MOTOR NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1881, 15 October 1913, Page 11

MOTOR NOTES.

BRITISH V. AMERICAN COLONIAL MODELS.

[By Chassis.]

" Wako up, England 1" is Mr. H. Massac Buist's advice to English motoring firms after a visit to America to study motoring conditions in factory and highway. He thinks a big chingo is needed if English firms are to enjoy a reasonable share of the colonial trade, and says that considing tho number of motor vehicles in use in Canada to-day, for example, the British motor manufacturers' produots simply do not exist out there. You can see an odd example hero or there. But thoy need a deal of finding, and if you take the trouble to question tho. owner and find ho is a man who has a uso for his car an.ywliero beyond the bounds of tho city whero lie resides you mil have to accustom yourself to hearing him say tho service is anything but satisfactory. " It will bo answered," adds Mr. Buist, "that ono after another of our motor manufacturers aro producing what they stylo colonial models. They are. But which of those models his been evolved iu any of tho colonies? Practically without exception t'hey represent nothing more than a stay-at-home engineer's mothod of solving problems the existence of which lias been mado known to them in reports from ot'her folk. Therefore, tho British idea of, a colonial model consists in alter itions from standard practice iu tho guise of giving liigher ground clearance, stronger axles and steering, stiffer springs, larger radiators, and a few other points. If you work along these lines sufficiently consistently you presently get that typo of colonial model which is so successfully disguised a form of motor-car that it impresses ono as being a traction _ engine. Wo will have to set up factories in the colonies successfully to secure any appreciable degree of tho colonial trade, for though Canaida favours us by a 10 per cent, over the United States, America's mo-tor-car manufacturers have manifested such enterprise so far and have made such good use of tho fact that they have to design their vehicles to fulfil conditions more completely akin to thoso that obtain in our colonics .than do British makers that, with his small output and his small market, tho Britishmanufacturer, offering at the best adapted goods, is starting even to-day hopelessly out of tho running on the mere question of price." Through Central Australia. The Commonwealth Government has shipped from Melbourne a 25 h.p. Dun-lop-shod Talbot, that has somo noval features. Tho car was purchased for tho use of Dr. J. A. Gilruth, Administrator of the Northern Territory, who intends undertaking somo extensive rector journeys into the centre of Australia. Dr. Gilruth and Mr. Oliver, Inspector of Mines, take over tho car at Cloncurry, in Queensland, and from there make for Camooweal, up on tho border between Queensland and tho Northern Territory. Their routo _ will thci l lay southwards to Alice Springs, and probably farther south to the Arltunga goldfields. All told, tho journey will extend over several months. The special features of tho car taken for this arduous journey aro big wheels, to afford ample clearance, several additional tanks to carry large supplies of petrol, oil, and water,, and last, but not least, a winding apparatus, fitted between tho dumb iions of tho cars, which, when thrown into gear, will be driven off the engine, ,end enable.the car, by its 6wn power, to pull itsolf ovor and out or sand duns, which abound in Contral Australia. Australia and tho "T.T." It is extremely probablo that New South Wales will be officially represented in tho Motor-cyclist Tourist Trophy race to be held in tho Islo of Man in 1914. The Tourist Trophy ist tho world's principal motor-cyclo race, ana is promoted annually by tho English governing body. It attracts riders from England, America, South Africa, and Franco, Germany, and other parts of the Continent. New Zealand riders have taken part in two races, and ' a South Australian competed in the last event. Thoso Australasian competitors, however, h:\ppcned to be in Eng. land at the time, at their own expense. This accounted for them taking part, They were not specially selected riders, and had no chance in the big event. The Motor-cycle Club of New South Wales, the largest of the clubs affiliated with the Auto-cycle sAssociation, has always been keen on having the Stato officially represented in the big English race. It has now mado a definite move in this direction. At its last meeting the club discussed the question, and it was resolved that the Auto-cycle Association of Now South Wales should bo approached, and a suggestion 'mado "that the State bo officially represented ih the Tourist Trophy race of 1914." The only thing needed is money, to defray the oxpenses of tho English trip, and, in tho opinion of Mr. J. A. Fair, <ho energetic secretary of the Motor Cyclo Club of New South Wales, this will be raised. When tho motor cyclists of this Stato set their hearts on accomplishing a cortain end, they are, as a rule, successful. Futuro of Motor-Cycling. Tho results of the motor-cycle season in Great Britain are stated W tho London "Observer" to havo been distinctly on- the disappointing side from the business point of view. The main reason for the disappointment- probably lies in the fact that people were made t-00, sanguine by the success of tho experiment made by the Manufacturers' Union in holding their own show and taking it to Olympia. Tho first of these shows coincided with an upward tendency in trado generally, and between that and tho fact that modifications in tho design of tho machine had at last made it a mount practical for all instead of only for. tho athlete, led to a brisking up of business that seems to have deceived the trade into thinking that there was beginning a real boom in motor-cycling. There was some excuse for this feeling, admittedly, for the shows of 1911 and 1912 were heavily advertised—far more, so than tho later Stanloy Shows—while individual makers also loft tho beaten track and told the public what thoy had to sell. Tho result was that both from the point of view of sight-seeing interest and of business transacted tho shows were successful beyond the expectations of tho union. Everyone felt confident that at last the tido had begun to flow. Inquiries for machines came in well, agents were optimistic and booked up contracts with their manufacturers, and everything looked prosperous. But one© the show had closed its doors the general interest created was allowed to lapse—everyone seemed to go to sleep until the show was due again. Ijast year makers were taken unawares, so to speak, for they had not anticipated that demand would be so heavy. This year they provided for everything that could be anticipated and a bit more. Seeking the Way Out. Naturally tho trade is turning its attention to possible means for inducing a greater volume of business. A lot is | being said of tho possibilities of tho very light machine. "Doubtless," writes W. Whittall in tho "Observer," "the. idea of a machine which, all on_, shall only weigh fifty or sixty pounds is very attractive, and I will not donv that there aro possibilities in it, but there is 'a long way to go before t-h6 ideal can be attained. But it must always be remembered that tho motor-cyclist is possessed of as, much human nature as -

I is given to most, and that ho will not bo contented with the thing that is not as good as the ono owned by his neighbour. I often get requests for advicc from people who teH mo that they will bo quite content with a machine which will average from fifteen 'to eighteen miles an hour over ordinary roads, and thftt they do not mind ih the least having to assist it uphill by pedalling. Therefore, thoy argue, tho ultra-light-weight, if only they could' got it, would l>o tho iileal thing for them. I know all about it, for I myself began that way, and I look back with regret -upon all the money I dropped in selling one machine after another at a loss in order to acquire tho next one above it ire tho power class. My cxporionco convinccs mo that any real utility the ultra-light-weight machine might have would bo of what I might call a purely introductory character. It might servo as the first mount of the 'would-be rider possessed of the sentiments as to speed and average I have set .forth, but that one man ini ten would keep faithful to it for more than a sufficient time to cmergo from his novitiato I do not believe." Sporting Element In tho Ascendant. "There is no doubt," states the "Australasian," "that tho sporting element is now in the ascendant 111 the Victorian Automobile- Club. Whether it is from tho influx of new and younger members, or tho development of a hitherto latent instinct among tho older ones, or both, is immaterial. It is satisfactory to know' that far greater interest is being manifested in tho doings cf tho club, and tho more the club makes itself known and felt the stronger will that interest grow. The club in New South Wales, with. a much smaller membership, is a very live institution; it conducts competitions at intervals of about two weeks, and not only makes itself better known, but the members are more intimately acquainted than are those of tho club hero. The recent hillclimb brought out many motorists, who either had not beforo competed in any of tho trials, or had not even attended any of the club's outings. Therefore, the effects must be beneficial." The Cycle Car. The cycl car. is gradually beginning to make its appearance in Wellington. At least eight different makes have already made their appearance, and there is much curiosity as to their capabilities and lasting powers. One little 8-10 horse-power miniature car (a watercooled twin cylinder) is stated to have carried three people'up the Wainui-o-mata hill on the second speed, a very creditable performance, while another air-cooled machine claims to have ascended tho Paekakariki hill from the station to the summit with two up in i equal to the motor-cycle record. A • local medico has become a_ pioneer I iu the new movement, and his smart ' little car can frequently be seen sur- • mounting the steepest of Wellington's i hills with ease.

The Canterbury Automobilo Association hold its opening run last Saturday afternoon. A procession of about 25 cars left the association's now rooms in Cathedral Square, and after an enjoyable run from town assembled at Mr. F. Hubbard's residence at Greenpark, Tai Tapu, where the, members were entortained by the president, Dr. Simpson.

A' lively, disputo is in progress between the Canterbury Automobilo Association and tho South Marlborough Roads and Bridges League as to the best routo for tho main road to_ Kaikoura from the south. The association has favoured the inland route from Oulverdon, whilo tho league insists that the coast routo from Parnassus is the one on which attention should be concentrated. From Parnassus;'to Kaikoura is 37 miles, and only two bridges have to bo constructed, while from Oulverdon' to Kaikoura is 67 miles, and seven bridges yet remain to bo built on this road. Tho leaguo denies that there is seven miles of river-bed on tlio coast route, as alleged by tho automobilists.

At It and wick racecourses oil Derby day (states tho Sydney "Telegraph") there were 500 motorcars, 470 of which wore accommodated in tho paddock. This took up all tho availablo space allotted to cars, and 30 had to remain outside tho enclosure, witli about 100 taxis. This made about 600 motor-vehicles in all. Thero were only seven carriages present. It is 0n1y,13 years since tho fir-st motor-car was, imported to New South Wales, a 4J horse-power Do Dion, which Mr. W. J. C. Elliott landed.