CYCLING AND MOTORING.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1916, Page 7

CYCLING AND MOTORING.

NEWS AND NOTES, Few people realise to what extent motorists in Australia are taxed. For the year ending- June, 1915, a total of £1,227,338 was contributed to revenue by inotoritss. It is interesting to note how this large sum was made up. From duties on tyre imports, £148,510; motor chassis, £72,094; motor bodies, £119,218; motor-cycles, £37,500.

It is Htle wonder the crack Australian racing cyclists find America congenial place to live in. Last season Goullet, Grenda, Spears, McXamara, Clark and Walker between them received in contract fees from promoters alone the sum of £3900. Goullet's share amounted to £750. In addition to this amount, the above riders won big money in prizes. During the American racing season £21,000 was disbursed in prizes. « * » c

Few motorists are aifare, of what proportion of air to petrol is essential to proper carburation. Experiments have determined that the best explosive mixture is obtained when sixteen parts of air to one of petrol are used. The ideal condition is to 'have the mixture homogeneous, to have the proportion of petrol to air constant throughout the combustion chamber; but this condition is not exactly attainable in the 'average motor, because the carburetter will not supply an absolutely perfect vapor. In other words, the first part of the charge sucked into the cylinders may be weak, and the last part rich, and only the intermediate zone will be of the correct proportions. Again, there is always a certain amount of burned gas left over from the previous explosion, and this does not mix evenly with the incoming. charge, with the result that some parts of the mixture are diluted by it more than other parts. * » # •

Every motorist in Great Britain and her colonies (says the Motor) should know ind keep in mind the fact that every British manufacturer has what may he termed a "waiting order list." These are days when every one of us i prompted hy patriotic motives, and certainly the motorist will be acting the part of a true patriot when he, remembering the sacrifices which the motorcar industry as a whole 'has been called upon to make, decides that when peace comes he will be the owner of a motorcar produced in his own country. Wo know that in some cases immediate and urgent requirements, particularly those of professional men,, have necessitated purchases of cars during the war, when the Home industry, by reason of its pressing obligations to the State, has not been able to supply. But in neariy every case these manufacturing concerns, have their waiting- order list, and those whose requirements are registered thereon will have the company's first attention immediately the time comes, for their release from present undertakings. Everybody who can gauge future financial facilities with sufficient accuracy would be, well advised to place his name and his possible requirements upon the list of the manufacturer for whose products he has a preference, so that when car building is again resumed his order will be attended to with the least possible delay. There are two important reasons why this piece of advice should not he ignored, If we place the purely selfish aspect of the case first, it will be to the motorist's own personal interest, Then we A'Onld urge that, for patriotic reasons, the British motor industry, which has been helping to pile up munitions for the Government and engines and vehicles for the services, deserves and should be assured that it will have the support of British people, which assurance these waiting order lists will provide.

In connection with the official steps that are being taken in England to secure a reduction in the consumption of motor spirit, it is interesting to note that the Commercial Motor Users' Association lias issued a circular to its members urging them to use their utmost endeavors to save petrol, and recommending, in order to assist in securing this end—(l) That a bonus he ofl'ered to drivers, based upon present average consumption's, to the extent of half the value of the petrol saved; an:l (2) that accompanying instructions shall he issued to drivers to stop the engine when the vehicle is collecting or delivering or when a halt (other than in traffic) may exceed one minute in duration. Although these recommendations are addressed to owners and usev.i of commercial vehicles,, tlier.- '» no reason why they should 'be adopted with advantage by all profcssion.il users of ,cars, -ueh as doctors, commercial travellers and others who employ a chauffeur to drive their "ar or cars. There is no question that considerable economy can be effected in petrol consumption, if a little care is taken, which is more likely to be done when it is to the driver's own interest to do so. Not only enn the consumption he minced by not running the engine a moment longer than is necessary, but in a variety of other ways—as, for example, more care in the emptying of the contents of the tins into the car tank, better adjustment of the arbme.tu v, stopping the engine when defending long hills, etc. A long article can, indeed, be written on the subject of ways o F economising petrol, which, although they may appear trivial and not worth bothering about, would represent a by no means unimportant total, if generally practised throughout the country, The intelligent driver, however, needs little or no instruction on such matter, By giving them the necessary monetary encouragement, however, they can turn the bonus system into a threefold advantage—(l) A welcome addition to their weekly earnings; (2) a smaller fuel •lulls to the employer; and (3) a reduction in the aggregate pstrol consumption, which is urgently pressing.