MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 252, 18 July 1919, Page 17

MOTORS & MOTORING

$- (By "Clutch.") Wellington Automobile Club. A very vigorous campaign to increase its membership to 2(KX) is' being prosecuted, by ;the Wellington Automobile j Club. That tho present membership of tho club should number only a 'littlo over 2DO is rutiier n reflection on motorists m tho city, considering that them arc over -WOO registrations in the hands 'of tho city motor inspector. For the idvantiige and benefits whicS motorists it present enjoy they havo no one. to hank except a few keen 'and ■hard-wonc-\g enthusiasts in the Wellington Autolobile Club. It is only a bavo duty i these men that the great aild' growng body 01' Wellington motorists should ,how their appreciation of what has been done by immediately 'joining the I'aiiin of the club. Among the benefits which the cuib has obtained for motorists t\t» the following: (1) Saved over 300 motorists about ,£1509 in court fines by successful appeal against the I'etouo. speed by-law of twelve miles an hour, and, in addition, got this increased to 15 and 20 wiles j (2) by persistent effort got the Petoiie '"hurdles" removed; (3) touk'aii active part in getting a bridge aerosn Abbott's Creek on the WellingtonFeatliersttm Road; (1) had numerous danger and 'finger-posts erected; (5).,.. were successful m getting councils to erect. • fences' in many places on dangerous ,hill roads, and bridge many water races; (6) by repeated requests by correspondence i ana deputations have had many raids repaired; (7) arranged with City Council about parking places in tho city for leaving motor-cars; (8) inacio frequent requests to Government to compel tho adoption of uniform motor by-laws throughout the Dominion; (9) obtained ■ a .promise from the Government to subuiit all motor bylaws to Automobile Ujnion for perusal before"being authorised; (10) have on every suirarjle occasion agitated lor improved ' roads. It will undoubtedly pay motorists to become membei's of the club, for it has resolved to include the following objects in its "fighting platform"— (1) Agitate for a new road from Wellington to Paekakariki ' via Pukerua,. which will reduce the elevation by about , 600 ft.', and shorten tho distance by about four miles. (2) Get the road from Upper Hutt to Waikanae competed and open to motors before the end of next euni- . mer; (3) continued effort will be made either to get the Eimutaka Eoad iin- ' proved and fenced, or a new routo to the Wairarapa; (4) urge the council to form a road from the Seatoun cutting to lyall Bav, and improve the all-sea drive; and to''make an improved and complete mountain drive round the city; (5) get additional finger and danger posts erected both in the city and on country roads; (C) bring pressure to bear on the . Government to construct the proposed main arterial memorial road from Auckland to the Knft; (7) make requests from ime to too to have dangerous corners emoved, roads regraded, and to prevent 16 projection of water-plugs and man- ' oles in the city streets; (8) bring pressure to bear on the Government to compel all vehicles to carry a rear light; (9) support local authorities in tho regulation of street trarfio and other matters ■ concerning the/welfare of motorists; (10) educate pedestrians'in tho avoidance of motor traffic. Parking Place for Cars. Following is a list of parking places for motor-cars in the city—Attken Street, Eowen Street, Bunny Street, Stout Street, Whitmore Street, Waring Taylor Street, Johnston Street, Hunter Streot, AVilleatop. Street, Mercer Street, Dixon Street, Marion Street, A]wl Smith Street, Clyde' Quay, and Cambridge Terrace. Liability for Accidents. The legal claim of a non-fare paying ■ passenger who is injured in a motor accident has hitherto been rather « contentious point. '.Realising this, the Royal Automobile Club, England, have just taken counsel's opinion on the matter. The eminent authority by whom tno cluio were advised cleared up a number of the intricacies of the question. Counsel held that a car owner 'is lia'blo for any personal injury caused to its passengers, through his' negligent driving, even although such passengers are not paying for their rconveyance. The car owner is also liable if injury is caused to passengers through tho careless driving of his servant, provided that tho passengers are being conveyed with his consent. But 1 he is not liable to them if they aro being given a-"joy ride" by his chauffeur without his; permission. Regarding injury caused 1 to passengers by defects in the car of which the owner was not aware, counsel held that there is no liability on his-part, except, of course, .'where gross negligence is evident. There 1 4s, counsel suggested, no distinction between a servant of the car owner who may happen to be a passenger and any other free passenger. The servant injured by his master's negligent driving has a claim against him. Evolution of the Perfect Car. How absurd were thoso theorists who not so long ago were fond of asserting that the motor-car had reached finality! At no time, perhaps, in the history \of motor engineering has anyone known such activity being directed to the alteration and improvement of tho autoinobilo as at present. In practically every branch of tho industry inventors and designers all over tho. globe 'are working on new ideas, and if only one in a hun. died of these makes good, the number will be sufficient to bring u'bout many changes. The evolution of the perfect car calls for many improvements, many refinements, and greater efficiency with economy. Engines, gears, carburettors, transmissions, and suspensions are open to many developments, and the tyre problem is always with us..-The constant striving after improvement,in the cars will stimulate interest, and unfold .hew advantages for motoring, thus bringing in new recruits. ; Speed Maniacs, Tho speed maniacs have tried patience of the public, caused exasperation among tho 'authorities in charge of enforcing the law and brought opprobrium upon their bends from the pens of tho editors, but no such drastic recommendation for' eliminating this (lass of nuisance has como to light, as has been suggested 'by a writer in me "Woburn Times" (Mass.). Whether or "not this gentleman'was ever struck by one of the speeders is not known,'liut if his experience with them were" to bo judged;from the vindictiveness'of his idea as to how they should be -treated, ho not only must have "been hit,-but'rolled-over a number - of times, as he suggests that'"speeders 6hould bo' gaoled without kiil. It is just such men as'these that should bo dragged into court at the noose nid of a rape attached to the police car and then given a chuiico to break rock for a few years." Of course such harsh treatment for the speeder is really out of tho question, but sometimes it seems that it would l>o justified' punishment, as theso maniacs know it is against public policy, tho law find their own interest, yet they persist in tho evil practice. But tlicn it must be remembered I hat speed maniacs are necessarily irresponsible people, and as cuch, a pace of 50 lo SO miles an hour, if necessary to gratify their mania, would hf. pursued even in the face of a possible penalty of a little Ihing like 100 dollars fine or a few days in gaol. Electric Transmission, • , Electric transmission, when employed in conjunction with a. petrol engine, undoubtedly has certain very noteworthy . advantages., The chief of theso is that it provides, in effect, an infinite variety of gears and eliminates shock and sudden changes of acceleration such as may bo . involved in the changing of gears of the ordinary lype. .Furthermore, it enables a very powerful torque to ho applied to overcome the inertia when a veiuclo has to be started from a standstill. On the other hand, it tenfls to put up cost and Wight, and it introduces machinery which is not ivoll understood by the average motorist or motor mechanic. In tho simplest form of petrol-electric the power of tlit; engine scrves'to drive a dynamo, ivhich supplies electrical power to'one or more electric motors. If only one electric motor is used the differential gear must he retained; if iV.'O, then it can be dispensed with. Storage batteries arc somc- • limes provided i» assist in starting and pn hills. Tho idea_ is good in theory, 'out has not punned out very well in practice. In one very ivigenious system (ho .drive is partly electrical and partly ine.'chanical. Under easy-running conditions . ■>. direct mechanical drivo is wen, and

all electrical losses are thus eliminated. When starting the drive is mainly electrical, and for intermediate conditions the proportion of electrical to mechanical drivo is varied automatically. This sys-tem-known as the "Thomas electro-me-chanical transmission"—has proved pnrtieularly successful when applied to heavy rail-coaches and ti>' road trains capable of dealing with loads of twenty tons or mora carried in a series of vehicles, each of, which" contributes its share to the propulsion of tho train. Her 6 and There. Now that motor transport services havo sprung into prominence in New Zealand as a result of the. "eul" in Hie railway time-table, it is of some interest to nolo that Italy possesses ,8100 miles of braidtrack railroad and' SO/0 miles of automobile routes, over which a regular service is run to tiino-iabL's. This big development of automobile p'.issonger carrying and goods service is largely explained by the tact that Italy is a mountainous country in which railroads can only be built with difficulty.. Most of tho main railroad lines follow tho toast, leaving 'the centre of the country undeveloped. This defect has been remedied by tho creation of automobilo lines which link up with the railroads. It has been decided that America is to hold a "tourist trophy" motor-cycle road race on similar lines to the English event, which was the premier motorcycle road race in the world in pre-war days. The English eVent was an international one,' open to tho world, and on several occasions American riders and machines figured prominently in the contest. As the American event is to be of an international character, it will afford British, makers an opportunity of demonstrating that their products aro still qualified to rank with the world's best. It has been admitted on all sides that engineering helped to save the Empire. German's challenge to the. world to, a contest of strength was answered by a remarkable output of munitions, automobiles, etc., in Great Britain. Few in this country realise what a vital part | the leading motor manufacturers at Home played in this connection. The following output of one English firm will serve to bring home to readers the vast efforts of the English motor industry. The goods delivered -during. the war period by this company comprised.'—Shells, 18-noundors, 6,500,000; 10-nounders, 100,000; 13-pnund-era,- 25,000; ,9.2 shells, .150,000; Sin. shells, 930.C00; 210mras\ 60,000; guns. SSO; nreoplanes, 2CSO; night tracers, 500,399; percussion tubes, 65'i,803; burster 'containers, j 167,791; shrapnel heads, 47,768; lorries, 12000; armoured cars, .480; ambulances, j US; touring cars, light vans, etc., 750; I switchboards and resistances, 4422; electric generating set?, 4762; pumping equipments, 40; aeroplane engines (various kinds), 2500; electric motor.;, 25: work-' shop trailing wagons, 25; searchlight sets, 20; cable drums, 54; limber Wagons, 1603; Lewis gun carts, 2500; draught poles, 3405; track troughs, 34; and also large quantities of share parts for lorries, aeroplanes, etc. This was only one of ninny other big motor concerns who did wonders to meet five call for munitions, motors, etc. During the war period vast strides were made in England in the production of benzoic, from coal, and in 1918 over 32,000,000 gallons of this motor fuel was produced, some 8412 ovens being used,in the 'operation. English motorists are watching with interest this development in fuel/production, as it promises in time to become a formidable competitor or petrol, which is now costing motorists a high figure at Home. Over 1,000,000 tons of shipping had to be constantly kept set apart during the war to provide for the transportation jto Europe of petrol supplies. A.decrease is notable in the wags paid in. the nntomobi.'e industry in America in comparison with tho months of December," 1918, and January, 1919. A decrease is also apparent in numbers em-' ployed. During the month of January, 1919, 50 car makers employed 117,814 workers, as compared with 124,902 in December, 1918, a decrease of 5.7 per. cent', while at the same time the wages' for January, 1919, totalled 3,041,762 dols., as 'compnved with 3,329,139 dols. in December, 1918, a decrease of 8.6 per cent.. Lightinrj-up Time. To-day—4.42 p.m.; next Friday—4.4B P-m- ' ' ' ■ '' / ._' ■