MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 274, 15 August 1919, Page 2

MOTORS & MOTORING

8 _ (By "Chitch.") Motorists and the By-laws. ■ Following are a few extracts from the city by-laws relating to motor-cars:— I.—Time for Standing Cars: No person shall leavo' a motor-car .unattended in any of tho Wellington city main streets for more than ten minutes at any one time and not longer than one hour in other streets. 2.—Speed Limit: No person in tho area of tho city may drive a motor-car at a greater speed than-15 miles nor hour or at a greater speed than 8 miles an hour when crossing any junction or intersection of streets or at a greater 6peed than G miles per hour round corners. B—Brakes: All motor-cars must havo two independent brakes in good working order. L— Lights: Between sunset and one hour before sunrise motor-cars must carry a lamp 60 placed as to exhibit u whito light'which shall be placed, on tho extreme right or offside of the car free from obstruction to the light. (This applies to-'cars only whilo standing.) s.—Passing Tramcars: A motor may not bo driven past a etationary tramcar, unless at a terminus, .until all passengers who have alighted, also who intend to hoard such tram are safely clear, provided the distance from the tram-car to the kerb is not more than 17 feet when speed must not exceed i miles per hour. 6.—No person may drive a private car in the city unless he has satisfied the motor inspector as to his ability to handle a car efficiently, and has obtained a certificate to this effect. No person under 16 age may drive a car. ' Road to Paekakariki. Much interest has been aroused in the proposal of the Wellington Automobile Club for tho construction of a new Toad bctweon Paremata and Paekakariki. The club has received a number of acknowledgments of receipt of the plan and pamphlet it issued, and it is evi'dent tli:>i tho project is beiru? given a jrood deal of consideration by local bodies generally. In connection with this matter the Minister of Public Works has stated that the wo _ k would" cost a considerable sum.of •mom.-y, not only with regard to formation, but also for building a bride" over Porirua Harbour. In a letter read at the last meeting of tho Hutt County Council tho Minister intimated that ■ a survey, together. with plans and specifications had \vn\ completed for tho improvement of the grades, width, and viow along the Paekakariki Hill Eoad. It was found, howover, owing to tho very irregular grading of tho road as existing, that it would not be pessiblo to effect all the improvements which might be obtained except . at a'cost which was hardly warranted. If tho road could bo entirely regraded a grade of 1 in 11.5 could bo obtained, but owing to the irregularities, portions of tho grade must bo as steep as 1 in 10. That, however, was very much flatter tha-n the short pieces, of gtado of 1 in 6.8 at present existing along some portions of tho road. "It is proposed,' tho lotter continued, "to form tho road with a minimum width of 16ft., winch, with-oare, will enable cars to pass ono another.- It is also arranged to excavate on the hillside at several points sufficiently to enable a view of at least 100 ft- to be obtained around the corners. It is also proposed to erect, along: tho outer edge of the worst portions of the road a substantial fonce of reinforced concrete posts, with four wires each of No. 4 gauge. This fence will be ol sufficient strength to prevent a car running ovor the edge should it by any means run backwards. It will also p«s vent cars going over the edge during ordinary travelling if they aro driven at a moderate sneed." Tho estimated cost of tli/ work on the portion of the road from the foot of tho hill at Packakanki railway station to a short distance from tho top on the Horokiwi Valley side was .£44011. Tho Minister suggested that -. perhaps the Automobile Association might be prepared to contribute owing to the fact that the work would bo beneficial to its members. Membership of Wellington Club. The appeal for additional members recently made by the Wellington .automobile Club has not met with a -liberal response. Tho club is not relaxing its efforts, however, and it lias appointed a canvasser charged with tho duty of obtaining as many new members ! as possible. That the club has obtained numerous benefits for motorists cannot bo denied, and its aim to secure an active membership roll of at loast 2000 is surely worthy of every support from tho larg» number of motorists in the district. I'ollowing tho example of that live organisation, the Canterbury Automobile Club, the Wellington Club has decided to establish branches in the country and it is hoped that this scheme will njvo an appreciable effect in increasing tho membership. These branches will bo able to conduct their own local affairs, but as they will ho affiliated to the larger body they will always be sure of having the backing ot. the latter wlion making representations to any local authority on subjects in ' which they aro concerned. The followin" new members have been elected to tho elub:-Messrs. A. T. Fauvel. J. M. Barton, A. Leigh Hunt, R. Kirkealdie, C. B. Mann, H. Innis, P. W. Mackenzie, F. I.amborg, H; Brown, E. J. Pighton, I>. G. Easson, L. Whitcombe, C. W. Budd, Grove and Sutton, F. Richardson, W. A. Fuller. N. E. Page, A. A. Brown, A. M. Anderson, Thomson, Lewis a-nd Co., H. A. Smith, A. W. Press G. 13. Fownes. M. L. Ferguson, H. B. Williams, G. F. Pearce, U. F. M'Cabe, L. Brventon, A. Moulynox. C. Pearce, H. Amos J. Lempars, ,T. W. Henderson, W. Humb, K. H. Magic, H. H. Morns, A. Cleave, C. W. Palmer, A. Ferguson, W. Sawllandt. F. Flipp, P., Thompson. W. K. Brice, H. C. Jay. H. Seaton, I. F. Newman, Miss G: Kirkealdie, and Mrs. L Dwan. Mr. L. S. Drake, city motor inspector, has' been elected, an honorary member. A Dangerous Corner, The dangerous corner on the road from York Bay to Mahina Bay has been receiving the attention of the Wellington Automobile Club, which has decided to ask the Eastbourne Borough Councils assistance in approaching tho Hutt County Council to havo tho corner removed. If the Hutt County Council refuses to carry out tho work then the club-will . erect a danger-hoard. Fencing* Rimutaka Hill. Recently, p. Mr. Dmm requested the Wellington Automobile Club to grant half a ton of wire in order -to fence tho . Eimulaka Hill near tho top. Hie club considers that the matter does not coj,o ujthiu its purview, and is really a mutter to which the Government should give attention. In view of tho recent conference of local bodies at Carterton, tho club has suggested that they should be approached, as possibly, thoj- might bo willin? to make a grant m order that the work might be carried out, V/airarana Association. Tho following new members were elected at tho last meoting of tho Waimrapa Automobile Association:-Mrs. William Boy (Grcytown), Messrs; F. G. Carson (Kaipnroro), A. E. Maunsell ffarknde), ~ and Miss Y. Jackson (Masterton) Mr J. H. Naylor. of Masterton, was oleotcd a momber of tho executive. , The treasurer reported that recoipta since lost meeting had boon: .£36 4s. 3d. Accounts amounting to Jls 10s. were passed for payment. Balance stood: Oeneral credit .£BS 9s. lOd.; on deposit P.O. Savings Bank, JBIOS ss. W.i War Loan Certificates (face valuo .C6O), A». Upper. Hutt Road to Waikanae, The question of the construction of a road from Upper Hutt to Waikanao has been rccoiving the attention of the Wellington Automobile Club, which has been informed by tho Minister that, tho road is being mado and is progressing satisfactorily. Interference With Cars, At the last meeting of tho AVellington Automobilo Club several letters were received asking if tho club was '.iking any action with regard to having I ho law altered by making it a criminal offence for anyone to remove or intorforo with motor-cars left standing on the public street. Tho secretary 'pointed out that the matter had received., the attention of., the committee some time back and that the Minister of Jiisiico had stated that this subject would lecoivo consideration at the next session, com-

— ] plaints having been received fro;n ell parts of the Dominion on the matter. Efficiency of Engines, On tho efficiency of a motor-car enginer depends its value in the opinion o. ninety per cent, of motorists. Despite this fact, the vast majority of car owners appear to take but little interest in tho theoretical aspects of design, ebys tlio "Auto-car" (England), and car*- not whether twenty parts or one bo luted if the result is a component which Rives no trouble either upon the roiul or in tho workshop. To a man-about to buy a new car, value for money is the deriding factor, yet this value is coupled inseparably vifh tho ability of tho engine to perform its duties efficiently and adequately to carry tho required load, and the basis of the comparison between car and ear rests almost entirely on this point. It is an indisputable fact that, when the greatest efficiency is desired, engines are fitted with two or- more overhead valves to each cylinder, whether that engine bo for a racing car or a fighting aeroplane; therefore, no doubt can exist that this is the most efficient form of vjilvo gear. Obviously the gas passages are simplified, tho combustion space ia moro nearly of correct form, and the walls of the combustion chamber caJi bo machined to a greater extent than is possible in tho case of the pocketed valve design. Against this we have the fact that, were a valve head to break away from its stem, or a valve spring to collapse, swift disaster would in all •• probability overtake the piston of that cylinder—a trouble which in the pa6fc has caused the design to be suspect in the minds of both motorist and manufacturer. ' During the war, however, inany firms ligive acquired a more accurate knowledge of the overhead valve,Talve steels nave beoome fax more reliable, and certain safeguards _ r.gainst calamity have been evolved which tend to!lull or to dispel altogether the earlier suspicions. The. pilot and the air mechanic, representing the motorist and the garage man. have learned the value of the overhead valve, and convinced themselves of its reliability, thus smoothing the way for further improvements. Of all the faults charged against the design, this question of breakage is tho chief and outstanding feature, others being that tho engine overall height is inoreased unduly, that the. noise of the tappets is greater, since it is not muffled by tho thick Trails of the containing orank case, while, considered as a commercial proposition, the overhead valve mechanism is supposed to b# more costly to manufacture. Even a# the first-and greatest-difficulty has been robbed of its terror, so the minor troubles gradually cease to hold their importance; for example, the increase of engine height, stated originally to be J» disadvantage, lias in actual fact become an ml vantage, as the decree of fashion proclaims tho high narrow bonnet of supreme importance, while an aluminium cover over tho valve gear and correct arrangement, of the rocker gear effectively deal with the problem of noise. An to tho third claim-tha cost of m&nufao. ture—it is well known that the lay-out of the machinery in any works governs, tho cost of everything;,each individual upholding or rejecting the idea,-of _ particular design according to his rietf of tho works' equipment for the job. Further, all these arguments, and mora also, were urged against the pocketed' 6ide valves in the earlier days of motor-' in«- With the laying of these ghosts there comes the possibility of an increase in the power .and. decrease of petrol consumption in engines designed .for tho everyday use of the ordinary, non-me-chaii.icai man, and wo have reason to be-, lievo that the overhead valve ongme will, bo very generally adopted, by English car makers in their new models. Lighting-up time: To-day—s.B N , p.m. Next Friday—s.ls p.m. Obw . 9