MOTORS AND MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2198, 10 July 1914, Page 11

MOTORS AND MOTORING

[By Clutch.]

To-day's. Conference, | Much uiteiest ceuties aiomid the annual meeting ot tho New Zealand Automobile Union to bo held tins morning. It is hoped , that tlio piesident, Mr I' S M'Lcnn, will be able to gi\e the delegates some inkling ot the iiatuio of the proposed taxation on motoie, and jiatuiallj advantage will bo taken ol the gatheiiug to appioach the Mmistei of Intelnnl Affairs, the lion II D Bell, to whose Depaitment falls the administration of tho Motor Regulation Act Eight associations aio expected to ba lepresented at the association —Canterbuij, South Canteibuij, Wannate, Mailboiough, Wellington, Wairarapa, Mauawatu, aud Hawke's Baj Southland: is-also.'affiliated : to'the union, but its piesidont is awaj on holiday leave and no appomtmoiit of delegates seems to have been made tins jeai ' Auckland and Dunedin have not jet dhliated, and will not therefoio paitiupato in tho confoience Tho union executive has extended an invitation to the provisional committeo of the new 'North Island Aufco-cjclo Union to send delegates Tho three Canteibmy associations will bo iepresented conjointly bj Dr Simpson, and Messre. A Morten, F W. Johnston and W. E Mills, naivlce's Baj, by Mossis P. S M'Lcan, J S. Handybide, and R Duncan, Wairarapa, b\ Messrs C. A. Elgar and J V. Wilson. Fivo lepresentatives are expected from Marlborough and Nelson, two from Manawatu, and it is possiblo that three may come from Wellington. Scope of the Union. Tho action of tho union in inviting representatives ot tho new Auto-cjcle Union to attend tho congress is a welcoino step towards unitj, and it is to be hoped that it mil be tho beginning ot cordial co-operation between the two bodies. Tho interests ot motor-car owners and niotoi-cjchsts aie to a veiy large extent identical, and tho ends of hotli can best be served by woiking together in such matters at uatcUmg legislation, promoting road improvement work, and generally protecting the interests of motorists i'lio object of tho founders ot'the Automobile Union was to make its scope as wido'as possible Its constitution is specific on the point, and sets out the objects as follow — Throughout tho constitution the words "automobile," "automobilists," and "automobilism" shall '■ include motorcycle, motor-ejelists, and motor-c>chng respectively. Tho-New Zealand Automobile Union is 4 union comprising tyie to/eral automohilo and motor associations throughout the Dominion ol New Zealand, haung toi its objects"— (1) To encoiuago and develop tho automobile movement in tho Dominion. (2) To piovide a centre of liifoimation and advice on all matters pertain- I ing to automobilism (3) To euppoit the affiliated asfocia tions in the establishment ot the iightu ot automobihsts. , | (4) To promote caroful and considerate- driving on the pait of automobihsts aud the due observance of the rules and ' courtesies of the load on their part as j well as on the part of others (5) To obtain statutoij pioweions requiring all \ohicles travelling on public loads to carry sufficient lights after sunset. (6) To secuie tliat no one bo allowed to dme an automobile .without a license, such licenso to bo lenewable annually, and also to tecuie that reasonable regulations be mado as to the granting and Renewing theieof. (^< 1 '. % (7) To secure proper registration of automobiles , ' , , (8) To secure that any legislation or by-law dealing with tho question of speed limit be reasonable (9) To consult with mombors of the Government, or anv local authority on any pioposed legislation oi by-law affecting automobilista (10) To promote the establishment of a unifoim code of daugoi signals m the Dominion, and to induce the proper authonties to establish a complete system ot danger posts. (11) To promote the publication and maintenance of a piopei Guide Book or Guide Books foi the information of automobihsts throughout the Dominion (12) In case , ; in which it is eoubiderod by the executive to be expedient, to assist in the defenco of members or associations >against oppressive or unjust proceedings "" (13) To promote and encourage in overj wa> the construction and maintenance of good roads and bridges, and the implement of existing lughwavt, (li) Oenoiallj to take such action in ' the interests of automobilism as ma) be considered expedient from time to time.

A Wellington Association; Needed. • ■ ' While so much is being done through-, 'out; thei ■Dominion' to advance itho interests ' of > it., is '.■. regrettable that .iW^llingtpiisis.' taking .up : part; in' the good .work..'•'. The, city Jias an ener-imot'or-cydin'g ,clubj 'but:cav. o\yiic'rsareiwit'.ioutVany 1 organised body;act■iiig: bh/.theii; behalf..' There.'used to bo 'a,.v.WollmgtoVi^Vtpin6Me.vCluh, ,, ,'but , -it •seema.rto 'be'.dead •■'for, , 'all'jiraqtical; pur : , posesAvlts ihanition 'has'.resulted la a big'staok of; sign-postsi.'gonei-pusly .pre)sented:; by a city '■ motorist,' lying in 'a city gai'ago • instead; oif. •being' : placed : at' the .many/ danger-..sppte; on: the ■roads, !whero .they.haVo' - been long .cnough ; and badly!/enough- heeded...;■,."Clutch' 1 ' has for. weeks past 5 been vainly endeavouring to : .get iiito;,touch with the-officials''Qf the '.club': aiidy.discover;: whether it ; . still has a corporate' existence. Inquiries at the offices of the .New Zealand Automobile ■U l niqn failed;to' throw ;any light ■oil , tho.matter,' ahd'n'6 word lias been received of. the appointment" of delegates to to-day's conference. If the.se' fail to matCrialisej-.it ■ may'bo'takpn that -the Wellington.Automobile Club is dead for "good and all,; and the time will have arrived for city motorists to'mcet and foi;in a vigorous association.to look after things in this'.part 'of >the isla'nd.V There is plenty' of ..work to' be done, i and tho city has- had effective .demonstrafions in the .Wairarapa: of ;what can be , achieved by organisation. A sma.ll contributioii' by ■ motorists, ■ for;.-.instance, vvouldfdoubtlese'soon see the two. water -.splashes on the Palmerstbivroad bridged over, the attention of; local bodies heeds directing'to. several bad corners on the r'oad'Sj;and the lasity inVthe enforcement of the: lightiug-up by-laws calls for attention.'One could add to tho list indefinitely; The Automobile Club should cither, take up, the;work or formally dissolve and make way for a body that wilL. '--.'•■■ -'".: ■■ :■ - •'■■ . :

The lyianawatu, Cerge. The rcqiiost of la«t week's deputation for the: improvement of tho Jlanawatu Qorge Road will have tho hearty ondcrseineiit of all who have to use; that road..'•''. The deputation concerned itself chiefly with tho.'maintenance of the road, •■but thi; suggestions made -last year for -thn control of .traffic on it arc worth reciilliiig. In a memorandum prepared by Mr.. P.; S. M'Lcan, president of the Haw lib's Bay A.A., and circulated among the other associations concerned, it was state:l: "A .number of suggestions, have boon made as to precautionary measures,-.but tlio only effectual one so far is that there should bo established at either end of tlio Gorge a toll-bar. It is proposed tliat there should then be alternate hours for. going up ' and coming down, and that there should be a charge of J something like !!s. '3d. for each motorist going through, tlio ono fee to pay'tlie ( passage up and clown if both take place On thesamo'day'. . . .Tho road through■ tho Ma'nawa'tu Gorge is under the charge of three ■ difiovent

would see.their way to establish married couples in small cottages, one at either end of the t/oi-gc, and that thf> wito might look alter the toll bar, while tho husband looked after the road. It is estimated that the lcvemic deriral Iroin tho tolls would amount to not.loss at any rato than lrom 20.5. to 30s. per day, and that this would gradually increase and would provide i\ sufficient' revenue to meet the expenses ihcuired." Control of Main Roads. % ■Much attention is being given to road improvement work by the Walißanui local .bodies. Interesting suggestions on the subject have been made by Mi. G. H. Dickson, engineer to the Waitotara County Council. Mr. Dickson informed liis .council this week that -it would be preferable to the presenthaphazard methods of work if the Governmoiit took over the control of the mam and distnet roads. Tho county councils could, however, do better than this if they i would put their shouldorsi ,to tho wheels and work together ior the good of the Dominion as a whole, and their counties in particular, by appointing, say, two experts in load matters to travel through tho Dominion and advise tho county councils and their engineers as to the most economic, stable, and uniform methods- of ioadmakiug and maintenance. Hβ considered tho experts should be appointed for ,a period of from three to five years, and their successors chosen from tho lanks.of the county engineers. Undoubtedly, Mr. Dickson went on, thero was a great waste of'energy and money on account of • the incoherent methods of working. 'With combined 1 and uniform methods, vast improvements would soon be manifested in the condition of! the rbadsi f "The public and the taxpayers," Mr. Dickson added, "are clamouring for better roads, and why should not the county councils mako slronuous efforts to' allay this clamour and keep the roads of the Dominion:'abroast of requirements, and not, as at present, where each county is carrying out its own works and experiments in its own little tinpot way?"

The Tax Again. Taxation is the topic of the hour with motorists, andpne hears'a, wide variety of views on it. An interesting argument in favour of horse-power as the basis of a tax on pleasure cars was put fonvatd by Mr. G. H. Scott, of the Scott .Motor Agency, in the course of conversation the other day. Mr. Scott pointed out that a horse-power tax could be very easily collected, as every car imported into the Dominion had had its rating worked out for taxation purposes in England. With the ordinary run of two, three, four and five-eeater private cars, it is, lie argues,'speed and not weight that knocks tho roads about. A largo number of makers, for' instance, supply the same chassis with either a two-seater or four-seater body. ,With a tax on weight,; tho man who had' perforce- to travel at the slower speed [would pay tho highest tax, .while the two-seater man, who wae out Tor speed, would do far greater damage to the, Toads and contribute less towards tlieir upkeep. The slower-travelling man should certainly not be penalised. With regard to commercial vehicles, Mr. Scott was of opinion that the scalo should in this case be based on loaded weight',' and iiot on horse-power. A 35-h.p. lorry, weighing 2} tons, ,and carrying a load of 5 .tons, did far more damage, for instance, than a 45-h.p. charabanc, weighing 2i tons, and carrying 25 passengers, which would be equivalent to, say, another 1 'tons. , -' If he had kr maintain a road he would much, rather see the passenger vehicle'over it twice thaA the' louy once. Road Improvement Work. ' The Featherston County Council is proposing to deviate a mile and a half of tho road on tho Wairarapa side of tho.lUmutakas. Tho deviation ,will be between Featherston and the foot of tho ,hill, and will keep the road to the Eouthaide of Abbot's Creek, thus doing aivay with three bridges. At this week's meeting of tho Manau'atu County Council, the chaiiman, Mr. J. G. Wilson, expressed -the opinion that it'would be to the interest of the ratepayi-rs to purchase a road roller._ He said they could obtain a roller which would also work'.the .crusher when required. The stone-crughcr ,was turning out good metal, but it would be much better to grind it in with a 1 roller than ,to' wait till tho traffic hardened it down. ' 1 Kairauga County, which controls the I area around I'almenston, aiso con tern-1 1 plates a forward move. At Tuesday's meeting tho chairman statod that tliey badly wanted a road roller for repairing the main roads. Their greatest difficulty was that a number of thoir bridges weio not strong enough to cairy 11 road idler. They could not even tako onq over Fitzlior'bert Bridge. Councillor Wilshcr said the question would have to stand over until they ijot a loan to rpplace the defective brides and repair roads generally. It was decided to refer'the matter to a committee ]to bring up a report. , - ' The cheapest method , of chocking the over-rising enst of load .maintenance, tho country engineer (Mr. G. H. Dick-' son) informed, the Waitotnra County Council on Tuesday would bo to limit tho speed of motor cars. A good road for motor-ear traffio with a tarred surface, the engineer continued, could bo niado at 'a very reasonable cost. Heavy vehicular and traction engine traffic vould bieak a surface of this kind, and tho motor-car would complete the destruction. Unless the council was pre-' pared to build substantial foundations to the loads, tarrod or other top-dtess--ing would never give satisfaction. Motor-Cycling Notes. •Messrs C. D. Bridge and C. A. Lawrence have- been appointed to represent motorcyclists at the New Zealand A,utomobilo Union's conference to-day, in response to the invitation sent out liy that body. Two interesting events were run off by the Wellington Motor-Cycling Club on batuiday last. They were a teams' trial and a petrol consumption test, llio potrol consumption test was over a distance of 24.3 miles, and the ten entrants were placed in the following ■ order;—- ' ' Cβ t. Miles miles • per per Nome- -gnl. pint. ' iKlmiimls, H. E. dliimberetle) 70.7 02.732 , Jvpene, B. (Triumph '172.8 70.778 Boucher, J. (Rudge) 138 8 ."iS.riSO (.'wd, E. (B.S.AJ : 131.S r>0.013 l.inrdel, L. 10. N. e'ear) -M.l 53.7(i!) livine, - U.J.S. 2J) : ltil.r, 52.403 J /ell, A. (Doiigla-.) HI 47.5'),') ].-> Comte, A. (A.J.S.U 91.5 17.170 fieoige, I), tlmlinn T.T.) Hi.'.! 35 3(13 l'umici, C. (Triumph) 81.8 35.(11*1 Tho teams' .trial was over a couise which in fun , wcalhei would have be-on .1 fairly easy one, but was made decidedly difficult by the slushy slate of the roads. The teams each consisted of t'hrco riders on the samo make of machine. Tho trial resulted:— I.—A.J.S. 25-h.p. Team: Boucher, Jackson, and Tomliiio. No 'failures on lulls; 10 minutes late at finish. ''I. —lndian 7-b.p. Tram: Cleoige, Dicker-' Kon,' arid Bonder. 'No failures on hills: 20" minutes Into at finish. The lolloping teams failed on hills:— 8.5.A., Triumph (2), and Douglas.

Interbodies. ■■.It is thought probable that if like, the ahove sugßestion were adopted these local 'bodies

An-elimination test for best individual performance in the teama' trial will be held' to-morrow afternoon. The

club will nlsn linld a fast hill climb at Severn Sheet, s>taiting at 2.15 p.m. '10-morioiv week the Wellington Club will ihoid a side-car tnal on the Biooklyii hills. State of the Roads, About 300 jards of metal has been put on the worst patches on the Bulls■Sanson road. Metalline; is expected to begin immediately on tlio FoMon-Sanson load. About COU yaids of metal is to bo put on the woist places on the load between Himitangi and Fo.tton, and about 500 yaids on the KoUon-Shannon road. Owing to lieavy metal carting Jackejtpwn road and Jj'oxtoii line are'in. a bad state. The new llangiolu biidge is completed except-that the fencing and about half tho asphalt has to be put on. The. .Kangitikei' Council's roller has been working on the Cliff road, MartonBulls, Bulls-Tnrakina, and is now working on the Bulls-Scott's road, Between Groatford and Bulls tho old road was scarified, rounded.up, and- rolled down again. Unllshted Vehicles. Rangjtikei County is making an active eftorl to compel vehicles to carry lights at night as required by law. In his monthly report the engineer, Mr. Mair, sajs.—"l vent out with the police three different nights to catch persons , riding or -driving without lights. Wo caught a fair number; but they practically all appeared voluntarily before a Justice of the Peace and pleaded guilty. By them doing this wo tto not got the samo publicity that we would if we- could get them all at one time." Motor Servloo to Urenul. i The commercial motor is ' gradually finding its way far and wido over tho Dominion's country,districts. A Taranaki paper announces that tho motor bus service from New Plymouth to Waitara is shortly to be extended to Ureliiii, nine miles out on the Mohaii road. This means that it will be possible to leave Urenui in the morning, spend tho !day in.New Plymouth, and be back in Urenui for supper. Hints and Tips. "With twelve years' experience of very many different cars, I have como to the conclusion that chemical cleaning, gas burning, and even scraping witiiout removing ; tho cylinders only attack half the trouble due to carbon deposit, and that they arc not to be compared in any way to taking off the cylinders for a .thorough cleaning."— Stf writes "Aeolus" in tho "Autocar," and many experienced motorists will agree with him. An evenly applied coating of French chalk reduces friction,'but if it be thrown into • the'cover by handfute it works, up into' hard balls , , which arp targe enough to cause trouble. A good way of cleaning a hood is to remove it fromvthe car and, btietch it out to its rull extent. Obtain a good supply of <soap extract and . make a strong solution of this in boi'ing water. When cool enough to bear handling, scrub all over tho hood with this solutioiij using an ordinaiy domestic floor brush. 1 An English expert advises that, in tho event of a side-slip occurring, say, towards the gutter, it is very important that tho brakes should not be applied, otherwise tho skid will be increased. The correct procedure is to declutch and'turn the front wheels in the samo direction as that in which tho roar wheels are skidding. For instance, if the skid be towards tho left, ■ ono should turn the steering wheel, in tho samo direction, so that the final position of tho ear is parallel to the position in which it was. originally, but bodily slightly to " ; , of .course, further on. ■• -'"-■. An. interesting contsovorsy Is taking place, between the .Bntieh Northern Motor-Co. and Messrs. Moseloy and Sons,- as to whether old tires should be finished off on the back or front wheels." The Northern < Motor people, as recorded previously, favoured the formor, and declared that'bursts,on the front wheels 1 were frequently dangerous. To this Messrs. Moseley 'replied: "We agree that a burst on tho front wheel tyro can bo veiy dangerous with an'indifferent driver at tho wheel, but with a. careful driver tho danger is no more than the ordinary risks ,of the road which everv motorist has constantly to face, and a driver who 'is liable to lose his head whon a tyro binsts is equally liable to get into trouble on every occasion which requires prompt action.". Here antf. There. Legal lighting-up timo for motorcars and motor-cycles: To-day, 4.35 p.m.; next Friday, 4.42 p.m. The Stratford Mountain Club point out that- by motorists visiting Mount Egmont by starting from Eltham they can enjoy the pleasure of driving along a bcautiUil, tar-sealed 1 road, and can drive right up to tho door of the Mountain House. .Shipments of British motor-cars to Canada 'have increased enormously of late. Tho figure is now £203,519, against the previous figure, which was £71,955. Tho American exports to Canada havo diopped from '£217,313 to £72,379. Tho latter may bo due in some measure to tho growing tendency on the part of several American firms to build factories in' Canada. - i A firm of Parisian body-makers lias invented a method of body building offering groat freedom in design. The usual wooden framework is covered with wire netting, which is then plastered ovor with a special composition, which consists of thredded wood, iinoly-chop-ped cork, and various binders. / This dries in about 24 hours, is planed and sandpapered as if it wore completely wood, while it also takes tho paint well. Tho modern craze-of the. "youthful motor cyclist for taking a girl with him as a passenger on the carrier of his machine was responsible, a fow weeks ago, for a fatal accident on Wimbledon Common, near London. The motor cyclist tried to cum in, between a motor lorry and the kerb. The girl on the carrier was thrown off, and slic died within a few niinutes of the.accident.

Considerable excitement-is jiist iiow prevailing in motoring circles in France over, fhq proposal- of the French Gov' 'ernment to impose a tax on rubber to the extent of two francs per kilog, equal to' about 9d. per pound.'.lt is considered that the tax will increase the cost of tiro.s from 25 per cent, to 30" per' cent,. ■■; :'• •'■ /' : . '■..'■'

A good many travellers in particular and settlers in general strongly object to the toll gates of Tarnnaki, and more so lately because, in common with other things of this life, the prico or the schedule of toll 'charges iiasi been jncieased. A fow nights ago tho Waihi toll gate was taken off its hinges and carried away, and the next night the lamp was bioKcn. The matter has been placed in the hands of the police, and in replacing tho gate ."dogs" are to be used so that it caniiol' bo taken off its hinges without considerable noise, thmt giving the toll-keeper warning.