MOTOR & CYCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1920, Page 11

MOTOR & CYCLE.

v KEWS AND NOTES. . In reply to a direct question in the House of Commons respecting the pries of petrol, v.Jien it was asked what steps were proposed to be taken in view of the finding of the special committee that the present price was excessive and without justification, a representative of the Board of Trade said that it was proposed to discuss further with tho companies the various items of cost to which attention was called, but, even wore it found possible to effect a temporary reduction, it was thought we must face the fact that the demand for nlotor spirit was growing more rapidly than the supply, and that short of a complete international control, which hardly was a proposal, the moat effective method of preventing an increase of price was the use of other forms of liquid or gaseous fuel. There should soon be an increase in the production of benzole, but it still would be a limited quantity; alcohol was another remedy, but ample sources of supply and an efficient denaturant were needed before large quantities could be available. So great was the interest and the attendances daily at the motor shews at Olympia, London, last November, that it was decided that there will be two shows in the same month this year, although it is not settled if there will be two shows running concurrently at two different places, or two successive displays at Olympia. Apparently bo:h shows are t6 be more or less similar in character; that is to say, there will not be one show for large cars and another for small ones, so that a visitor who is interested in one type of vehicle mo/e thn another will bo forced to visit both shows to fully satisfy himself.' It is, of course, a difficult matter to say which of the two arrangements is the better, as there is much to be said in favor of each, but on the whole public opinion appears to favor a distinction in the type of vehicle to be seen at each show if two exhibitions are to be held. The matter is sure to be carefully considered by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders before any definite announcement is made. The latest amalgamation in the motor ,and allied trades is that of the Airco •Manufacturing Co. with the Birmingham Small Arms Co., Ltd. This amalgama-' tion is of rather more than ordinary interest in that the B.S.A. occupies a premier position in the motor and motor accessory trade, while the Airco Co. occupies a similar position in the aircraft industry. In the latter trade a decline naturally took place when peace was declared, and until aviation is more firmly estblished more stability will be secured by 'amalgamations such as the above, perhaps to the benefit of both industries. At the Glasgow Motor Show In March last there was exhibited a very interesting little apparatus to facilitate engine starting in cold weather. The device consists of a rectangular copper resistance' covered with asbestos, and which is placed permanently in the induction pipe. A few seconds before the car is to be started the current is switched ki (the source of supply being the lighting batteries), and the Kramer Vaporiser, as it is called, rapidly attains a high temperature. As the partially vaporised fuel leaves the jet it passes over the heated asbestos and is completely vaporised, so that it enters the engine as a gas and not as a semi-liquid. In order to prevent the current from being left on after the engine is started and the extra heat no longer required, a small lamp is wired in series with it and is mounted on ths dashboard, so that whenever the current is switched on the lamp is lighted and the driver has no excuse for forgetting something that is out of sight. An obvious objection that might be raised to the. apparatus is that the presence of the asbestos pad in the induction pipe would result in choking, and would cause considerable loss of power Experience has proved, however, that that is not the case; in fact, the presence of the vaporiser in the induction pipe has not been found to lave the slightest deleterious effect on the ptfwer output of the engine, and that it makes the use of heavier and cheaper spirit a possibility. Home papers consider that the cyclecar will appeal to the man who before the war used a small car with a 4-cylin-'der water-cooled engine, but who now finds he cannot afford to buy and operate a similar type of vehicle. It also appeals to the potential purchaser of a luxurious side-car combination, the cost of which now approximates £2OO. The average price of a good class cycle-car is about £2OO, some possibly under that figure, but the majority will command a I higher price—in this country not lower than £250. In spite of the reliability and proved soundness of the motor-cycle and sidecar, one can never overlook the very serious objection tt> it resulting from ths driver's exposure to the inclemencies of the weather, and for that reason it is likely that the cycle-car will appeal to the erstwhile side-car user and may have a good future. It offers practically the same comfort and service as does the ordinary car at less than half the cost, and affords improved accommodation and comfort over the side-car machine with practically very little increase in the costs, initial and running. On April 3rd last, the famous motor racing track at Brooklands (England), was re-opened with a race meeting at which events for motor-oycles and cyclecars were listed, only to be postponed for a week after the second race owing to heavy rain. For five years the track has been closed to motorists, being used by the authorities as an aviation camp and training ground, when the track proper deteriorated. It has been under repair for some considerable time preparatory to a series of important race meetings organised by the Brooklands Motor Racing Club. That the surface is in good condition is apparent from the excellent times recorded in the cyclecar competitions, in Bome of which the speed attained was equal to 7G'/j m.p.li. In the contests for larger cars, the competitors touched 100 m.p.h., the victor in two events being Harry Hawker, the Australian aviator, who drove a 12cylinder Sunbeam car. Both were popular wins, and aroused great enthusiasm. The speeds attained by the smaller cars points to the successful adaptation of the air-cooled engine lor cms. According to a communication received by the secretary of the National Roads Association of Australia, the Victorian Premier (Mr. Lawson), will, in response to requests from the Association and the Gippsl an< i shires en route, invite the Prince of Wales to accord his patronage to the road leading from Melbourne to Sydney through Gippsland and along the south coast (N.S.W.) by allowing it to be named the "Prince's Highway." H this act will cultivate a sentiment and stimulate a desire to have this picturesque foutfc im-

prUved, a_ splendid purpose will lie serveu- It is understood that the N.S.W. branch of the N.R.A. will make a simiar move in regard to the road as from Sydney. It is remarkable that the British Motor-car Act, passed in 1903, has operated for so many years without alteration, notwithstanding that traffic conditions are now so very different, it would seem, however, that there is a move in the direction of having the act revised in some degree, the matter naving been brought before Parliament. The Minister of Transport was asked if lie were aware that since the legislation which now. governs the speed of motors was introduced the. braking powers of motor-vehicles have been improved 300 per cent, and whether tnat justifies a demand for the revision of the speed regulations? The Minister stated, in re ply, that the departmental committee on the taxation and regulation of road vehicles was considering the matter. The need for the removal of existing restrictions which might now be unnecessary would be dealt with. He was also asked if he were aware that there is no speed limit in France and that fewer accidents happen there than m England; and haying regard to the desirability of increasing the speed of vehicular traffic, was he sympathetic towards abolishing the 20 miles an hour limit? The Minister was non-committal; he preferred to \yait until the report of the advisory committee came to hand. It Is understood that the agitation to have the speed limit removed is due to increased police activity in trapping motorists. Soon after the war ended the police began to bo aggressive, and have gradually extended their operations. What the British motorists desire is a clause similar to that in the Victorian Actthat they must not drive to the common danger.