MOTOR NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1886, 21 October 1913, Page 11

MOTOR NOTES.

[Bt Chassis.] Local Inventor's Patent. , Mr. G. E. Warburton, son of Mr. A. Warburton, of this city, is the inventor of the Corona motor electric tail lamp, which is a simple and most effective motor accessory. This lamp is being patented, and is .the first electric tail lamp to bo patented in Now Zealand. ;Mr. Warburton's invention consists of a three-quarter cylinder, with a white light shining on the number of the motor-car and a red light showing to the rear. A loop and serow allows of tho lamp being fastened, two rubbers nullifying thfl vibration. Tho electric burner is inserted through tho bottom of tho lamp, which unscrews for that purpose. The lamp is manufactured in tho Dominion, and the solo agents for Now Zealand are Messrs. R. T. Walls and Co., electrical engineers, Featherston- Street. Cymkhana. The Wellington Motor Cycle Club is arranging to hold its annual gymkhana early next month. A.C.U. Reliability Trial. In view of tho fourth annual 12-hour reliability trial to be held by the Wellington Motor Cycle Club next Monday, over a 200-mile course, the following article on "The Future of Reliability Trials," which appeared in a recent issue of the "London Observer," may be of interest:— "One result of the trouble that has •taken place during the currency of the A.C.U. Six Days' Trial, must inevitably be an examination of tho pros and cons of the continuation of such events aS these so-called 'reliability' trials. 'In thoir effort to organise a trial which should really bo' a searching test of the mechanical reliability of the motorcycle, tho officials of the union appear 1 to havo chosen routes which included roads and hills which can.only bo described as. being of the freak varietycountry over which no motor-cyclist m his sober eenses would dream of taking 'his machine. Stiff gradients are necessary if a line is to be obtained through comparative mechanical efficiency, but it is hardly essential that motor-cycles should be required to bo driven over' mountain sheep-tracks. Bad surfaces ought to be included in trial routes, since roads with pebbly surfaco have to be negotiated in the course of ordinary touring, and, moreover, nothing but continuous running over all sorta _ of roads will show up tho presence of im-proporly-locked nuts and loosely-hung accessories, all of which it is the purpose of such trials as the 'Sis Days to search' out. But there is such a tiling as going to extremes, and to_ provide a. gradient five miles long with, a, surfaco like a sea bcach is going rather too far in the search for a thorough test. It is proceeding to extremes. Then, what possible justification can 1 thoro be for sending machines through water-splashe3 2sft. deep? It seems simply ridiculous: . . . Tho point (says tho writer) as I see it is this: If the modern motor-cycle has become so absolutely reliable that its weaknesses can only bo shown up by imposing a tost of 'a freak nature, then tba so-called reliability trial has outlived its span of usefulness . and should uo abandoned forthwith." Our Reliability Trial. Tho start of the Wellington Club's reliability trial, which is open to any member of any recognised motor club, will be from the Custom House at 6. a.m., arid a few minutes previously the competitors will be handed written instructions as to the first-section, and not until thoy complete each section will thoy recoivo any notification of what constitutes tho next section. Four fixed controls will be established, particulars of which will be plainly stated on checking-cards and on route-cards. Competitors must arrive at theso stations at tho times marked on checkingcards. Two secret "controls" will be established, but differences in times of arriving at these points will only be taken into consideration in the event of a tie.' Speed: Machines under 600 c.c., 20 m.p.h.; machines (solo) over 600 c.c.,, 23 m.p.h.; machines (passenger), over 600 c.c., 18 m.p.h. Competitors with passenger machines will be required to carry a passenger woighing at least ten stone. Tho use of speedometers will not bo allowed. Competitors will bo dispatched in teams of four each, and such teams must rido together throughou't tlio trial. Any competitor leaving tho other members of tho team by more than 200 yards will be disqualified. . i

Motor Trade Boom Likely. .Conversing yesterday with one who has an intimate knowledge of the motorcar trado, 1 was informed that there is ovory prospect during the next few months of a marked boom in tho number of new motor vehicles introduced into tho Dominion. Turning to the statistics giving tho iiumber and valuo of cars imported during the last four years, my informant said that great as had been tho increase each year, the figures for the coming season would show a much greater increase both in number and value. Tho importation of! bodies and chassis for the last four years have been as under: — Bodies. Value Year. No. £ 1910 726 41,250 1911 1,473 88,725 1912 2,265 • 139,423 1913 2,331 142,563

Chassis. Value Year. No. £ . 1910 772 180.065 ' 1911 1.521 816,385 1912 ... yj34o 422,660 1913 2,428 437,022 The United Kingdom easily takes first pkco amongst tho countries sending motor bodies and chassis to Now Zealand, tho United States comes second,, and Canada third. The Ford. It is interesting to note, as throwing a light on tlio business systems and selling organisations of tho largo American motor manufacturers, that, on .May 5 last, tlio Ford Co., whoso business is done entirely through its agencies and branches, refused to tako further orders until October 1, when tho company will be ready to deal with its 1914 output. Regarding the product for tho present year, it is officially stated the number of cars produced from tho works will bo 193,000. Somo of the British motor papers were sceptical in regard to American figures, but wore impelled to accept tho above, which, as one adds, "is sufficiently impressive without exaggeration." Tho local agents for this car aro tho Colonial and Motor Co., Courtenay Place. A liandsomo challenge bowl, presented by the Ford Motor Co. to tho Manawatu and West Coast A. and P. Association! for leaping competition steeplechase style, which can. bo won outnghu twice in succession or thrco times at intervals, is on viow at Messrs. X'erguson and Osborn's, Lambton Quay.

Which is tho Best Motor? The prospective purchaser of a motorcycle is perpetually faced by tho samo question as tho ono who is contemplating the purcliaso of a motor-car: Which is the host? There are many of both class prepared to part with their money in exchange for a motor-car or , motor-cyclo, and rn order to help them in coming to a decision I proposo to publish week by week tho' opinions of local motorists as to th® relative Values of tho various well-kpown makes. It it not always tho cheapest which is tlio best as regards any article, but this ■applies more particularly to motor-cars and' cycles. A standard make should bo selected if satisfaction is to be longlived. There aro many different makes, I and each purchaser, in the joy of riding a brand-now machine just imported! from Home, or perha.ps from America or- Canada, is sure that his particular selection is better in every respect than any other; but what will his opinion be at the end of tho season, when ho lias had six months' hard wear out of his mount? Many new makes are introduced and. advocated by those interested in them, but tho old. makes cannot be beaten for 1 price or durability, which points must' always bo taken together. ['The best is not tlio ono which is painted most elaborately," said a wellknown motorist with whom I spoke on the subject yesterday, "nor tlio- one which has plenty of showy gear on it, but the best' is the ono which will stand the wear and- last tho longest if properly looked after. . For wear and tear, speed, price, and comfort combined, ho added, "I have no hesitation in saying thai after making exhaustive trials in tho North Island on all. classes of machines, tho Eudge-Multi and tile A.J.S. 2$ h.p. light-weight are well worth tho prospective purchaser's attention," I shall bo glad to recoivo the opinions of other motorists on tho subject.

The Injured Nov/ Zealandsr. J.' L. Foubister, of -Now Zealand, writes from the Cottage Hospital, Douglas, that the actual reason of his accident whilo practising for the Tourist Trophy in tho Isle of Man, was t?iat- the brake block on his machine came loose. When he found he could not Stop tho machine at Sulby Bridge corner he chose, the softost place, and, turning a souierBault, landed on his feet. Foubister adds that, judging by some of the accounts that have been published, reai dors might be led to imagine he is not used to fast speeds, whereas ho is very jealous of his reputation as a rider. The Übiquitous Motor-Cydle. The popularity of the motor-cycle is evidenced by the following paragraph taken from an English newspaper;— " Highway authorities who liavo successively dealt with the cyclist and the motorist are now perplexed by the problem of the motor-cyclist. A traffic authority has computed that by tho end of the present year as mauy as 200,000 of theso machines will bo on the road in tho United Kingdom, and if tho present rato of increase is maintained, mo-tor-oyclos will in tho near future outnumber motor-,ears. At the end. of 1912 no fewer than 132,245 motor-cycles were in use, as against 175,247 motor-cars." General Jottings. Mr. G. H. Grapes, of Wellington, lias returned homo on the Otway_ after an extensive tour in Great Britain alid on' the Continent, during, which he has boon making inquiries as to motor matters. An exchange and mart has been opened at Boucher's Agency, 74, Lambton Quay, where second-hand machines, of any make will bo taken in for sale or exchange. No ehargo js made for gara.go. This department is under the management of Mr. M. Barnett, of London.