MOTORS AND MOTORING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2137, 1 May 1914, Page 11

MOTORS AND MOTORING.

[Br CmjtchJ

Motor Insurance Rates. That bugaboo of motorists, the present insurance tariff for cars, has been .intlor investigation by the Auckland iVutomobilo Association. As tho rates ,voro generally considered prohibitive, a iub-committeo was set up to go into ihe whole question, ami ut last week s neoting of tho association tho president, Uγ. iS'evillo Newcomb, stated that it appeared from tho committee's inquiries ;hat if anything was to bo done- it would jo necessary to form a now insurance lompany with a paid-up capital of £50,000. The question was wliothor, t ;uch a company were formed, it could )o induced to do business mi a better arifit than that at present charged, tfter some discussion, it was decided ■o request the sub-committeo to coninuo its' 'nvestigatious and go fully hto tliis point. It is interesting to compare tho rates ;enorally asked in New Zealand with fhoso prevailing in England. Tho writer ias before him, two schedules, one obained locally, and the other taken from i recent issue of an English motoring ournal. Tho general terms of the conract are the samo in both policies, but inder each heading the English conditions aro more liberal. In Now Zealand ho owner is called upon to bear from ':» to £20 of each loss, but under tho English policy tho insurance company akes full liability. Under tho heading f accidental damage, the items "wear nd tear, mechanical breakdowns, rtibiCt tyres, and damage to lamps" are ncluded in England, but excluded in Jew Zealand. Under tho third party isk tho English owner is also covered i-hen driving any other car of not ;reater horse-power than the insured ar, provided his own car is not at tho amo time in. use.. In New Zealand over is given only against accident durig inland .transit, but in England gainst loss in sea transit also, whether otween ports in the United Kingdom i- tho Continent of Europe. No medical xpenses' aro quoted in the New Zeamd policy, but the English owner gets p to £10 for each accident. Finally, : no claim is made during tho year _a eduction of 15 per cent, is given m Ingland on tho renewal premium, while nly 10 per cent, is quoted on tho New ealand one. , Heavy Tax on Owners. It is obvious. from.- the above that if io premiums were tho same the Engsh motorist would still bo getting much ie best or' tho bargain. But what is io position ? Taking three representavc lines, the 10 h.p., tho 10 h.p., and ie 3C h.p. car, the two schedules coinarc as under :— English Company's Rate. 10 h.p. 1C h.p. 30 h.p. • £ s. X s. X s. .£2OO ...... 7 15 10 0 - j>3oo 8 15 11 0 115 , JIOO 0 15 12 0 IS 5 . .£SOO ...... - 13 0 IB 5 JJGOO — It 0 IV 5 New Zealand Rate. 10 h.p. IGh.p. 30 h.p. £ s. -■£ s. £ s. £2W U 10 18 10 U 0, .£3OO ....;. 15 0 • • 19 0 25. 0 ,£4OO 15 10 . 20 0 20 0 £500 16-0 21 10 27 0 .£6OO 1G 10 23 0 28 10 The differences between tho two iheduies- are certainly remarkable: It is, however, to be borne in mind that io volume of motor insuranco business l Now, Zealand is muclisiiialler than in io United Kingdom, and thVronds are' mgher and the liability to accident no )übt greater on this score. On the ;her:hand, it may be argued that as io volume of traffico is smaller in New ealand than in England, accidents arisig through congestion of traffic should 3 fewer. A good deal can be said on Dth sides of the question. . Tho point ; that while one would oxpect New Zeaiiid rates to bo higher than the Brit;h, bno would hardly look for tho vast ifferenco shown in the,two schedules., : tho automobile associations can find )tno way of lightening this very heavy urdon on motorists —perhaps one ought ) say of .making insurance .possible for Iβ-.average motorist —they will unoubtedly bo doing a .valuable work. toad-making at Eltham. The fame of tho good work that the ■jltham .County Council is doing in tho ,-ay of road-making has by this timo pread far and wido. . Motorists who. avo made the run through to New 'lymou'th will havo pleasant memories f. the stretches around Eltham. _ Mr. \ Baslmrn, tho county engineer, is one f the koonest enthusiasts on road-mak-ng in New Zealand, and he haa nado somo interesting experiment? nth up-to-date methods of construction, ibout two years ago tho main road torn Eltham' out towards Kapouga was prayed over with a mixture of- tar ,nd sand, after having been metalled ud rolled. Tho cost of the tar-spray-, ng was very light, about £45 a mile, nd when the writer went over tho road n Ootober last it was in excellent cpnlition. the whole of the wear having ic-eii taken by tho surface coating, Icavnit the metal intact. It was obvious, lowever, that a second coat would soon ie necessary, and the point was whehor the tar and sand would not cako iff and come away from the metal as ,ime went on. Mr. Basham states, in epl.v to an inquiry, that this, which ho \ad feared, has come to pass, and alibouch the council realises tho benefit if this method of treatment —tho same oad previously cost £300 per annum >or mile to maintain—it has on his ad>ico abandoned it in favour of moro asting methods. A stretch of road in Eltham Comity vas some time ago treated the "tar nacadam in situ" ' process, that is to ;jlv» tho metal was coated with tar beoro tho road-roller went over it, and vas then rolled aad bound into a solid nass. This is standing well, and shows no sign of wear. Somo eight niles of road havo lately been treated vith Restar, with, so far, gratifying remits. Mr. Basham says that, in his opinion, the future will seo all main roads treated with smno form of tar, as the motor traffic is increasing so ranidIv that local bodies will bo compelled to adopt somo of tho various methods in self-defence. A Sane Decision. An interesting decision on the question of a safe speed for motorists was given by Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., at Christcliurch last week. A doctor was charged by tho police- with "speeding on l'apanui Road (a straight and level thoroughfare), the pace of bis car being estimated at 20 miles an hour. Defmidant's counsel submitted that up to 22 miles an hour was a safe and proper pace, fnvin?. the motorist a bettei ohance of kepping clear of other traffic. At twenty miles an hour a motorcar was under better control than n cab or cart at ten miles an hour. II a man w.ns' not allowed to drive at twenty miles an hour on I'apanui Road lm iis woll leave his car at home, The defendant, in evidence, said that ho was going at fifteen or sixteen mile.' an hour. At crossings ho slowed and sounded his horn. Tho Magistrate pointed out that if a motorist wa.' driving hi his proper position there was no dancer of cross-traffic. Tho onus should he on the man entering tho. mail arterv from a oross street.. Twoiitj miles an hour on a wido road was quit: SiiFu. except in abnormal circumstances and he would not enter a conviction. Starting in Gear. A taxi-cab driver was killed in Eng laud in March through starting his en

;ine in gear. Among'. Use runny aeci flouts from this caftso was oi:o dowj tho Jiullcr road re-icatJy. In that ca& the driver was knocked over and t!i:ar. ran oft' tho road and oveHurni-jdj it iwo occupants, a lady aw! a child, beiwi severely Knocked about. This latest fatality in England 3m led to some* discussion whether ihe i»re sent system of construction is as perlec is it might be. Many cievk-es have beei brought out at one tmio or another t< jrovent tho engine starting-hand.io boi.ni iised unless tho gear level is in neutral but they have never come into wide use \ writer in the "Autocar" suggest, :hat it might bo possible to reverse tin present arrangement or the clutch a :hafc its normal position would bo tlia )1; disongngement, instead of engage ncnt. Ho thintts it should be possij.ili :o deviso somo eimpfo moans of keeping tlio clutch in engagement as long a: lesirod without_ tho necessity for tin lriver maintaining pressure on tin jirtcli podal. Tho most practical outcome- of tn< liscussion is a reminder that tho safes' ilarc in starting up is- always to givi ;ho handle a preliminary turn-over be 'ore switching on. flotor Cycling Notss^ A conference is to be- held at Pal nerston on Saturday, May '2&, for iht >urpose of forming o, JJorth lslalK Luto-cyclo Union. Each club is being lotificd of tho arrangements- by tbx Vellington Motor-cycnug Club and a ;ood muster of delegates is expected. Tho next competition of tho W.M.C.C. ,-ill bo lield to-motrow and will take he form of a speed judging compotiioii. Competitors will have their speedmeters disconnected and will give U)i heir watch.es before starting. They rill then he given a card showing the peed per hour which they nsust avefge over the course. The winner will o the riclor who comes nearest to the ime ho should have taken at the rate ot him. Each competitor will bo iven a different speed. Tho course will o from Clyde Quay te Kelkmie Kiosk, ia- Evans Bay, Worsor Bay, Miramar, .yall Bay, and Ohiro Bay, Next week flexibility hill climb will bo held at lakara A number of ladies have been elected onorary members of tho W.J1.C.0.' Direction posts and arras for thb arious necessary points on tho road rom Ngahanranga to Poriru-a arc bow oing prepared by tho W.M.C.C. and ill shortly, bo erected. Reports received by the clvrb state Itat metalling has begun on the road etween Waikanae and Otakl, also near [anakau, and between Eke-tahute and 'ahiatua. 'Safety First." Four years ago a "Safety First" caimaign was originated by Mr. Eafplt C?. tiehards, general claim agent of the Jhicago and North-Westqrn Railroad. is a result, tho fatal accidents on.tho ino wero reduced in ttrenty-tw-o months y 22.75 per cent, and other accidents ■J' 27.6 per cent, ■ Other railroad systems took up - the cry, and now tho lovement has become general in tlio itiok, and efforts are everywhere being Mdo to reduce tie number of acci» outs on tho highways as well, as the ailroads. "Statistics cleatly sLeir that tfe re* ponsiMlity for traftio accidents is equalv divided between the motorist and tins icdestrian." .This is a statement muflo iy Mr. Georgo H. Whittle, president if the Chicago Public Safety Ccmiilisand this largely constitutes tho ioynbte of the "Safety First" sompaigfl ,s applied to road trau.spoft. Ivho1 v ho raovenent is taking inany forms, and tlio 'Autocar" in a recent rolcroEco to it irinted the appeal of tho Automobile )lub of TJtica:-^ ."Motorists.—Drive sjeirly anrl wore larefully; give pcdestriijits the right of vay at crossings,- «. few secoads more vill not dolay you. _ "Drivers of Kars-c-dfawß Vchiclos.— s.eep well to tho right- \ look behind you ind raise yrfur> arffl before- you attempt » .turn j do not fuss when you are reluested not to obstruet traffic. "Pcdestrians.-*-Ptease do not cross tho itreets anywhere except at crossings, ind then look both woys before doing «. You have t'oo right of wny at crosßnp;s, but not elsosvhcre. Suggest to rour children that they play on the smooth side streets that arc not generilly used by vehicles." -lints, Tips, and Queries, Readers of this column aro invited o send along ally hints and tips likely. » bo of use to other motorists. Queries ilso will bo welcomed, and, wlwro possible,, an endeavour will .bo made'to \ave answers sullied by -experts. Lot;ers should bo addressed to " ''Clutch,' \lotx)r Column, Dominion Office, Welington." A light car-owner, who contemplates 'itiiig an undrn's-hield en his car, is n doubt whether to extend it far iiiough back to protect the universal oint and bearing behind tho gear-box, jr whether to bring it; only to tlic rear if tho engine anrl clutch. He says he ias beon warned that a metal underscreen below tljo gear-bos wiß act as o. sounding-board awd inftko liis car very aoisy on the indirect gears. Perhaps »mo reader can throw light oa this point. When the petrol is (yravity-fed to tho ;arburetter, always-see that provision ,s made for air entering tii.e tank, otjierivise the petrol will refuse to flow. In washing bodywork it is a good plan to mix a vary little- paraffin with tho water, as it will help to remove and stains. The quantity should riot exceed a tahlßspoonful to. a bucket af water. Sprinß shackles and lubricators aro i-ery often given insufficient attention, often because of tho owner's isatwrnl distaste-for dealing with things which wo, as a rule, in a dirty st&te. Qitasionally tho shackle- pins should, bo taken 'out and given a thorough clwjß, and replaced with plenty of thick grease. AVhero largo _ screw-down greasers are fitted, particular attention should bo paid to tlio lubricating channels being quite dear, as ij they havo bcenrnft choked up with djrt rapid wear ef the shacldo pin will inevitably oceui , . Here and There. Legal liyhting-up tiino to-<laj, 4.6S p.m., nest "Friday, 4.50 p.m. The early completion of tho proposec new road from Wainiarino into Toknanti at the southern end of Lake Taapo u being lool;cd forward to with interest Mr. P. S. M'lrc-an, prcstdout of t-B« New Zealand Automobile Union, considers that the Government should bi urged when completing tho work it put the road around the eastern shon of Taupo in a state of reasonable repair. This would-not cost a grwa dew and would give a mow through route. Good time was mado by the Makan Milk Supply Company's now motorwagon on its Itrst ran in with mill , from Makara on Tuesday. Ctirryiug ; full load the u-ngnn—a 30 li.ji. Tiiurny croft, supplied by Jlcssrß. llatrwk aw Co.—covered the ten miles ovor tin hills in 52 minutes, Tho run was made on kerosene. The Auckland Autcmobilo Associatiot is still continuince its monthly runs. Th< next one is fixed for to-morrow, oi which occasion tho inmates of t&( Auckland Blind Institute will bo takes for an outing. -In the United States a recent estimate shows that t'ao percentago &. worm-drivea tars has declined fra'ii

2 to 0.75 lior cent.; on (he oiuor iiaiitl, ilio projioitioirof cars vvitli hcvcl drive lias increased from 96.3 to 96.2 per cent. His Holiness Popo. I'ius X lrns decidcii to usi> a Chicago electric usotorcar. Tho vehicio m question is ;i rivoscated limousine. '' Clorcical .moiorist* arc by no m<?ans uncommon, in New Zealand, and on« of tlie keenest is Or. 'Clear.v, IJoman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, whose Ivltawledgo of 3)is ear Irani differcnlial to r»diatar ie equalled only fiy his inlimato acquaintance'.with tho bai-U----j blocks'roads-of his elioccse. • 1 JlrtUir-car races, both on the mad and the- track, are receiving a good tjonl of fi?)a»eial oiieoiiragoiiTOiil. in America. Softlo of tho jirwe-nteney iigurps for various events are. as follow: —Indianapolis, £10,000; Seattle. £W00; Sioux City, £5001); Los A;>gclcs-Sacramcut.o. 422900: Coreiin. £2200; Tbcoto, £2100; Sante'Mo«ica.'£2ooo; Blfiin, £'2000; Los Angoles-Tlwonix, £1900: F;l I'aeoPlioeiiis, £1300; Oalvcston, £1000. Tho imports of United States niotorii into Germnny practic-ally doubled last year, nnd that country has now displaced France from first place, Bol- ! gium tflkes third p3sce on the list, but witli !i big decrease, being foHowerl by Grpftt Britain, Austria, Italy. Switzerland. :. Many American Otitis arft nrranfring to put a light vehiclo otl the market, and the most popular price won Id seom to bo £60. Tiindcm Ecating is very prevalent, and in Borne cases tho desigii follows cyele-ca,r line* rather than staicterd light-car practice. Large engines nro also a prominent feature of many designs, and on the whole, tho -tendency- is towards a miniature car. New Season's Moriels. ' 'fho now season's models o? the ysifious British motor firms nr« now well reprc-1 sentx'tj in the local ajafket. O»a of the latest batches to arrive is the shipment of lOli Sunboxns, colonial raeuel, iwst l»nd?d landeil by. Messrs. llajfftws, him-; dersan, and Co. Those nfo the popular 12-36 h,p. ftve-sentert, nnd have been ogii : sicterably inipfoved in detail over lost season's models. Tboy aro fitted ia the thorough awl «jj4o-date lan-nner lftr which the Sunbeam is fttwons. New model flu'pmobiles are en viefr at Messrs. Hatriok and Ce,'s warehowse in Wabefield Street. Tito grocral design « tho simo as in the prtvious roodil, out there n.ri? improwimonts in d«tii), «i"« one notices nmoiis other tliijisis the Westittg'house self-starter. Tho l%ht petrol eonFHinptiofl aad general rdiabßity. of the Hupraobile wore wril exhibited in the recent Pictati to 6unedi.li reliability tost run. The new Oveflauds, fxsr whieh tho same firm are fta&nts, are equipped-with the Gray -and fiavis osectric sstf-staiter. The output of Ovc-rlartds oontinw* to pww, and the total for the sen>E<m Will Bβ 60,009. Th.9 iiaptorements in tlie Stirfebaker, tho new rnoflel of which will be shortly oft frantl itt the Grore Motor Worts in CHittKncso Sheet, inditdft an eloctrie selfsiavter. electric liglit, and a fusl ttoiitmg back asle. The lflK Perry light ear, fov which Messrs Injflis Bros, are ngffnts. has interestinsr ii-nfivovcments on the previous model. The petrol is now pressuro-fcel, thn steering is by worm a«d seßinent instead of direct, aad there is a Ml floating bacfc asSe. The Scott Stotor Agency Iwive just opened a batch of five Austins and a B.S.A. As evidence of the popularity of tlto .\n4in they report Ui« sale thrflii.qh ■ the WeliiftgW depot of 160 r.ew ciit-S in the t*«nty meaths «nd«l Peceaibcr 31 last, equal' to an average <if over eight cats per month for tho period.