MOTORING AND CYCLING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 75, 18 August 1914, Page 6

MOTORING AND CYCLING.

NEWS AND. NOTES. The value of motor transportation will be tested to the utmost during the present European struggle. Motor cars, commercial and passenger, will 'be taken over in hundreds of thousands by the military authorities throughout England, France, Germany, Russia and the various countries embroiled in the present "trouble. In Germany, the military authorities have 120 automobile road trains, which will be of immense value for transport purposes, as they can each carry about (H) tons of merchandise, and average from six to ten miles an hour. In addition to that, she has the call of some 850 subsidised motor lorries. In England .and France, the same provision has been made, thousands of commercial vehicles being subsidised by the respective governments for use in time of war. Needless to say, they will all now be requisitioned, in addition to hundreds of thousands of privately owned vehicles. It is interesting to note, that England has some 423,000 motors registered, including somo 70,000 motor cycles, the percentage of motor cars to 'population being oiie to every '24!) people in England. France -has some 100,000 cars, one to every 4-11, whilst Germany is a long way behind with one to every 927 people. Should the European struggle extend, New Zealand and Commonwealth authorities will certainly take some action as regards calling on commercial bouses and private car owners for the use of their motor vehicles in case of emergency. Already, however, in -New Zealand, cars are being freely offered to the Government. A matter that may cripple cars in the event of a general ■war may be a shortage in petrol. This applies more particularly to Europe. The ever-increasing popularity of the .motor cycle 'both for pleasure and bilßi»ess purposes is largely the outcome of the vast improvements which have been effected-in matters of design and construction, particularly where the control of tho mackine is in question. There can be no doubt at all that one of the principal reasons why increasing numbers of people are being attracted to motor cycling in these, later days of its evolution and development is the fact of its being no longer necessary to possess abundant physical strengtli and agility in order to control the machine, and make up for its shortcomings at starti ing, and when driving under conditions I necessitating frequent stopping, with all the attendant labor which," formerly, was inseparable from the task of get- ! ting under weigh again. The great improvements which have been made in the design of free engine clutches and the provision of etlieient and wholly reliable type have entirely niotamorphosed the entire proposition, and as a result, the motor cyclist, instead of bciii" regarded, as was formerly the case, as something of an acrobat, nowada.s enjoys, practically speaking, the same facilities as the car driver in connection with the conrtol of his machine under all conditions of driving. This has produced in a large measure a revulsion of feeling amongst n large section of users and potential users in favor of the heavier and more powerful motor cvcles, although if the matter could be 'analysed, it would doubtless be found that a large .majority existed in favor of'the lighter and small powered types of machine amongst the section of the public as' yet new to the nastinie. and who, for this reason, judge the matte,- from a somewhat different standpoint than that of .the experienced.driver. The "extreme .handiness ami simplicity „f the pedal .cycle and the marvellous all-round efficiency possessed therein- are factors winch have taken too great a hold on the Australasian public t-ver to be entirely ousted by any form of mechanical propulsion. The -bicycle, as we may term it f„r short, has advantages of it's own. which are not likely ever to be encroached upon, but that there is an established need for some coniiectinlink between this vehicle and the motor cvc.e of medium weight and power has long since been a point bevotid dispute, and the appearance and. rapid]v incrcasmg use of the ultra-light-weight of the -•liiotor-cyclette" type provide' that connecting link and the evidence to prove that it lias not been introduced before " s was wanted. In England the attention of all the leading makers lias been turned to the designing of a reliable light-weight machine, and despite the present-day popularity of the heavyweight, the time is not fur away when the motor-cydette will outnumber- the heavy type of machine that is to-day so popular. It will be a ease of tho IHit ellicient car versus -heavy ears ovi r again, and the same will' apply to the future progress of the motor cycle I'or many years the racing .motor ear hit-- held all the. world's fastest loii" distance sp«,,i r m) nls. The adva,:,; of the ueioplane is now surely but slowlv bettering motor records that a lew year's back were thought to remain in Ihe ,!o'"■ii" of motoring for many veins to come The latest .wonderful' feat by an aeroplane is the performance of Lieutenant Gi-eu, the Norwegian explo-v;-who Hew a distance of :I2I( miles -,c,-,ks country in 250 minutes, which works ;)ia at an average of S!l miles per ho-ir