"WIZARD" SMITH

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 116, 8 January 1932, Page 5

"WIZARD" SMITH

(Press. Assn.-

DATE OF ATTEMPT CANNOT YET BE DECIDED

BEACH IMPROVES RAPIDLY

— By Telegraph — Copyright).

KAITAIA, Thursday. Although Mr. "Wizard" Smith naturally cannot foretell the aetual date of his first attempt on th-e land speed record, it is known he has been waiting for spring tides. The opinion ii general that if the weather is righi the car will be towed from the garage either at the week-end or early next week for the first actual trial on the beach. Mr. Smith, who contracted a severe cold, although better to-day, • remained in bed at the hotel this morn ing. He passed a very quiet day, hui saw many visitors. He intends going to the beach early to-morrow morning. Mr. J. Mostyn, manager for Mr. Smith, had a lucky escape when hir car went off the road down a steey bank. The undergrowth held the cai at a perilous angle a few feet belov the road level on the very edge of £ 16-foot drop. Neither Mr. Mostyr nor his two passengers was injured. while the car was not damaged. There has been a steady improvement in the Ninety Mile Beach during the past two days. Bigger seat are coming in, and, aided by high tides, they have ironed the sand oul considerably. Most of the big bumps of two days ago have been reduced to corrugations, and after the spring tide at the eiid of the week the conditions should be perfect for Mr. Smith's trials. Mechanics are still working on the Enterprise, which will not be ready tc take the beach until to-morrow at the earliest. To protect the radiator, which would be badly damaged if the car struck a bird' while travelling at the speed which Mr. Smith hopes to attain, a wire shield is being construeted.