SUBSTITUTE FOR PETROL

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 17 January 1918, Page 3

SUBSTITUTE FOR PETROL

In a recent issue of " The Motor in Australia," there is an article on Australia's Fuel Problem, and after dealing exhaustively -with the use of town gap for propulsion purposes, it says:

" One of the most surprising developments of the search for a substitute for petrol which will work properly in an engine designed to ruu on petroleum spirit, is the invention of Mr William Hart, of Peak Hill, which maintains a steady flow of "'trahite," or as itismostly described, suction gas, to the tank of the car. Mr Hart has invented, perfected, patented, and thoroughly tested in every detail a suotion-gas generating plant for use on motor vehicles which have hitherto been driven by petroleum spirit in the ordinary way. It can be used on any make of car, motor launch, or stationary engine. The first test, which was entirely successful, was made with a 1911 model of Ford car, which was weighted down with five passengers (all over 10 stone each), three hundredweight of luggage, and of course, the generating plant, which weighed about 561b. This load was driven over 30 miles of rough country roads, and the cost of the fuel was sixpence." The Mr Hart mentioned as the inventor of the generating plant is an old Whangarei boy, and brother to Mr Hart, teacher at ,Maroraoku, who also has several ingenious inventions to his credit.