MOTOR AND CYCLE

Taranaki Daily News, 11 December 1915, Page 11 (Supplement)

MOTOR AND CYCLE

NEWS AND NOTES. There are now about 1000 of the Bed Cross vehicles in use at the front, and the upkeep, repairs, and general running expenses amount to over £4500 per week.

Commenting on the assiduity with which the damage wrought by Zeppelins is repaired, the London Globe suggests that these buildings be left alone. "Let the shattered houses remain as mute witnesses to German fright-fulness and as a call to Englishmen not to forget, 1 ' says the journal.

It is reported from France that Francois Faber, one of the most successful and most popular road riders in Europe, has been killed in action in France. Amongst Faber's many successes was his victory in the great Tour de France in 1909, in which event he also ran second in 1908 and 1910. The French crack also won the classic Borbeaui'Paris Bace in 1911.

Not the least important result secured by the German offensive in Galicia is the recovery of the petroleum wells at Stryi, for the supplies of petrol and heavy oil for the multifarious needs of the German army and navy must have been running low. The Russians claim to have set fire to all the oil tanked, but German energy no doubt quickly set the wells going again.

The suggestion has been made in some quarters in Wellington that it might be possible to gather in subscriptions sufficient to purchase a motor ear for the use of the convalescent soldiers in the hospital to which Dr. Agnes Bennett,-of Wellington, is attached. A motor car would be a great boon to the sick soldiers, and would materially hasten tlieir convalescence.

Oamaru, North Otago, has given an ambulance motor car to the Imperial Government. The car is of 30 horsepower. Pour beds are installed in the vehicle, and it has been fitted up in Oamaru in a most up-to-date fashion to meet the special demands which will be made on it. The car will be shipped to London, and will be transhipped thence to France. Despite a head wind, it made the run from Oamaru to Dunedin in 3hr. 25min. The driver, Mr. Todd, will go to Prance with the machine, and will act as it 3 driver at the front.

It is said that a certain well-known English light car concern was approached by the authorities and pertinent inquiries made regarding a tender for making shells, delivered in the panicky days when, at the outbreak of the war, many manufacturers thought there would be no more business in cars. The reply was that they were not bothering: they were very busy with private order*, whereupon the Government official merely inquired which they would prefer, giving up their factory entirely to the Government, or turning out the munitions of war required. That was a nasty one.

Many ladies in England have done excellent work by taking wounded soldiers for motor car rides. .Some do it from real kind motives, and a few for a desire to be in the limelight. A good story is told of a very haughty dame who drove up to a hospital in her 1000guinea Rolls-'Royce and aßked if she could take a patient out for an outing. A warrior in his hospital blue was soon made comfortable among her dainty cushions, and after a time she said: "Well, my poor fellow, and where were you wounded?" "Lor' bless yon, mam, I ain't wounded a't all," came the reply. "I am what they calls one of them verminous cases." What the haughty dame said is not related.

One lijrlit car of English make has adopted the central control. There seems to be a distinct future for the light ear with central control. The arrangement of central gear levers adds greatly to simplicity of construction, with consequent reduction in cost, whilst it actually permits of increased comfort for passengers. Regarding manipulation, some find it easier to use .the central control than the right hand. The left hand falls naturally on the lever and the right is free for holding the steering wheel, blowing horn, etc! It gives better accommodation, because doors may be fitted on either side, and the driver can leave his door without climbing past his passenger to the left hand door. Central control is~a feature of many American cars.

A more than usually informative letter, which deals incidentally with the question of the hour—munitions—has been received by an English exchange from a corporal stationed "somewhere in France," The details allowed to pass suggest that the Censor at the base must have been in an indulgent mood, as not a line has been obliterated. "Our motor lorries have done good work," the corporal writes, "as can be readily imagined when I tell you that we supplied 12") tons of shells to the battalion in one afternoon, and 1,000,000 rounds of smallarm ammunition at the same time. You can hardly credit the number of rounds that have been fired in this war. The motor car and motor eyele tak6 an important part in nearly every move. The London 'buses shift troops from one place to another, and lorries and ears convey supplies, etc."