THE NEW FRIEND OF MAN

Hokitika Guardian, 4 January 1926, Page 4

THE NEW FRIEND OF MAN

“A. horse you cannot help getting fond of. A ear you can get pretty fond of. too.”—An old coachman, after 50 rears’ service.

One can imagine the horror cl this fine old coachman when the first horseless vehicle made its appearance on the streets. .Ml hor‘-e lovers i;i those days considered the motor-car an outrage. But conversion canio slowly, and it is good to hear to-day an old coachman, a little grudgingly perhaps, expressing a tender sentiment for a machine that has ousted his first love. Machinery and sentiment do not often go hand-in-hand, but the motor-car provides mi except ion. No doubt to-day our coachman hisses gently through his teeth as he grooms his new friend, proudly putting the final polish on its glistening enamel work. He is not alone in his conversion, neither is ho alcne in his affection. -Many of the taxicab-drivers of today Here cali-drivers of the past. Marching wiili the time they exchanged the horse for the petrol engine. Some have found in the motorvehicle a new friend of man.

Von c;m see i lit* affect ion expressed in tht' wav they look- niter their taxi- ■ ('alis. Whenever I see an old taxicab wiili highly polished metalwork and I coacliwork wliicll, in spite of its ape. j is as clean as elbow grease will make - it. ( know that here is a man who has ' learned to earn for his car as ho did for his horse. i

Affection for cars is common among all motorists. A man will abuse his own ear hut will tako immediate oflence il it is abused hv another. Tt is (he most personal of all his possessions. ft has moods just as the horse has, sometimes jibbing, luit generally giving faithful service if treated well. Parting with nil old ear is like parting wftli e.n old friend, ft is at this moment that one forgets all its vices and remembers only the miles that have been ticked off in its com puny—miles of adventure on many a highway. 1 have seen the most unemotional •Scotsman give his car an affectionate pat on the bonnet when the day of parting came.