MOTORDOM

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 800, 22 October 1929, Page 6

MOTORDOM

LV x V

HEADLIGHT

GARAGE GOSSIP

In 192 G Australia was the leading foreign market for American cars and trucks. A few miles from London recently a motor-cyclist w r as seen in charge of a herd of cows. A garage capable of holding 12 big cars has been built on the deck of the Cunard liner Berengaria. Only 55 out of the 64S motor-cars of different manufacture brought out in the United States since the beginning of the industry are now being made. SUMMER TIME

IyrOTORISTS, daylight saving x ' means a lot to you. Summer time is going to add to the enjoyment of picnics for motorists, and is going to be an incentive for them to take more trips than ever to Tui Glen, Howick, the end of the concrete past Papakura, and a host of other places. Get your car in order. See that it is ready for the open road and make this summer a season of long rides and of touring.

Covered-top buses have proved so successful in London that 700 more will be put on the streets. In Germany a firm has acquired a single-deck motor-bus, and converted it into a travelling sale room for motor-cycles. A member of an American club, it is asserted, 'rode 12 miles through traffic on a sidecar outfit without his sidecar wheel touching the ground. A distributor of American cars in Britain recently ordered 1,000 cars from TJ.S.A. by radio telephone. The order involved an outlay of £295,000. The United States annual taxi bill is about £80,000,000, despite the fact that 80 per cent, of the world’s passenger cars are owned in that country. Bills advocating compulsory motor insurance have been introduced in 21 of the States of the United States. Massachusetts is the only State with the law already in operation.

MOTOR TRANSPORT DOMINION STATISTICS The fourth collection of motortransport statistics, taken in Juiy fast, shows that there were then 2,17 S vehicles in the Dominion, valued at £981,458, which had . run 2,969,005 miles during the year, and carried 2,025,512 passengers and 58,186 tons of freight during the month. The above information is imparted by the “Abstract of Statistics” for September, which states that for the whole Dominion a decrease of 36 vehicles is recorded by comparison

with November, 1928. The North Island had 71 per cent, of the omnibuses, 63 per cent, of the passenger service-cars, 77 per cent, of the freight vehicles, and 59 per cent, of the combined passenger and freight vehicles. The average values of vehicles were: —Omnibuses, £673; passenger service-cars, £363; freight vehicles, £366; and vehicles engaged in combined passenger and freight services, £273.

Employees a vehicle for the various classes of service were as follow: Omnibuses, 1.5; passenger servicecars, 1.3; freight vehicles, 1.3; combined passenger and freight vehicles, 1.1. The total number of persons engaged in connection with the services enumerated (inclusive of proprietors actively engaged) was 2,900, comprising 2,740 males and 160 females, compared with 2,821 males and 129 females in November. The decrease in males is due to fewer cars being in service during winter, and the increase in females indicates a tendency to the more prevalent employment of such in office duties. The average trip (out and home) was 11.2 miles, 71.5 miles, 30.3 miles, and 39.8 miles respectively. Of the total mileage of nearly three millions almost two and a-quarter millions was covered in the North Island. The average distance covered by each class of vehicle during the month

was:—Omnibuses, 1,682 miles; passenger service-cars, 2,111 miles; freight vehicles, 729 miles; and combined freight and passenger vehicles, 1,010 miles. Omnibuses carried 1,915,567 passengers for £52,998 (an average fare of 6£d); service-cars, 95,729 passengers for £31,675 (average, 6s 7d); and freight vehicles 56,282 tons for £41,516 (average, 15s 3d a ton). The decrease in the average fare in the case of omnibuses is due to the increased use of concession tickets on several routes. Gross receipts a mile were 11.8 d, 6.Sd and 15.3 d, respectively.

Production of balloon tyres in America is at the rate of 2,000,000 covers a month.

Challenge to the Americans NEW BRITISH SIXCYLINDER COSTING UNDER £3OO Some of the closeiy-guarded secrets of the Motor Show, which opened at Olympia on October 17, were revealed by the “Daily Mail” recently. Tlie first is the secret of the new Morris car. Sir William Morris has decided to enter the medium-powered six-cylin-der car market, and his new model definitely throws down the gauntlet to United States and other foreign rivals. The new car has keen built in the utmost secrecy. It Was assembled at Le Mans, Prance,' and tested in various parts of Europe, including Luxemburg, away from prying eyes on English roads. IN THE MYSTERY SHOP

Recently a “Closed to visitors” notice has been posted at the works at Cowley, Oxfordshire, and the first few production models have been kept in what is known as the Mystery Shop. The new Morris is a remarkable car in many ways, and represents a distinct advance in the matter of laboursaving for the owner-driver. Labour-saving devices, in fact, will be one of the big features of the Motor Show. The six-cylinder engine of the new Morris car is rated at 14.9 h.p., tax £ls. The price will be settled at a conference of agents, when the new programme will be announced. “I understand that it is under the £3OO mark,” said the Daily Mail motoring correspondent. NOVEL FEATURES The engine switch and the switches for all lights are controlled from a single lever on the steering wheel, so that the driver does not, have to grope about on the dashboard. The same switch also operates the

dipping reflectors on the headlamps, which are electrically controlled. A touch of the switch lever and the dippers come into operation. The oil filter to the engine is automatically cleaned every time the driver presses the clutch pedal. The foot-brakes adjust themselves —that is, any wear is automatically taken up. The hand-brake can be adjusted from the driver’s seat. Brakes are hydraulically operated. Engine temperature is controlled by radiator shutters which automatically close or open, according to whethei the engine is cold or hot. A large suitcase container replaces the luggage grid. The fabric body is dropped down level with the running-boards, improving the appearance of the car without sacrificing head-room.