MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 285, 26 August 1921, Page 9

MOTORS & MOTORING

(By

"Clutch.")

Wellington Automobile Club. The Wellington Automobile Club’s Committee met on Tuesday. The foltowing new members were elected:—Father T. F. Connolly, Gamble and Creed, A. T* Knight, Airs. O. Linklater, C. H. Dement, J. Cheesman, P. C. Luxford, H. C Rudkin, Dr. E. M. Litchfield, W. R. Kenner, W. Steer, and L. Petley. Correspondence was received from the Loan and Mercantile Agency, Stratford, expressing approval of tho club e suggestions that local motor clubs or associations should be formed from Wellington to New Plymouth. It was decided to refer the matter to the Now Zealand Automobile Union. The Featherston County Council intimated that every e.fort was being mado to renew the bridges In tho district. Tho matter of license fees charged by local councils wasi r<> ferred to tho New Zealand Automobile Union as it was considered that the charges wore becoming excessive. Taxation of Motorists.;

Tho Hawke’s Bay Automobile Association is at variance with the New Zealand Automobile Union as to tho nature of tho taxation to be imposed on motorists, and says so plainly in its annual report. "This association,” it declares, "does not dispute the propriety of making the tax, whatever form it may take, fall most heavily upon those who make most use of the roads. The differences between th© union and this association are founded on. first the incidence of the tax, and second, the great increase in cost of tyres consequent on such a tax. As to tho first of these the union seeks that a tyro tax shall be imposed upon all motorists whether they use or do not use the particular roads to which the tyro tax is to be devoted. It is certain that whatever form the tax ’takes, it will, when collected, be devoted to the main arterial roads, and. not to. the by-roads or branch or local roads. Our argument is that this will have the effect of making the tax fall most heavily on the motorists who use tho roads on which such tax is expended least of all. The taxidrivers, tradesmen, doctors, and others whoso business is to supply local city wants will use more tyres than those who use the arterial roads, except perhaps in the case of certain lorries and vehicles of that nature, for which class of vehicles it would be quite easy to impose a distinct forin of taxation. In fafet the union has recognised this in proposing that there should be’ a different tax in the case of solid tyres." The two main objections of .the Hawke’s Bay Association to a tyre tax are:—First, that it falls most heavily upon those not nsihg the roads to which that tax is to be applied, and secondly, that owing to the addition of importers’ profits and retailers’ profit on the duty paid on import of tyres the cost would ho enormous ly increased. On the whole, however, in view of the exceptional-conditions now prevailing, the association-holds that it is questionable whether additional taxation of any kind should be imposed in the meantime pending a return to more normal conditions. A Membership Campaign.

The secretary of the Southland Motor Association has suggested to the members of his executive that immediate steps he taken to increase considerably the association’s membership and income. He proposes that district representatives be appointed in'various parts of the province, "their duties to comprise securing members and acting as correspondents. Their remuneration to be 20 per cent, of the first year’s.subscriptions and 2i per cent, for all subsequent subscriptions. Further, an extra bonus of 5 per .cent, to be awarded to tho representative securing the largest number of new members in The year'" and. 2J- per cent, bonus to the representative with tho nrat largest number. All or any ‘ appointments to terminate at the discretion of tho executive on one calendar month’s notice being given, the noticevto date from the time of mailing at Invercargill. Applications for appointment as representatives to be dealt with by the executive only, and no individuals to have authority to promise or make any such appointment. No member of the executive nor salaried officer may act in this capacity unless authorised to do so at a full meeting of thd executive ’•

Hawke’s Bay Motorists. The annual meeting of the' Hawke's Bay Automobile Association elected the following officers for the "ensuing year: — President, Mr. F. S. M’Lean; vice-presi-dents, Messrs. J. S. Har.dyside, A. H. Glasgow; treasurer, Mr. H. V. Hoadjey; auditor, Mr. C. H. Gould; committo. Messrs. R.: J. Duncan, Bernard .Chambers, P. Patullo, J. Keating. Dr. T. C. Moore, N. Zettle, W. P. Griffith, R. IV. Waterhouse, M. H. Strachan, G. Kelly, D. H. Edgrlr, and R. D. D. M'Lean, delegates to tmion, Messrs. P. S. M'Lean and P. Patullo; secretary, Mr. W. H. Tylee. English Automobile Association.

The English Automobile Association is the largest motor organisation? in the world. Some conception of the extent to which it is supported may be ginned from the'fact that its income.for one week in May was close on A9OOO. |Tho total membership is about 170,000, an increase of 70,000 in twelve months. Figures covering the year’s work of one of the A.A.’s branch offices (Birmingham) are interesting:—l6,236 callers, 58,120 letters received; 145,321 dispatched; 24,350 route sheets issued. The pride of the A. is the army of uniformed patrols —some 500 —which it 'maintains •bn the principal motor routes to render excluisive service to motorists. Other functions which are greatly appreciated by.members are the classification and listing of hotels and garages, road reports, touring data and maps, engineering section, free legal defence, and special facilities for Continental travel. Dominion motorifets are admitted to membership at reduced rates. Hawera Motor-cycle Club. At the annual meeting of the Hawera Motor-cycle Club, it was decided that the captain and viec-captain draw up a programme of runs and hill-climbing competitions to take place during the coming year. Mr. Spragg was elected as the club’s representative on the Auto Cyclo Union and Messrs. Spragg and Barley were elected to attend the annual conference of tile Auto Cycle Union. Mr. Spragg stated that he was going to suggest at the A.C.U.’s meeting at Palmerston North that reliability runs bo held, say, between 1 Palmerston and Auckland, a«d that such events be made annual. His suggestion met with the approval of the meeting. Officers were elected for the ensuing year us follow:—Patron, Mr. E. Dixon, M.P.; president, Mr. B. L. Joll; vice-presidents, Messrs. R. n. Leece, .J. Gray,' B. C. /Bonnett, W. O’Callarhan, M.,J. Lynskey, and A. F. Cole; club captain, Mr. W. J. Claringbold; vice-captain, f Mr. W. W. Davy; handicapper, Mr. A. Barley; treasurer. Mr. G. Mahoney; solicitor, Mr. If. L. Spratt; secretary, Mr. Wt A. Spragg; committee, Messrs. Patterson, Gyde, Kean, Pettett, Barley, and Dolan. Those Awful Motorists!

“It is a horrible thing that in a civil irtod twentieth century country, a person cannot tako a bike, go for a walk, or ride after dark in a buggy, without risking being made into mincemeat, by these roaring dazzling juggernauts driven by fiends incarnate. The only safe place when one approaches is over the fence info the nearest paddock." This is how a correspondent of an exchange unburdened himself the other day. Ho seems to have had an upsetting experience. Lighting-up time: To-day, 5.20 p.m. Next Friday, 5.27 p.m.