MOTORCYCLES .

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 156, 27 March 1919, Page 5

MOTORCYCLES .

NEXT TO USELESS TOR RURAL DELIVERIES. During the past two years the Post and Telegraph Department : has made extensive trials with the motor-cycle for the purpose of mail deliveries.' When the niotor-cyclo caino into favour fivo or eix years ago, the Department was inclined to believe that at length the ideal vehicle for rural deliveries at least liad been discovered, and numerous cycles of jill makes were purchased by the Department, niid used in many jilaees, chiefly in connection with .vuriil deliveries. The effect of those experiments may be gathered from the fact that the Department has dropped the use of motor-cycles ell .over 1 the country,, find at present nro only using two or ■ three in connection with rural deliveries. Practical experience over all Borte and conditions of roads has proved that the motor-cycle will not stand up. to the work. The amount involved on account of breaks-down and accidents was very considerable, -anil the running Mist u-s high. In. addition to the defects of the machine it .whs found that the- daily riding, over 50 and GO miles of country roads has been prejudicial ■to the health of the men so employed. After a few months, Iho constant jar of the molnr-driven machine was inclined to affect tho nerves of drivers. Even in the enviroiy; .of. Chrietchurch! where there are good rr-ads on the flat i he motor-cycle has lot "made good," and there 'has been » reversion to the faithful old push-bike .(with each motorcycle round divided info two).