MOTOR AND CYCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1920, Page 9

MOTOR AND CYCLE.

NEWS AND NOTES. Nowadays Motor Car Repair Shops are springing up in amazing numbers and the \thought arises—have all these men the necessary experience to handle important motor-car repairs—■ In most trades and professions qualification and long service is called for before one is fitted to handle the work in whichever sphere one's labors may be directed, but in car repairing—where the value of vehicles may easily exceed £IOOO, and upon the reliability of which one's life on many occasions depends—no special ijualiflcations are called fiv except a workshop, a lathe and a ft- tools. Is it not time, that the Moto. Traders' Association should take up this important matter? Motorists are now getting so numerous that some protection is needed to protect the car owner from the "Tinkeror" as distinguished from the qualified mechanic. Some form of registration followed u]) with a license or qualification certificate should be issued by the Motor Traders' Association. It's a matter worthy of consideration at their next federal conference. A cablegram is to hand stating that the American Transcontinental Motor Car .Record—between New York and Sau Franeifico :11J47 miles—has been considerably reduced by an F.ssex Car driven by several drivers—who succeeded in negotiating this strenuous routeembracing three mountain ranges and much desert country, in four days 19 hours and 17 minutes. The return journey was then tackled and even faster time recorded—for New Yorkwas reached in 4 days 14hrs.4:t minutes —the time for the double journer—--0094 miles being !) days lOlirs.—giving an average speed of 50 miles nil" hour. 'The previous record for the trip across the American Continent from Snn Francisco to New York stood to the credit of S. R. Stewart in 5 days lsi hours. Tly3 "lOssex" used was a standard model and the preformance is a most meritorious one.