Motor Notes

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 3 December 1927, Page 13

Motor Notes

DAY OF THE MOTOR Traffic tallies kept over a number of years on the Napier-Taupo road by the Public Works Department, as well as showing that motor traffic over that highway has quadrupled in the last six years, illustrate the tremendous extent, to which the horse as a means of locomotion has fallen from popularity. The figures worked out on an average basis show- that in 11921 there were 70 horse vehicles per month going over tho Napier-Taupo road. By 1923 tho figure had fallen to 20 per month. la 1924 it decreased fur ther to 15 per month, and tho year following them was a further drop to 10 per month.

Last year the average was only four vehicles per mouth, or a drop from 70 to four in five years. In tho same period motor vehicles rose from 130 per month to 405 per month. Old settlers on the road say that a few years ago horse vehicles outnumbered the motor cars, but nowadays only a few old “brumbies” driven by Maoris are ever seen on the road. On the other hand, motor traffic is jumping ahead and last February no fewer than 1100 motor cars went over tho road.