MOTOR NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1891, 28 October 1913, Page 11

MOTOR NOTES.

[Bi Chassis.] During tho last week two wellknown Wellington motorists have returned from extensive tours to tho Old Country, and have some interesting facts to relate with regard to the motor industry. Mr. G. Hamilton Grapes represented New Zealand at the Imperial Motor Transport Conference, and, during bis stay in England, he went thoroughly into matters connected with tho motor trade, paying particular attention to tho latest developments of tho commercial vehiclo; ■whilst Mr. W. W. Pilkington. during his visit to England, America, and Germany was shown' oyer tho works whoro aro made such well-known cars as tho Napier, Daimler, Argyle, Renault, and Austin.' Interview With Mr. Crapes. During tho course of an interview, Mr. Grapes expressed the opinion that there was a brilliant future for tho motor-'bus, but pointed out that tho successful operations of tho London General Omnibus Company cannot bo taken as a criterion for New Zoaland, as tho conditions in tho former are ideal, and allow for exceedingly lifjht vehicles, compared with those which would bo necessary for our country. Tho B type of tho G.O.C. vehiclo is constructed with frame of reinforced ash, which no other vehicle has outside of London. Tho running cost is only 7d. a mild, and with the TillingsStevens petrol olectrio 'bus only 6}d. per mile, whilst tho Thomas electrio transmission makes a still furthor reduction possible. In the provinces, Mr. Grapes found the motor-'bus just as successful, but he thought tho single-deck 'bus, with a longer wheel base and a lower centre of gravity, was superior to the double-decker, which produces "waves" on tha road-surface. As an instance of cheap fares, Mr. Grapes quoted tho' service between Hounslow and Burnlmm, only 9d. boing charged for the 18 miles' return journey, As to the fuel problem, Mr. Grapes has no faith in benzol, except as a palliative, and said that the Imperial Motor Transport Conference unanimously favoured alcohol as tho future motor fuel, being supported in tliiar view by Professor Vivian B. Lowes, Sir Bovorton Redwood, and other great fuel authorities. Aloohol can bo produced on a permanent basis at Is. per gallon, and if a more powerful fuel is required it coiild be iurntshod by a' mixture of other fuels in Bmall proportions with alcohol. On the motion of Mr. Grapes, tho conference unanimously decided to ask tho Governments and ' Chambers of Commerce of tho various Dominions of tho Empire for subsidies towards tho maintenance of the . permanent committee, with a yiow to assisting financially tho .research work which is to bo supervised by tho Scientific Committee of the Royal Automobile Club. Alcohol needs an engino Afferent to tho one now used, and por-. haps by the time alcohol is ready for use the electric vehiclo 'will have boon go perfected as to make it unnecessary. A Chat With Mr, Pilkington. Interviewed by a Dominion reporter Mr Pilkmgton said; "My visit to England has been a revelation to mo—it has shown mo that this is indisputably ~o , a ? e tho motor, It is sweeping all beioro it. All tho leading manufacturers aro going at it hammer and tongs to keep up with the doinand. Most of • them are working doublo shifts; and all the works I visited are extending their premises and plants as rapidly as they can. Mr. Pilkington ndded that tho London General Motor-Bus Company had 2400 buses in daily uso, and were building two a week extra, these being formidable rivals of tho County Council's electric cars, the tubes, and tho suburban railways. Another wonderful development was tho arrival of tho cyclo or • mosquito • car, thousands of which aro running in London and the provinces. Thoir' price is from £125 to £175,_ and at such a figure it is not surprising that the ordinary pneumatic bicycle is being superseded, and that m Mr. Pilkington's words, "the rider of a safety-bicycle looks as out-of-date . as did formerly tho riders of the tall, ordinary machines a few years ago." A 40 Horse-powor Motor Lorry. Messrs. Campbell and Sons, carriers, havo just received delivery of a Halley 40 horse-power motor-lorry, the body (if which has been fitted by Messrs Rouse, Black, and Son at their Kent Terraco factory, tho chassis being landed by Messrs. Dalgety and Co. The engine is of four-cylinder type, with inlet and exhaust, valves on opposite sides, and tho cylinders cast separately. Lubrication is by pressure feed. • A governor is fitted to act on tho throttle valve, and keep the speed to 1000 r.p.m. The cooling system is by. water pump. The wheels are all steel, heavily shod with solid rubber, and special springs are fitted to take heavy loans. The overall length is 22ft., and the vehicle is a regular monarch of the streot, with its large radiator, big driving wheels, and huge bulk. The Canterbury Association. . Proof of the excellent work done durin? the last decado by the Canterbury Automobile Association is- nrovided by Mr E. Nordon, who his just resigneil from the secretaryship. . "The Automobile Association," lie said, " was formed at tho beginning of 1903 by Sir. M. A. Jenny, a Swisi gentleman residing in Christclmrch, and a keen motorist, who had the distinction of owning one of the first ears imported into New Zealnndi • For tW first few months 'lio acted as honorary secretary, and on his removal from Oliristcliurch the kte'Mr. IT. 10. Asquith held the position for a fow months. On his death the position was filled by myself, and I have had it ever since. At the .time of iny taking over tho secretaryship the association had 32 members and a credit balance of about £15, and on the day I gave up the duties it hnd 430 members and a cash balance of £006 with others assets also. During that time tho association has done nil enormous amount of good work for the benefit of motorists, and thoy have to tlip.uk it for tho immunity from harassing Customs duties which has boon enjoved for so long. The association js also largely responsible for the improved touring conditions in tlio province of Canterbury. When I first becamo secretary of the association the local bodies took very little notice 'of protests from tho executive, but to-day these same bodies often approach the 1 association for advice and assistance in tho matter of road improvement. One of tho greatest road improvements effected bv the association is tho erection of white posts at tho water-races on tho road between Oluistchurch and Timari?. Tho first of these posts was erected by the association many years ago between Ralcaia and Chcrtsoy, and the association soon saw the absolute necessity of continuing the good work' : as far as Timaru, and this has been a great lioon to alt drivers of cars, especially on the Mnronian Road. Then the association has granted considerable sums of money towards tho bridging of troublesome creeks and rivers, and iri quite a number of ways it has conduced to the comfort mul safety both of car drivers and other users of the road." ' Speaking of tho future, Mr. Xonloii | said that lie tlimiffht it was_ bright, . always supposing that motorists , sup- [ ported the association both morally ami : materially. The influence such a body i could yield was in direct -proportion to i its meinbcrshii), and the larger this 1 was tho more chance the association bad 1 of intr-odttciiipi reforms that, would add 1 to tho general comfort and well-being -of automobjlism in Canterbury. 1 Street Accldonts. A recent iseuo of an English daily I paper gave some mterwstinfi data ro•)

garding street accidentia. "Improper riding on the backs of vehicles caused 14 per cent of the total, and cyclists caused- 6 por oent. of these accidents* Thoro wore 28,470 persons injured during the past three yoars by non-power driven vehicles, and' of this number 12,813 were due -to cyclists. Magistrates have no power to order a boy oaught riding on the back of a tramcar, or any otner vehicle, to be birched." It is worthy of note that accidents caused by motor, cyclists were so few that they wore not mentioned. Our Postal Servloo Machlnos. A recent issue of the !'Motor Cycle" contains tbe following:—"After experiments extending over some considerable time, the Now Zealand General Post Office Authorities have placed a contract with the local agents for tlio 15,I 5 , and M, for twenty-four standard machines for use in the postal service. As ii W oll known, New Zealand roads are not of tho best, and it is a testimony to tho !'• and M. machino that tlio samples which have been under 'test havo given continual satisfaction, and tho contract referred to is tho ultimate result. Incidentally, it is a score for British machines, as tho machines m competition wero not only of British make." General News Notes. The Japanese motor-cycle champisnsliip, held on a grass track over a distance qf twelve miles, resulted sii a win for Emi, '\ylio, riding a frrampn, took 12min. Bsec. for tho distance. Shiomi, also on a Triumph, was but tlireo-quartors of a length behind. A Banzor motor-eyclist (It. E. Grico) is reported to liav© satisfactorily climbed Snowdon on a 2! h.p. .Sunbeam. . It is interesting to learn that British makers are porng to show at Olympia. models of light cars about 12 to 14 h.p. fitted with four-cylinder engines with two and four seated bodies, properly equipped with detachable wheels Belling in the region of £176 to £180, Next- year's trading should greatly benefit by this innovation, and if the maleers can Rive results of ti>st'S , niado witn these small cars it will endow that publio wlio cannot afford hundreds ot pounds for a car with confidence that safe and reliable motoring is within their reach, and that their monoy, small as it may seem, will be thoroughly well invested.