MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2497, 25 June 1915, Page 11

MOTORS & MOTORING

[Br Clutch.] Coast Route to Walrarapa. From the report of Mr. Toogood, 0.E., the missing thirteen miles ill tlic AYai-luii-Orongorongo route to the AVairarapa will bo cxpensivo to construct and maintain. Mr. Toogood estimates the cost at £50,000, and his recommendation is that the Wairarapa Automobile Association should abandon the idea of a road through Orongorongo ajul turn their attention to making the Rimutaka Road a good highway. Ho is of opinion that all the coiners on the Rimutaka can he improved fairly easily, but the mam difficulty is that the road had no permanent attention. He is convinced that if the road is put into repair and a man kept permanently upon it, keeping tlio water-table cloar, the road will remain good for years. What is really wanted is an asphalt or a tarred road, but this he thinks would be found too expensive. The association is to discuss the matter to-morrow. Difficulties of the Route. In tho cmiiso of his report Mr. Toogood says:— Tho route traversed may bo divided into four parts, namely: Featherston to Palliser Bay, Palliser Bay along tlio beach to Orongorongo, Orongorongo up the AVainui Valley to Lower Hutt, Lower Hutt to Wellington. Featherston to Palliser Bay (distance 23£ miles). A good serviceable road exists, all bu't miles at the Palliser Bay end is metalled. Two streams, namely, the AYairongorongo and the Battery, may require bridging to maintain a constant and uninterrupted traffic. Neither of these streams, nowover, presents any difficulty in fording except when in. flood. Palliser Bay along the beach to Orongorongo (distance 13 miles). The first three miles present no outstanding difficulties excepting drifting sand and the AA'harepapa and AVnarekauhau Streams. If those were the only difficulties it would be worth while considering them in detail. Tho worst and most' difficult portion of the sea coast road begins at the Corner Stream, where the hijgh mountains arc met. From this point to the AVaimarara Stream, a- distance of six miles, high cliffs, perhaps 800 feet in height, approach within a few chains of "high-water mark. These clifEs consist of roclc, which is easily weathored, and which slips in huge quantities on the beach Delow. Hie slipping is not over and done with, but is continued. Li some cases where a very large slip has occurred, a ravine lias been left, from which water discharges bringing down a constant supply of debris. One such slip occurs north of the Jlukamuka Stream, and no road could be maintained across the slip except at enormous cost. Tho toe of this slip readies to high-water mark, and the sea waves aro gradually washing it away, leaving huge pieces of rock standing out on the beach. It would bo necessary to carry a road 011 trestling across those difficulties. Most of tho streams debouch on the beach with a declivity of 1 in 12, and when in high flood thousands of tons of shinglo are brought down, making a fan-liko talus, which presents great difficulty in bridging and controlling. There are four large streams which would be particularly difficult to cross with a reliable road. From tho AVaimarara Stream to Mr. Riddiford's house at Orongorongo, a distance of four miles, there aro no difficulties in making and maintaining an excellent road. After giving tho matter due consideration, I have come to the conclusion that an adequate motor road between Palliser Bay via the coast to Orongorongo, a distanco of thirteen miles, would cost not less than £50,000. It would require constant attention at a cost of not less than £500 a year, and even then it would, in parts, be liable to obliteration by the overwhelming slips which occur. The distance from Featherston to Orongorongo is 361 miles. The total distance from Featherston to AVellington via Palliser is 63 miles, as against 39 over the Rimutaka Hill. In southerly weather, travelling would bo decidedly unpleasant and slow, while with a northerly wind, I am led to believe, large quantities of sand are constantly on the move. The only advantage of this route over the Rimutaka is that there aro about 8 miles less hill climbing to do; that is, considering the AVainui Hill to be as bad as the Mungaroa Hill.

| insurance Soheme. A scheme is on foot to establish a Motor-car Insurance Company under the auspices of the Wairarapa Automobile Association, and Messrs. T. E. Maunsell, J. D. Smith, and I. Y. Wilson, who constitute a committee set up to go into the matter, brought forward their report at last week's meeting. This was read and discussed in most of its bearings, but it was fin illy considered that still more time was war.ted, and a special meeting should, be held to-mor-row to discuss this question, and also to discuss a proposal for putting the Rimutaka road in a state of good' repair. The Caro of Tires. Despite the fact that tires wear out sooner than any other accessory of a motor-car, many motorists give them no more attention than they givo the springs. A handy bookler cn the subject lias been prepared by the manufacturers of Firestone tires Very important, to the tire at any ratej is the knowledge of how to stop the car. The hard application of footbrakes is damaging to the tread of the tire, since locking the wheels causes the car to slide an appreciable distance. Spinning drive-wheels also is fatal to the tread, wearing off the rubber and damaging the fabric underneath. The motorist should avoid driving in ruts. The sides of tires are iinnecessarily scraped, and in the long run the tires ?we bound to deteriorate. Driving in a rut witli the tires partly deflated is the height of tire abuse. Much lias been said, but much more can still be said, ■ f the foolishness of allowing tires to stand in oil. Oil is a solvent of rubber, and the ultimate effect is as certain as if clothing wero allowed to sta.rd in acid. Even the grease that often is_ spattered upon tires from leading differentials should be wiped off at the end of the day. Here and There. Legal lighting-up time for motor-cars and motor-cycles:—To-day, 4.28 p.m. Next Friday, 4.30 p.m. According to official figures from New York, there are about 180,000 motor cyclists in the United States. California tops the list with 24,709,, and New York City second with 24,000 machines. E. G. Baker, the American motor cyclist, who holds the Transcontinental record from San Francisco to Now York —3734 miles, in 11 days 12 hours 10 minutes —lias announced his intention of endeavouring to capture the car record for the same trip, which stands to tho credit of L. I). Wl.itmaii, at 10 days lo hours 13 minutes.