MOTORDOM

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 556, 8 January 1929, Page 6

MOTORDOM

By

HEADLIGHT Ks

GARAGE GOSSIP

Wife of driver (as car bowls over pedestrian): Oh, George, that’s the first with the new car. Let’s wish! "Did Bill get very excited -when the locomotive hit his car?” "I guess so; the witnesses said he flew all to pieces.” Between 1923 and 1927 the number of motor buses registered in the United States has jumped from 40,000 to 85,636. In 1923 the mileage run totalled 1,350,000,000, while last year it was 2,002,000,000. There is an amount of £100,000,000 invested in rolling stock, terminals, garages, and the like.

When approaching a steepish hill, test your brakes by lightly applying the pedal before you reach the gradient.

Australians will Compete at Muriwai

Arrangements Well Ahead for Beach Races SOME SPEEDY NEW MACHINES Every effort is being made to make a big success of the motorracing meeting to be held on Muriwai Beach on February 23. Many prominent motor-racing drivers will be present. Several inquiries have already been received by the secretary of the committee, Mr. T. W. Mabin, and entryforms are now available. The committee has already visited Muriwai and mapped out the area which is being set aside for campers, also the parking areas. Ample provision is being made to cater for larger crowds than in previous years, and a suggestion has been made that a jazz band be in attendance for the entertainment of campers on the evenings preceding and following the races. The committee is planning to visit Muriwai in about a month to survey the route for the course. AUSTRALIAN DRIVERS According to private advice received in Auckland, several of the most prominent motor-racing men in both Sydney and Melbourne are hoping to compete at Muriwai. Mr. Hope Bartlet, who has raced here before, has recently purchased a 2,300 c.c. supercharged Bugatti, and will bring it to New Zealand. This car has been electrically timed in Sydney and did over 130 m.p.li. Mr. Charles East, who won the New Zealand Light Car Cup at Muriwai last year, is planning to bring over his latest car, a Bugatti 4. This car at present holds the Australian championship for the fastest time, established at Maroubra Speedway, with a speed of 113 m.p.h. Mr. Russell-Taylor will probably bring a four-cylinder Advahx Bugatti, which is faster than his old eightcylinder car. Mr. Taylor’s brother is the owner of a supercharged front-wheel-drive

Elvis, a model which has not been seen in New Zealand as yet. Mr. IT. Butcher, who saw one of these new cars racing in England, says that they are wonderful on turns. Mr. “Wizard” Smith, the wellknown racing man, has also signified his intention of competing at this meeting with a Chrysler. Mr. Smith holds all the inter-State speed records in Australia, also the record time from Auckland to Wellington. This he established at about 13 hours 20 minutes with an Essex 4, but three years later broke his own time with a Chrysler. LOCAL MEN, TOO Among the New Zealanders who will compete are Mr. H. Blythe, with a Bugatti; Mr. Valentine, of Hamilton, with a Sports Chrysler; and Mr. H. CuiTett, with another Chrysler. As was announced in The Sun some time ago, motor-cycle races will be included to add variety to the programme. As the Muriwai races will be held only one week in advance of the annua] races of the Auckland Motor Racing Club, it is probable that many of New Zealand’s best motorcycle riders will come North for the two meetings. In any case, prominent Auckland riders will compete.

THE PETROL TAX

YIELD EXCEEDS ESTIMATE The yield from the petrol tax of_ 4d a gallon which was introduced in New Zealand a year ago is showing a handsome margin over the estimates. In introducing the legislation, the Government estimated that the tax would produce about £720,000 a year. The revenue for the first 11 months of 1928 has exceeded £813,000, so that even after provision for refunds is made, the amount available for roading is above the expected income, without considering the last month of the year. Refunds for the full 12 months- of 1928 are not expected to exceed £50,000. In the first quarter of this year refunds for farm machinery, dry cleaning, launches and other purposes amounted to £11,436. The total for the second quarter was £10,575, and in the third quarter the sum was in the vicinity of £13,000. Allowing a deduction of £50,000 for the full year from the 11 months’ collection of £813,000, it appears that there is already a margin of £43,000 over the estimate of £720,000. The cost of collection and refunding must, of course, be allowed for, and this sum will, no doubt, be heavier in the first year than in following years. There have been many complications due to ignorance on the part of applicants for refunds. The actual imports of motor spirits in the 11 months of 1928 amounted to 48,781,403 gallons, an increase of over 5,000,000 gallons on the aggregate for the corresponding period of 1927. ANCIENT CARS CELEBRATE An IS9I Panhard, which has been in continuous service for 37 years; another Panhard and a Benz, each 35 years old; a 34-year-old Clement; a 33-year-old Benz, and a Daimler and a ITurtu, each 32 years old, led the procession of ancient cars which drove from London to Brighton (England) on November 18, to celebrate the emancipation drive over the same route made on November 14, 1896, following the passing of the Act giving motor vehicles the freedom of the road. A Star (30 years), a Delahaye (29), a Renault (29), a Darracq (28), a Wolseley (28), a Lanchester (27), a Sunbeam (27), an Arrol-Johnson (20), a Do Dion (26), a Cadillac (25), an Oldsmobile (25), a Rover (25), a De Dietrich (25), and a 1903 Riley also participated.

HUGE PRODUCTION ANOTHER MILLION CHEVS The production of a million automobiles in less than eight months is the remarkable achievement of the Chevrolet Motor Company, which in the first three-quarters of 1928 has surpassed its own record for the preceding 12 months. The record-making car was produced at the Chevrolet factory in Flint, Mich. It was a standard coach model, finished in avenue green duco, with Tartan tan wheels, black beading, and striping in gold. Following an informal ceremony, the millionth car rolled off of the assembly line, and in an hour was on its way to a distant dealer. An idea can be grasped of the Immensity of the task of building 1,000,000 cars in less than eight months, when it is borne in mind that to achieve this record it was necessary that a Chevrolet be built approximately every 10 seconds of every working day. Computing on the basis that there are 25 working days a month, it means that one million cars were built in a little more than 200 working days.