeting. The opening run of the Pioneer Amateur Sports Club, to be held- the following day. is attracting more than usual interest because the jubilee of the club occurs this year. The Pioneer Motor Club has arranged a large and varied programme of interesting and inovel car and motor-cycle events as ■piart of the programme. Athletics, tennis, children's races, and many other items of interest to all will also be held; Riding ability and acceleration, rather than speed, will decide the results of the club's giant scramble, to be held on October 29. Other major sporting events to be held in the near future include the road hill-climb and the 12-hour trial, both to be held in November. , The club's parking concessions for motor-cycles are attracting many inquiries, and many applications for registration for the Transport Department's good riding awards continue to be made. A further, programme of light car events of many types will be announced in the course of the next i few days. ) CORSAIR MOTOR CLUB Fixtures Tuesday, October 4—"At Home." Sunday, October 9—Motor Sunday. The week-end trial to Glentunnel was well attended and competitors performed creditably on a tricky course. I The visit to the Klondyke mine was ] interesting. Results and marks lost W So 2 lo~Class—J. Lang (19) 1, F. Pierson > (20) 2. D. McMillan (24) 3, N. Jaggar (27), J. Hetherton (29), C. Skinner (40). R. Alexander (42), G Upfield (45). K. Watson (60), M. Rush (70), C. Edmunds (73). F. Flynn (95), N.-McGinn (115), B. Webster (139). Pillion Class—N. Harris and Miss A. Stewart (20) 1. M. McClurg and Miss AC'Clark' (25) 2, B. Wisely and Miss J. Noble (39), 3, W. Churchill (52), C. Pegley (72). a ' Ist Battalion Canterbury Regiment. Motor-cycle Section—N. Harris 1, N. McGinn 2. ■'. RESERVE PETROL TAP Some years ago it was the custom to fit a reserve petrol tap to the main tanks of most British cars, this being arranged in such a fashion that it trapped about two gallons of the tank's contents in reserve. When the main supply ran dry, the tap only had to be turned to a new position in order to make the reserve available. It was a most useful device, because the owner always had warning of an impending exhaustion of fuel in ample time to run to the nearest kerbside pump, i This reserve tap has fallen into disuse for two reasons; first, the universal adoption of some form of instrument board gauge; and second, the reluctance of manufacturers to fit anything in the petrol line which can wear loose and cause leaks.

However, there is some agitation in England for the return of this reserve tap, and it is likely that this will be heeded by manufacturers, because it is such an obviously valuable device that any minor disadvantages it may possess are comparatively unimportant. Its value is not in the least impaired by the use of instrument, board gauges.

Observation of various cars indicates that there are very few in whibh the wiper blades wipe the glass cleanly, and remove all traces of water. Usually, they only wipe a portion of the glass, and leave a very streaky patch in front of the driver's eyes. Sometimes the only remedy is to fit new blades. They are cheap enough, so that even if subsequent operation of the wiper indicates that the old blades were not at fault, the owner is not very much out, of pocket. However, it is wise to try first the effect of judiciously bending the blades or operating arms to obtain a cleaner squeegee action on the glass. This may be all that is necessary. t