SPEEDING THROUGH

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 166, 4 October 1927, Page 6

SPEEDING THROUGH

RUBBER CONSERVATION Despite a 10 per cent, increase in cars, automotive consumption of rubber dropped from 388,000 tons in 1923 to 36,000 tons in 1926, reports the California State Automobile Association. * * * PROVERBS Put not your trust in patches. Take out thy rich aunt, thou sluggard, consider her ways (and means) and be wise. Stolen waters are sweet, yet petrol adulterated in secret is unpleasant. Fools are mocked at on a trial spin. The hard start knoweth its own bitterness: and a wise stranger doth not intermeddle therewith. A soft tyre provoketh wrath. A man’s heart deviseth the way, but the roadmaker directeth his steps. Always look a gift tyre in the tread. The reason some people are called “hustlers” is because they hurry home before they get tired. If we must have signs on the rear of cars, why not something constructive. like this: “If you like my driving, tell others; if not, shut up.” * * * FIAT'S FEAT The longest and probably the most severe endurance test in the world has just been held in Italy over a distance of 2,305 miles, for the Agnelli Cup. Offered by Senator Agnelli, chairman of the board of directors of the Fiat Company, this competition was open only to standard cars picked out of stock by a jury appointed by the Automobile Club of Turin. All essential -parts were sealed and the competitors had to make a complete round of Italy, starting from Turin and passing through Trente, Trieste, Bologna, Pescara, Foggia, Lecce, Naples, Romo, Florence, Genoa, with return to Turin. The cup was won outright by one of the smallest cars in the event, a Fiat 509 driven by Messrs. Ambrosini and Menclietti, their total time being 88 hours 20 minutes. Allowance was made only for such stops as were indispensable for taking supplies for the machine and food for the crew. The winning Fiat, it is interesting to note, has a piston displacement of only 990 c.c. * * * “There are 12 million pedestrians spread over England,” declares a contemporary. Spread seems to be the right word. DEATHS FROM MONOXIDE Life insurance companies are busy warning pf the danger of death from carbon monoxide gas poisoning. Of 279 reports of death from this cause, 169 occurred in the month of 30ecember, figures of one company show. It is significant to note that the increase was progressive from July until the end of December. Starting with six I deaths, there was an increase of one in August, while in September the , number totalled 12. With the coming of very much cooler weather. 29 deaths were reported fox* October and 56 for November. There is only one cause for this state of affairs—ignorance. It is almost a’ways suicidal to run an automobile * igine in a garage for more than the time required to get it out or tak in. Everyone should : know this J'.iple but highly important fact.