A.A.A. ACTIVITIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 154, 20 September 1927, Page 6

A.A.A. ACTIVITIES

A meeting of the Auckland Automobile Association Council was held last week, when subjects of interest to members were discussed. One hundred and three new members were elected at the meeting, bringing the total membership over the 5,000 mark, and it was decided to hold a smoke concert to commemorate the event. A letter was received at the meeting from the City Council, stating that it was not intended to remove the tram centre poles until the necessary finance was available. The action of the council was severely criticised by members. Great interest was taken in the report that there was a possibility of a new road being formed over the Waitakere Ranges, giving a round trip from Henderson Valley via Nihotupu, and providing a fine scenic parade. The question of the bad grade at the bottom of Ayr Street was again discussed, and it was decided to write to the City Council expressing continued dissatisfaction with the road. The Runs and Social Committee brought forward a programme of runs, including the following: Outings for the inmates of the Blind Institute, the Veterans’ Home, the infirmary, and weekly runs for the kiddies in the children’s ward of the hospital. It was decided to open the motor season with a gymkhana at Mangere, and a proposal was also made that a run to Papakura be organised when the concreting of the Great South Road is completed. SERVICE OFFICER’S MOVEMENTS

The service officer has just returned from a 10 days’ tour through Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington, Wanganui, and Taranaki districts, gathering information for the road guide and for sign-posting. On the first day he covered 300 miles, and on the last 285 miles, with an average daily run of over 200 miles. He was greatly impressed with the wide, smooth roads in the southern part of the island, which he says are continually Ibeing improved, so that practically no potholes were encountered on the trip. .... As an indication of this, it appears that his car, although driven harder than usual, did 33 miles a gallon m place of the 25 miles a gallon round Auckland.

GARAGE GOSSIP The magnificent Stutz ‘Safety 8” Sedan seen round town recently nas been purchased by Mr. F. Needham, of Ponsonby. , Auckland’s newest and largest garage is now open. This is “Cadraan s, in Grey Avenue, with an unbroken floor space of over one acre under one roof, and is in use solely as a parking garage. Mr. R. E. Champtaloup, service officer of the A.A.A., has returned after a 10 days’ tour gathering information for the road map. Visiting Auckland on business at present is Mr. A. W. Duncan, general manager of Dominion Motors, Wellington. There has been a great exodus of garage managers this week-end bound for the Motor Trade Conference at Rotorua. Mr. Farrell, president of the Auckland Association, left on Saturday. LONG DISTANCE A new long-distance closed-car record* was established on the Culver City speedway, U.S.A., on May 21, when Barney Oldfield drove a Hudson coach 1,000 miles in 13 hours 5 minutes, an average of 76.4 m.p.h. The last 10 laps of the run were covered at 84.5 m.p.h., and at times 89 m.p.h. was attained. Although- a 1,000 mile run at 76.4 m.p.h. is a remarkable performance for a stock closed car, the world 1 s record for the distance stands to the credit of a special racing Leyland driven on Brooklands track by the late Mr. Parry Thomas at an average of 108.3 m.p.h. Open stock touring cars have, of course, exceeded the performance of the stock closed cars and the record for a stock tourer appears to be held by a Chandler, which covered 1.000 miles at 86.9 m.p.h. NEW FUEL Power alcohol which Is being manufactured from molasses at the recently erected factory In North Queensland, has been proved to be satisfactory motor fuel. Captain Saunders and Mr. T. Legh, of the Australian National Power Alcohol Company, completed a trip from North Queensland to Brisbane by : motor-car using power alcohol all the ! way. This constitutes the first test of the new motor fuel, and over the whole 1 700 miles no interference with the ear- j burettor or jets was found necessary. The pulling power of the new fuel 1 was amply. demojistrated, ' i