MOTOR SPEED RECORD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 861, 3 January 1930, Page 11

MOTOR SPEED RECORD

“WIZARD” SMITH INSPECTS BEACHES PLEASED WITH MURIWAI With a view to choosing a suitable track to drive his racing car, “Anzac,” in an endeavour to crack the Australian and New Zealand one mile, and the world 10 miles records, Norman “Wizard” Smith and his party, which arrived in Auckland from Sydney by the Maunganui on Tuesday, made an inspection of Muriwai Beach yesterday. JN spite of the unfavourable weather conditions the beach was found to be in fine order and a stretch of 29 miles which was motored over by the party was considered suitable to race the speedy “Anzac.” In patches, the surface had been turned up by toheroa-hunters, while beds of shell fish, which shift considerably with the tides, also interrupted the smooth running of the beach.

'Expressing surprise at such a fine racing beach so close to the city, Mr. Smith said, after he had made a thorough inspection, that there was one stretch of nine miles fit to attain the fastest car speeds possible, while there was another stretch of five miles perhaps not so suitable, but which could be covered with perfect safety. In several places there were one mile tracks in perfect order. Nothing definite was decided concerning Muriwai Beach, but it is possible that Wizard Smith will drive “Anzac” at the motor race meeting to be held there on January 25. GOING NORTH FOR TRIALS Tomorrow Mr. and Mrs. Smith and party are leaving for Kaitaia to make an inspection of the Ninety-Mile Beach and, according to reports which have been received, it is felt that the attempt to shatter the two records will take place there. For the purpose of being put through its trials, the car is being shipped to Awanui tomorrow and will be transported from there to the beach. The Auckland Automobile Association is giving the Australian motorist every support and its officials and time-keepers are leaving for the North on Thursday, it being possible that an attempt on the record will be made the following day, although much depends upon the weather conditions. As the A.A.A. is affiliated with the Royal Automobile Club of England, any record times established will be accepted and recognised throughout the world. Mr. H. Butcher is in charge of the timing operations and with him will be Messrs. Robinson and Coltman and other officials of the Automobile Association. Breaking motor-car records means considerably more preparation and care than at first meets the eye. Perhaps one of the most interesting features is the testing of the tyres. A special type of tyre has been built and every known strain has been duly tested to the extent of holding with perfect safety when travelling at 260 miles an hour, 29 miles an hour above the speed attained by Sir Henry Segrave when he cracked the world’s record for a mile on Daytona Beach.

from Wensley, Smeeton’s first over having been a maiden. The Canterbury captain opened up to off-drive Smeet.cn to the fence —the first boundary of the day. It was a climbing shot, which made the total 28 after Canterbury’s innings had been in progress for 45 minutes. Roberts reached eight with a pretty leg-glance for two off Smeeton —a shot which he repeated two balls later. Wensley was bowling very steadily, and applied the silencer to Page’s forcing tactics. Rowntree was in great form behind the stumps, and the Auckland fielding generally still keen. Roberts showed something of nis calibre as a batsman by driving Smeeton through the covers for two and three off successive balls. He was then 15, Page five, and Canterbury 38 for two wickets. PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP Roberts and Page now began to pile on the runs in a speedy manner, taking the total to 47 after Canterbury had been ba,tting for one hour. Roberts was then 25 and Page 12, Wensley and Smeeton still being the Auckland bowlers. The Canterbury skipper survived a. confident leg before appeal when forcing Wensley. With the total at 57 for two wickets, Arnold Anthony took over from Smeeton at the terrace bowling crease, and Roberts glanced his third ball to leg for a single. Matheson came back to bowl from the stand end in place of Wensley, who had taken one wicket for 23 runs. The double bowling change had the effect of slowing up the scoring rate, for a time, at least. Page, soon livened up, however, and twice in one over, off successive balls, turned Matheson neatly to the leg boundary. The total was 75 after batting for one hour 25 minutes, and the pair was still unseparated. MATHESON EXPENSIVE One over of Matheson produced 10 runs for the Southerners, and after bowling over from the stand crease, he was taken off in favour of Wensley. Roberts and Page had added 57 runs in 50 minutes—reasonably fast scoring. Roberts reached out of his crease to Anthony for Rowntree to whip the bails off, but the batsman had a foot just inside the line. A bright feature of the keen Auckland fielding was the work of H. D. Gillespie, at cover point and long off. In a long morning of two hours’ play, he let only one ball past him. A single to Roberts off Anthony made the Southern score 100, afte.r one and three-quarter hours. Page was 33 not out, and Roberts 47 not out. Neither batsman looked like going out, and runs came freely up to the luncheon adjournment, when Canterbury bad two wickets clown for 104 runs (Roberts not out 49, Page not out 35). Heavy rain fell during the luncheon adjournment, and at 2.45 p.m. there was little prospect of the match being continued today. CANTERBURY First Innings. MERRITT, c Weir, b Matheson .... s CROMB, c Rowntree, b Wensley .. S ROBERTS, not out 19 PAGE, not out 35 Extras 4 Two wickets for 104