Cycling and Motoring Notes.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 10 September 1915, Page 2

Cycling and Motoring Notes.

V'nnn the Dunlop llubber Company ol Australasia, for the week ending -Ith September. l'Jiu.

The amount ol money spent annually on motoring in the United States is almost incredible. To start with the number of cars registered there reached the 2,000,000 mark on June Ist. l'Jl-3. .Figuring on an average of four poiisons utilising each car—which is a conservative estimate, there are S,OOO, 000 people in the United States who enjoy motoring. What it costs to follow motoring up i.s of interest, and the figures stupendous. To run 2,000, 000 cars for one year requires at the very least over one billion gallons of motor spirit worth £20,000,000; lubricating oil £1..jOU.OOO; the tyres required totalled 12,000,000, valued at C;iß.-I00,000; accessories etc. £'20,000, 000; garage, repairs, replacements etc. CCA). 000.000 making a total running cost of £1-10,000,000. II the cost ol' the (JCO.OOO new care sold during Mw year, taking them at an average price of only £100 each, is reckoned, then another CUO.OUO.OOO has to ha added to tiie above amount spent on motoring in America during the past year, making up the immense total of £230,000, 000. These figures are pounds, not dollars, and arc compiled and vouched fov by the "Scientific American. ,, Even discounting the huge sum by 50 per cent, there still remains a total amiount that i.s astounding, especially whew one considers that the American Automobile industry is only a lifcte over a decade old. The extraordinary increase .in the number of motor cars made has had a peculiar influence ■upon the artificial leather industry. . While not bo long ago "artificial" leather was marketed under names suggesting leather, and as a sort of apology for the real its extensive use in mororbody upholstering has caused the manufacturer*, to openly boast of the tact that t'joir product is artificial. The reason the this change of heart is f dad in t'o custom of some upholstery markets of "splitting" the cowhides into several thickness, each of which is used as "leather." And the good service which the new watertight in ate rials give is gradually influencing people to deliberately ask for "artificial leather" top and cover.