MOTORING & MOTORISTS

Evening Star, Issue 20051, 17 December 1928, Page 14

MOTORING & MOTORISTS

[BY RADIATOR.]

TIMES FOR LIGHTING UP. To-day ... ... 8.56 Tuesday 8.57 Wednesday 8.57 Thursday ... 8.58 Friday 8.58 Saturday 8.59 Sunday 8.59 REPLY TO CORRESPONDENT. ‘'Camper.”—The road from Hawea to the Hermitage is in good order. Through the Lindis Pass is a bit rough (I was over it a fortnight ago), ind there are one or two crocks to ford, but these will give you no trouble. From Hawea you take the road to Tarras (petrol), through the Lindis to Omararaa (petrol) to Penmore, and Lake Pukaki (petrol). At Pukaki you turn to the left to Mount Cook. There are several unbridged streams from Pukaki to the Hermitage (forty-one miles),_ but these are easily forded. Petrol is obtainable at the Hermitage. There is no recognised camping ground at the Hermitage, but there are several suitable places near at hand. As to your return journey, the usual way is Pukaki. Fairlio, Timaru, and the Main road home, but just lately I did this trip and found it much more interesting, and the roads could not bo better: From Pukaki retrace your steps to Oinarama, there take the road to Kurow. At Kurow cross the railway-cum-traffic brh' ,o to Hakataramea, thence \etlcliffs, Waihao Forks, to Waimate. Coming this way you see some beautiful country and river scenery. You will also pass the Waitaki River power scheme, which is just being started, a few miles beforo reaching Kurow. You could camp at Kurow or Waimate, then on to Dunedin via Glenavy, Waitaki railway bridge, and Oamaru, striking the Main South road a few miles out of Waimate, All the roads you propose to take are thoroughly signposted, but I would advise you to purchase the ‘New Zealand Motorists’ Road Guide’ (South Island, 3s 6d). You will find petrol pretty dear up country. I paid 2s 6d per gallon at Pembroke, and 2s 8d at Omarama.— ; “ Radiator.” HINTS AND TIPS PAINT ON THE WIRES. Motor cars stop sometimes without imy apparent cause. An owner recently found that his engine would run for about ten miles and stop. _ An observant friend took a ride with him and discovered that as the car warmed up the paint on the dashboard became softened. On making a detailed examination he discovered that some of the paint had run down on to the coils and had broken the ground connection. After the board had been removed and the wet paint scraped off it, the parts were replaced and the car gave no further trouble. CHANGING PISTON RINGS. It is generally assumed that tho piston rings should bo changed when the efficiency of tho engine begins to fail. ■Rut engine failure .may be due toother causes, such as warped or burned valves, worn pistons and cylinders, old spark plugs, or worn and dirty ignition units. But there are certain indications of worn piston rings, including high oil consumption, leakage of compression, and explosion gases past piston rings, evidenced by poor compression, which make the motor hard to start in winter time. It is difficult to say how many miles a set of piston rings should run, as this depends upon the kind of oil used and how often it is changed, or whether the motor is equipped with an ah' cleaner or an oil filter. The average car, without an air cleaner or oil filter, should have the piston rings changed approximately every 10,000 miles. In cars with cleaners or filters the piston rings may last 15,000 to 20,000 miles. ENGINE POWER AT NIGHT. Engineers state that internal combustion engines give more power at night. Atmospheric pressures generally increase at night, thus exerting greater pressure upon the gaseous mixture in the engine inlet pipe. This has the effect of causing the air to I move with higher velocity in the induction pipe, tending more rapidly to fill the cylinder, winch therefore gets a greater charge than is possible at lower atmospheric pressures. There is also a great deal in the suggestion that the density of the air is greater at night owing to its being cooler. NEGLECTED WINDSCREEN AND ACCIDENTS. The windscreen needs much attention if driving dangers are to ho eliminated. Dust on the glass has a dangerous effect in night driving rad when the sun’s rays are on the screen. It is surprising how fine dust destroys visibility, due no doubt to the minute particles acting as microscopic reflectors. Dust on the glass is particularly dangerous when roads are fringed with trees and when headlights are dimmed. A silk duster should 1 ' carried on tho car for the sole purpose of keeping the windscreen in proper condition for safe driving. It is well to remember that the slightest cover of dust may reduce visibility sufficiently to cause an accident. Windscreen wipers of tho automatic type, when operated off the induction pipe by suction system or electrically, are indispensable. Anyone who has not fitted one cannot appreciate their usefulness and comfort. The hand-operated typo is useful, too, but those which work automatically on a touch of a button or tho valve will work hour after hour and provide visibility no matter bow heayy the rain or mist. On some cars will bo found an automatic windshield wiper and a hand-operated one, the former in front of the driver, the latter being operated occasionally by the _ passenger. A car is not properly equipped which is not provided with "these wonderfully useful instruments. ROAD MANNERS, TOO OFTEN FORGOTTEN. Many of the worst faults in driving and road manners are connected with passing another vehicle, and unfortunately these errors are apt to creep in during periods of heavy traffic, when most drivers are anxious to get along as rapidly as possible. The tendency of the impatient driver is to persist in passing another car at all costs, and frequently he finds that the speed of an oncoming car is much greater than ho at mat thought. There are only two ways out of the trouble—one is to brake hard, and the other to dash past and then cut in. This manoeuvre is not only exasperating to the driver of the car which has been overtaken, but js always liable to end in disaster. Before deciding to pass another car a driver should be perfectly sure he can get through without endangering or even inconveniencing any other user of the road; Furthermore, he must remember that an oncoming car on its correct side has the right of way against a car which is overtaking another. ___ CARE WITH THE JACK. It is a good plan when jacking-up to do any kind of work that is likely to take more than a few minutes, to make a point of removing the jack handle from its socket. JVhen under-

Brie! accounts of holiday trips, roads, and places of interest are invited for this column.

taking any work more elaborate than the changing of a wheel, so that tho weight of the car has to bo taken for some time entirely by the jack, there is always tho danger of tripping over the handle if this is left in position and of knocking the car off the jack. This precaution is especially desirable when a man is working beneath the car. Should bis assistant accidentally stumble over the handle and knock the jack away, a very serious accident is likely to result. A SELF-CHANGING SILENT FOURSPEED GEAR. For nearly thirty years tho best brains in automobile engineering have v estled with the problem of devising a gearbox which shall bo childishly simple to operate, silent in action, and infinitely rosistable to wear. Despite these efforts, however, gear changing is sufficiently difficult to make i expero hesitate before guaranteeing to make perlect changes of speed under all conditions. As for the beginner, gear changing is and always has been, his oi her chief trouble, and until this operation is made as easy as, say, ■■•■.coring o bn tlv art of driving a motor car cannot be considered to have been reduced to its simplest form.

Now at last i- announced a tremend-

is and revolutionary advance in this search for tho silent, simple gearbox, an advance made possible by scrapping tho old sliding gea- kind of box and substituting for it a gear of tho always-m-mesh internal type in which changes of gear are made automatically, the driver only selecting the gear. f n this box tho gears are concentric and tho tooth pressure is less than with tho old typo as more teeth are in more continuous engagement. Tho box made its first public appearance at the Olympia show, whore it was standardised on tho 30 h.p. and Long and Short 20 h.p. Armstrong Siddelej models at an extra cost of £SO and £35 respectively. This new self-changing gear lias long since passed its experimental stage. Plans for its development were announced as Jong ago as 1923, and tho first model was actually on tho road in 1924. Since then one box has covered over 50,000 mil-.- without any attention or adjustment, and many others have been subjected to searching tests, both in Britain and on the Continent. A oiort 20 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley, fitted with the now self-changing box was recently successfully tested over some of the worst mountain passes in Europe.

To drive or be driven in one of the new self-changing Armstrong Siddelcys produces an entirely new motoring sensation, and at the same time creates in one utterly new standards of car silence, acceleration, and ease of control.

To begin with, it is impossible for the passengers to tell on what gear the car is running, for the simple reason that all the gears are equally silent. Even to a train id ear, the only indication of an alteration in gear is provided by a slight change in the hum of the engine, occasioned by a variation in its rate of turning.

The second outstanding feature of the gear is tho case, rapidity, and silence with which a change of speed can bo made. Tho arrangement of the control is entirely different from and much simpler and more convenient than, the ordinary kind. It merely consists of a pedal taking the place of the usual clutch pedal and one short selector lever mounted in a dial above tho steering whceel. Tho dial carries marks which indicate low (1), medium (2), normal (3), high (4), reverse and neutral positions for tho short selector levei which replaces the usual long change spec loiev control. The short lever selects the gear while the pedal allows tho gear to change itself, a point of importance being the fact that one gear can Le selected while the car is running on another, the selected gear only being put into use when the control pedal is operated. When about to start away with the engine running, tho short selector lever is naturally in tho neutral position on tho steering wheel dial. It is then moved into the low or reverse position, and, upon tho control pedal being fully depressed, the car glides away. When or beforo it is desired to change np, the short selector lover is moved into tho medium speed position, but until the control pedal is again depressed and released, tho actual change of speed is postponed. Normal or high speeds are operated in exactly the same manner, the act of changing down following the same routine in that the desired gear or neutral is first selected by placing tho short selector lever in the correct position on the dial and the box is allowed to change itself later by depressing and releasing the control pedal. Changes either up or down can be made with startling rapidity in dead silence, tho time taken to change gear being governed by the time taken to move the selector lover and depress and release the pedal. As many of fifteen changes in ten seconds were recently made in the course of a special test. With this four-speed, gear changing is a real pleasure, whereas with the old types of four-speed gear, tho best and fullest use of tho box was seldom achieved .because of tho noise on the indirect gears. When running in the ordinary manner, tho control pedal can bo used as the clutch pedal, and will only allow the gear to change itself when the selector lever has been moved and when the pedal has been fully depressed. When partly depressed it always acts as a clutch pedal, although there is no clutch in the accepted sense of the word.

With this gear and this control there can be no nervousness, no fumbling, no taking the eye off the road, no missing the change, or crashing tho teeth. Tmauine. for instance, a car so equipped approaching a steep, twisting hill on high oi fourth gear. Long before the hill is reached, the driver has moved his selector lever into medium, knowing that he is faced with a steep and sqelden hairpin bend. He approaches the corner on high, and a second or two before reaching the gradient, simply depresses and releases tho control pedal. Instantaneously the medium gear comes into operation, and the car roars up the steep pitch. Meanwhile, tho driver moves the selector lever to, say, normal speed, and, having breasted the worst gradient, depresses and releases the pedal again. Normal gear comos into o}>eration immediately and the hill is finished at speed and without the passengers having realised that the gears had been changed twice, so smooth and so silent had the operation been. Or consider tho same car m traffic. Picture the tremendous acceleration and confidence that this new control gives the driver. Fed the car leap forward as a lower gear is called upon, and the throttle is opened up. Note how this surging acceleration is maintained from a walking pace up to the speed of an express train, merely by using this wonderful gear control and allowing tho engine always to operate under favourable conditions.- Calculate the gain in average speed made possible by this silent, shade, self-changing gearbox. Forget the old craning, straining, and fumbling for the lever in the new joy of this steering-wheel-gear-control and count, too, as a new pleasure this wonderful sensation of motoring in perpetual silence—uphill as well as on tho level,,

STANDARDISED CONTROLS. While the work of the Standards Department of tho Society of Motor I Manufacturers and Traders (Britain) sometimes relates to subjects which may appear to .have little direct interest to the owner of a motor vehicle, questions do, from time to time, arise for consideration by tho Technical Committees concerned whoso recommendations thereon prove of very great interest to tho ordinary motorist. In this latter connection may be recalled the Provisional Standards relating to rims and valves for pneumatic tyres issued some time ago, and more recently the issue of recommendations concerning the position and movement of control pedals and levers for private cars and commercial vehicles.

It will readily bo admitted that the question of controls is of vital interest to the driver of a vehicle, and tho Standards Department of tho S.M.M.T. has accomplished a very useful work in the issue of the data sheet relating to this important subject. The value of the recommendations set out below are enhanced in that they represent tho current practice of the majority of manufacturers, and it may be confidently assumed that in those cases where models do not incorporate these recommendations already, it will only be a matter of time before they do so. Tho advantages that will thus accrue will be easily for it will become no longer necessary for drivers and owners to make themselves an fait with tho position of the controls on succeeding vehicles which they may acquire. The importance and value of the society’s recommendations are still further enhanced by tho fact that identical recommendations have also been adopted or are in course of adoption by the appropriate . authorities _in France, Germany, and the United States.

The effect of the recommendations in so far as the control pedals are concerned is to provide that while the clutch pedal remains in tho accepted position on the left-hand side of the steering column, looking from the driving seat, tho pedal ■ operating the foot brake is accommodated on the immediate right of the steering column with the throttle pedal on tho outside. The layout thus suggested should go far towards minimising the _ risk of accidents through a driver inadvertently accelerating under the impression" that ho was in effect applying the foot brake, and while it is not to bo supposed tnat this has in reality been the cause of many mishaps, the clanger has often been present in the past, where a vehicle was being driven with two important controls in positions differing from those with which the driver may have been previously familiar.

On the question of the hand brake lover and the ignition and throttle levers the recommendations that have been evolved have been such as to provide that when it becomes necessary for the driver to retard the momentum of his vehicle he shall accomplish this by drawing the necessary levers towards him. After all, this is the natural movement, for one instinctively braces oneself backward in an attempt to arrest forward movement. This being so, the recommendations provide that to “ advance ” tho spark the ignition lever shall he pushed away from the driver, while the throttle is opened by a similar movement of tho tlivotblo_ lever. It has always been something in the nature of a paradox that in certain cases the spark has been “ advanced ” by tho appropriate _ lever being operated towards the driver. Whether for central change or for right-hand change the proposals arc that the hand brake lever shall be on the outside of the change speed lever, or in other words that tho driver shall have the latter lever nearest to him.

To apply the hand brake tho direction of movement is to bo towards the driver.

Simplification of the gear change positions is also suggested, tho recommended directional movement of the gear lever in tho ease of models fitted with gate type three forward speeds and reverse being: at the top left-hand side of the selector plate, the reverse; at the bottom left-hand side, first speed. On tho top rmhthand side, second speed; with third speed at the bottom right hand. In the case of four speeds the movements are: top left-hand, first speed; bottom left-hand, second speed; top right-hand of selector plate, third speed; with the fourth speed at tho bottom right hand. In this case no recommendation is made concerning the reverse position. Recommendations as to the movement of the change speed lever apply to central or right-hand change, the low speeds in cither case being on the left-hand side of the selector plate. It has for long been felt that an effort should be made towards securing some degree of uniformity in the matter of control pedals and levers, and the recommendations now put forward represent the result of careful consideration by tho technical representatives of manufacturers concerned, and will undoubtedly prove of immense benefit. In connection with the general adoption of standardisation it is interesting to note that some fifty automobile standards have been published by_ the Standards Department of tho Society, dealing with such subjects as rims and valves for pneumatic tyres, electrical equipment (including dynamos, starting motors and carbon brushes), automobile coachwork nomenclature, fabric linings for brakes, and disc clutch rings. USE BRAKE. INSTEAD OF HORN. Professor H. J. Spooner, in the ‘Nineteenth Century’ (London), writes: The bad driver on approaching a cross road usually sounds a loud, prolonged blast and proceeds at a dangerous pace, whilst the good driver slows down, as tho horn can never be safely used as a substitute for tho brake; as the pithy couplet reminds us: “ They are gathering up the fragments with a shovel and a rake, Where ho only used his horn when he should have used his brake.” In many towns drivers of all motor vehicles sound their horns in continuous chorus in the hope of speeding traffic. This insane practice is perfectly useless, but it creates a nerve-racking din which tortures the stranger who hears it for the first time; tho natives, having become so well used to the deafening noise, are apparently unconscious of its lianufultiess. BACK-SEAT DRIVERS. HOW ACCIDENTS CAN OCCUR. If the ordinary motorist, one who drives regularly, were asked what is the most annoying feature of carrying passengers, he would say “ back-chat-ter,” meaning the help, or hindrance, he receives from persons in the back seat of the car, though those in the front are' often just as troublesome in this respect. Back-seat driving—tho giving of directions to the driver by other people in tho car—is a well-known motor joke. But it is more than this: It is a real

evil, which results in more accidents than can ever be traced, especially when the car is in heavy traffic. Perhaps you will have noticed in every bus: “ Please do not talk to the driver.” In every tram car there is a warning, calling attention to this as an offence, or a contravention " the bylaws, Those signs are there for tiie benefit of the public. < The driver needs to concentrate on his job, otherwise things may go wrong. —Pleasure Cars, Too,— There is no reason why the same rule does not hold good in the driving of pleasure cars. Apart from the annoyance of having a steady flow of conversation directed at one, there is the danger of being influenced by wrong suggestions, directions, and commands. —The Angle Different.— No one person in the car has the same angle of vision as the driver. The distances which ho judged with his eye often seem quite close to those in other seats in the same vehicle. Even so, the manoeuvres should pass without comment, for the one outcry of disgust, or expression of lack of confidence, may be the cause, of making the driver swerve ever so slightly to the right or left, thus spoiling his own judgment and causing an accident. Driving in traffic is a job which demands attention and confidence, and anything which tends to break this attention or destroy a driver’s confidence in himself is unsafe for all concerned. The person who interrupts this continuity of co-ordinated action is really a menace to himself and others. CHECKING RUST WITH KEROSENE. Immediately the paint on any part of the bodywork of a car begins to crack or chip, thcra is a possibility that rust may form on the exposed metal beneath and quickly spread under the edges of th? crack. Rust should be removed at once by the application of a little kerosene, and a permanent euro can then bo effected by painting over he cracked parts with quick-drying enamel. A tin should bo kept handy in tho garage for the purpose, so that any scratches may bo touched up immediately they are noticed. WONDER CAR. TEN YEARS BEFORE ITS TIME. The sensation of the Motor Salon which opened in the Grand Palais, Paris, some weeks ago was a car said to be years ahead of its time (says the motoring correspondent of the 1 Daily Nows ’). This car is cooled by steam, has rubber buffer suspension in place of tho usual steel leaf springing, a freewheel differential, aluminium chassis, and a gear system which is infinitely variable, giving speed ratios as low as 1,000 to 1 and as high as IP- to 1. It will climb tho worst alpine passes with a full load at three miles an hour, and yet, on the straight level Route Nationalo, give a speed of eighty mile:- ' an hour. I

Its engine is but 20 h.p. and its chassis just over a ton—about half the weight of the usual car of its size. The thermo-syphon system of steam cooling is clever, much like that of any other car externally. The bottom third of the radiator has a cold-water tank. When the engine is started the water in the cylinder rises to just above boiling point. Steam passes from the cylinder to the condenser (occupying two-thirds of the radiator space), turns into water and drops back into the water tank, which then feeds the cylinders with luko-warm water. Actually the cylinder water jacket acts as a kettle. By this system the engine is working at a uniform heat—the most efficient method for perfect carburatiou and lubrication. Less water is used than by tbo average car. The car lias front wheel and the front suspension is composed of two sets of rubber discs—the bottom discs acting as compression and the upper discs as rebound dampers—all fitted in a neat cylinder The rear suspension is similar, but with two cylinders of rubber discs for each wheel. OVERHAULING PAYS. “ To overhaul or not to overhaul ” is the question that many car owners arc trying to answer in these days, when a new season is just around the corner. Overhauling, of course, is not what it used to Be when the process involved tearing down the engine, reboring the cylinder block, installing new pistons, connecting rods, hearings, rings, and other units that,ran fairly high in cost, and as much or more for the labour of installation. To-day tbo process is largely a matter of adjustment, inspection, and cleaning. Replacements involve minor units, like spark plugs, oil filter cartridges, hose connections, battery terminals—low in cost and inexpensively installed. Small as compared with the oldfashioned overhaul, of course; but it means even more in the type of service the car yields, the safety with which it may bo driven, and the economy it effects in operation costs. Almost without exception, tho annual overhaul question mav be answered affirmatively, and in the offseason when the car is comparatively little used is the best time to put it in hand. “MILLINERS ONLY NOW.” MOTOR DEALER’S VIEW. In addressing a recent meeting of the Amercian Society of Automotive Engineers, a leading motor dealer said ; “ We are not in the automobile business any more • wo are in the millinery business. Excellence of chassis performance and reputation of the manufacturer count for very little by contrast with upholstery, comfort, style, fit, and finish,” Not until comfort and appearance in bodywork are found satisfactory in a new car under view for purchase will the prospective buyer think of or talk about mechanical excellence, this agent went on to infer, and it must bo admitted that there is more than a substratum of truth in those contentions. However, the ignoring of mechanical features and the reputation of the chassis manufacturer is far less prevalent in this country than in America. Nevertheless, it is undoubtedly the fact that passenger comfort and tho “ millinery ” of cars are yearly becoming more important factors in the decision of local car buyers; though they are still more often deciding factors rather than prime considerations. After all, when there are so many really satisfactory chassis in each class on the market, it is only natural that a high order of comfort and appearance should be considered essential accompaniments.

QUICK WARMING. HARD ON ENGINE. When Mr Average Owner, after a merry farewell to his wife and kiddies, leaps into his car after it has been standing in the garage all night, ho does, for himself at least, a very satisfying thing. After starting the motor he sits back for a moment and fairly swells with pride as he steps on the gas and listens to the engine’s roar. This he generally continues to do until the exhaust has' emitted huge clouds of dark smoke, and he is satisfied that his engine is “ warmed up ” to a nicety. , On the other hand he might take his automotive companion out on the street, stone cold, and “ warm it up ” right in the harness, racing down the thoroughfare- in second gear with the engine throbbing. Both practices, which are cjuite general among car owners, are higidy miurious to the motor,- Just as an

athlete spends a few moments “ warming up ” with light exercise prior to entering tho contest proper, so an engine should bo the object of care after a “ cold ” start, because a great deal of wear occurs on an engine when it is being started after having stood idle during the night. After an engine has been running the surfaces are coated with oil when it is stopped. Water-cooled engines remain warm for hours, and while they are cooling off the oil has a tendency to drain off the friction surfaces, particularly the vertical surfaces. The engine is started up again, and there is little or no oil to protect these surfaces until the engine has turned over enough times to prime the pump or to deliver tho oil from the pump to the outlets, where the whip of the cranks or the splash of the lower part of the connecting rods projects a necessary quantity of the oil to provide lubrication. With partically open throttle most engines attain a speed of about 600 revolutions per minute immediately after they are started. Thus for a considerable number of strokes the pistons, rings, cylinder wails, and gearings are riding upon ono another with no screen of oil between them. Therefore tho faster one races the engine the harder it is on the mqving parts, A practical suggestion is to start tho motor - and run for a few moments with the throttle pretty well closed and at an even speed. It will be found that the engine warms up just as quickly with this treatment as it does with the racing, roaring type of start. LOOSE SPRING CLIPS. Broken springs can occur through loose spring clips, which permit sufficient strain to reach the centre of the spring (its weakest point) to cause a fracture. Spring clips, properly adjusted to hold tho spring absolutely tight against the spring seat, will pro- , vent springs breaking at the centre. , Another cause of broken springs is rust forming between tho leaves, which not only prevents road shocks being' , absorbed by the springs, placing extra | strain upon the chassis, but materially increasing the possibility of a break when the springs are called upon to absorb extraordinary shocks. By the use of blocks of convenient size and a jack oi block and tackle, the frame . may be raised to allow the axles to \ hang upon the frame, and this will slightly separate the spring leaves so that oil can bo introduced.

Springs, however, should be oiled sparingly. Friction between tho leaves is essential to tho proper absorption of road shocks. It is a practice with many never to open the leaves, but merely smear the springs with some special graphite preparation, enough finding its way between tho leaves to keep the springs in good order. Where gaiters are used the springs require little or no attention so far as oiling is concerned.

SHOCK ABSORBERS, It is a fallacy to suppose that shock absorbers have not any mechanism which requires adjustment from time to time. It is not enough simply to have shock absorbers on the car and to ignore them utterly. If good riding comfort is sought, then they mnst_ receive their share of upkeep attention. Snubbers with flexible straps which connect the snubber to the axle will require tightening up from time to time, and particularly after the first few thousand miles, during which the fabric straps are bound to stretch to some extent. See, too, that any advice in the instruction book relative to the maintenance of the interior mechanism of the particular sort of snubber fitted is carried out. Friction disc shock absorbers may require tightening'occasionally, and this is accomplished by screwing up the adjusting nut, which results in a greater degree of frictional contact between tho discs. The amateur, however, must take care not to overdo this, as there may he then a risk of breaking cither the shock absorber itself or one of the springs of the car. The shock absorber should check excessive rebound, hut should not damp the reflecting movement of the spring to such an extent that it cannot regain its normal position before encountering the next road shock. FACT—NOT FABLE! There has been a great revival in tho popularity of tho fable lately, and there is no doubt that it is a good way of conveying a lesson convincingly if it is well done. All the same, there is a lot to be said in favour of fact. Very likely many motorists have been told that if a lighted match is dropped into a can of petrol the match will bo extinguished just as if it were thrown into water. A workman at a benzine factory near Berlin thought he would give a demonstration to prove this theory. Asking his colleagues to watch the experiment, he lit a match and dropped it into a forty gallon tank of benzine. Sequel, There is no benzine factory there now, and the experimenter and other workers are in hospital. Moral: Don’t be a fool! MR SCHMIDT’S TOUR. STIMULATING MOTOR TRANSPORT. Mr Walton Schmidt field representative of tho National Automobile Chamber of Commerce, U.S.A., has arrived in Dunedin in connection with a lecture tour for the purpose of helping motor clubs and car dealers in their efforts to bring before the Government officials and leading citizens the latest information on highway planning and construction, fair taxation and regulation of the motor vehicle, traffic control and accident prevention. Mr Schmidt points out that with the ever increasing number of motor vehicles New Zealand is now facing problems upon which America has been working for a number of years. The National Automobile Chamber of Commerce wants to know the problems of motorists and car dealers in New Zealand, and in return it wants to offer such information as it has on motoring and the motor industry in America, trusting it will bo helpful. To-morrow evening in the Princess Theatre, under the auspices of the New Zealand Motor Trade Association, Mr Schmidt will give a lecture, illustrated by motion pictures, on the ■ Elements of the Automobile, ' in which he will deal with the building, operation, and functioning of every part of the motor car. He will also speak on tyres and accidents and how to avoid them.

SAVING PETROL. Andrew M'Andrews, who owned a small car, one day purchased a bicycle. “I suppose you’ll ride your bicycle for exorcise? ” suggested a friend. “ I’m figur-r-rin’ on usin’ it for pleasure,” replied Andy. “How do you mean?” “ Weel, all _ the time I’m a-ridin’ it I’ll be a-thinkin’ o’ the petrol I’m savin’ by leavin' my car-r-r at home.” —‘ Windsor Magazine.’ MOTOR CYCLISTS. Messrs Josh Mewhinney and Stan. Geddes, both experts in the repairing and tuning of motor cycles, offer you their services. Their many years of motor cycle racing, tuning, ana repairing experience is your guarantee of satisfaction. Accessories in stock. Note address: Garage, 267 Princes street (next Masonic Hotel); phono 13-165.—[Advt.]