MOTORING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1857, 17 September 1913, Page 8

MOTORING.

[By Mascot.]

One of tlio great worries of a motorist's lite is tile playing of children's games on tho streets. In tlio more congested parts cf tlio cities tno street is, of course, tho only playground for tlio children, but, on the other hand, those streets are very rarely used by motorists. Where tlie real danger occurs is in the bigger streets and in the suburbs, where there is really little excuse for the presence of children on tho highway. , This question has been thoroughly discussed in America, where various automobile associations have distributed to schools a series of questions and answers, with a view to instructing children how to keep, clear of danger from passing motor-cars. 11l Now Zealand, the Canterbury Automobile Association, is taking steps to bring the matter before tho Education Board, so that similar instructions may be issued to children in that district. A prominent Wellington motorist,' who was spoken to on the subject yesterday, said that the danger was a very real one in this district. No matter how careful a driver might bo, he said, there was no telling when a child might suddenly dash across tho street in cliaso ot a ball. Should a collision occur, tho child was almost certain to be seriously injured, and the blamo was invariably attached to tho man in the c?r. No regulation of speed limits would obviato the chanco of such mishaps. Tho roads wero meant for the passage of traffic, and not for public playgrounds. The wholo fault in the matter lays with parents who allowed their children to over-run tho stroots, when they might very well be playing in other places where they would be quite safe. So strong is the feeling on the matter, that it is quite probablo that the movement started in Canterbury will be taken up'all over the Dominion. Dangerous Railway Crossings. Tho Canterbury Automobile Association has appointed a sub-committco to report on all railway crossings in the province which may be considered dangerous. 'l'ho report is to bo forwarded to tho Minister for Railways (Hon. W. H. Herries). The total of lovclcrossing fatalities this year is already over a score, and, st-ran£6 to say, tlio Canterbury district has been compara--tively free from them. There have been several bad smashes in the northern part of tho Wellington province, while both Otago and Auckland have also had a melancholy sharo of serious accidents. We often hear of inventions for securing the safety of crossings, but none of them have so far been officially adopted. In moro than ono case this year tho cause of the accident has certainly been the carelessness of the driver, but in some countries there are such things as "fool-proof" crossings. . Registration Fees. Tho various registering bodies of the Dominion are arranging tor a conference with regard to the fixmg of a. uniform fee of 10s for registration of cars. Steps w.ill also bo taken to consider tho advisability of erecting uniform signs and road signals. Motor Bus Traffic. Tho enormous growth and success of tho motor bus traffic in London can be guaged from the fact that the London General Omnibus Co. now has 2800 motor buses on tho streets of London, and tho number of passengers carried daily is about two millions. Power of Cars. The averago motorist who does not realiso fully .the enormous power of his car would perhaps have a better notion of this if he had been a witness of a rathor unusual test recently made in California. • A 40-horse-power touring machine was attached by means of u strong cablo to a 110-ton railway locomotive. Tho cablo ran from t'ho back axlo of the car to tho cowcatcher of the locomotive. Tho start was made from a dead standstill. For some time tho motor-car groaned and vibrated to no avail. Tho wheels refused to find a purchase. and slipped around and around. Finally half a dozen inen wero put ißto tlio car to do duty as ballast. Tho additional weight had the desired effect. With slow reluctance the wheels of the monster in tow began to revolve, and the automobile had achieved the seemingly impossible task of drawing so tremendous a weight. No injury to the car resulted from this great and unusual strain, and for somo distanco over the rails tho mass of iron obediently tagged after its puny pilot'. The demonstration was mado by an automobile agent to show what a really powerful machine the motor-car of to-day is. The Ideal Car. The cat of to-morrow, or at any rate of uoxt year (says Mr. J. ; Prioleau in tho London "Daily Mail"), need not bo foolproof (for no fool has any business at the wlieel of a car or to bo responsible for any other piece of machinery), but must bo independent .of professional care. Tho big overhaul at tho works which conies at the end of ten or fifteen thousand miles or so is, of course, unavoidable, but' the ordinary work exacted by a car in commission and conliWitly used should bo mado a great deal easier than it is i.ow. Inspection pits ought to bo unnecessary and every part of the car should bo, really accessible from above. When. I get my ideal car I shall bo able to attend to its overy want standing up. Races at New Plymouth, Two motor-cyclo races wero run at Now Plymouth on Saturday last, over distances of fivo and ten miles respectively. The first was won by A. Ander. soil (Triumph), with James (Rudge) second, and Coleman (Douglas) third. Boucher (Rudge) was riding well at tho finish, and looked very much like a winner, when he was brought down by Lightband (L.M.C.), who fell in front of him. Tho result of tho long-distance race was:—Boucher (Rudge), 1; Coloman (Douglas), 2; Anderson (Triumph), 3. Boucher rode a fine race throughout. Ho started fifty seconds behind the limit man, being ono of the last section to leave tho mark, but steadily overhauled tho field. Ho caught Coleman, who had 30sec. start of him, in tho ninth lap, and set a pace which his opponent could not maintain. Anderson made a great attempt to get up, im't could succeed in getting only third place.

Trades union secretaries met (it the Trades Hall yesterday afternoon for tlio purpose pf discussing the new Arbitr.v tion Bill. Mr. E. Kennedy, president of tlio District Council of tlio United Labour Party, was in tlie clmir, and unions represented woro as follow: — Building Trades', Labourers', Tailors', Carpenters', Bakers', Engine-drivers', General Labourers', Freezing Works, Plasterers', Draners', Tailoresses', Painters', Hotel Workers', Match Factory Workers', Grocers', Butchers', Waterside Workers', Timber Workers', Drivers', Bootmakers', Bricklayers', Tramways, Coach Workers', and Electrical Workers'. The various clauses of tlio Bill were considered, a.nd tlio meeting adjourned till this afternoon, when it "is hoped to draw up a draft report for presentation to a general meeting of unions in the Wellington district.

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