Page
MOTOR NOTES.
AUSTIN PRICE ADVANCE.
I
NEW PRICELIST IN JULY.
An advance in the export prices of all models is announced by the heal Austin agents, Alex. Ross & Co. (China), Ltd., who have re cerped a cable froni their principals intimating that the increases will come ints force on all cars shipped after the 1st instant. The home retail prices were advanced earlier in the year to meet the increased costs of production, but it was then hoped that to change in export prices would be necessary.
Local prices will remain unchang ed until July 15, when the new list will be as follows:--
Austin Seven Touring.
Model
HK.81.495
Austin Sever Saloon.
Fabric and Metal.
1,690
Austin Twelve Chf-
ton. Toure
2,560
Austin Twelve Open
Road Tourer
3.073
Austin Twelve Burn
ham Silona
3,540
Austin Sixteen. Cli
ton Tour........... Austin Sixteen Open
Road Tourer Austin Sixteen Burn
3,263
3,150
4,050
NOTED WRITER'S MOTOR
TOUR.
TO RE-DISCOVER AMERICA.
Bob Davis, claimant to the title of the most widely travelled news paper correspondent in the world. is now re-discovering the United States for the New York Sun and the Bell syndicate in a Willys Knight Sedan. With him is Frederick Faust, the novelist.
Their official start began, as are properly discovery of America should, at Columbus Circle in New York City, which is labelled. Mileage in the guide books. During the next three months they expect to wander through nearly every State in the Union looking for pieces to put in the "Bob Davis Recalls" enlumn of the Sun and other newspapers. When last seen, the back seat of the sedan was onded to the spring-breaking point with portable typewriters, dean copy-paper, and fishing parapher- 'malia. Fanst was at the wheel. Davis was engrossed in a road guide, and practicing words to say
at detours.
From New York they will journey south, then wess to the Pacific coast, north to Washington, and back to Columbus Circle. Or The they may do something else. main idea is 1,000 words per day with distance and direction second-
ham Saloon........... Reference has recently been made to the strike at Longbridge Works. ut it is understood that this was of short duration and production | aty. has now returned to normal.
ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT SPEED RECORD.
NEW DESIGN.
Mr. Kaye Don, the Brooklands driver, undeterred by the announce- unt of Major Segrave that he is "through" with high-speed motor records, is now completing arrange ments to take a car to Daytona Beach next year for the purpose of eclipsing the present record, and holding it for Great Britain against any American attenṛst ta beat Segrave's 231 miles an hour.
As announced in January last, there is being constructed in the midland workshops of a niotor racing company, a super car, the motive power of which will consist of two engines, each developing 1.000 h.p., of entirely new design- the outcome of many years experi mental work by in French engineer and built to achieve a maximum speed of 270 miles an hour.
Mr. Don said recently: "I am crossing to Paris to complete ar rangements for my attempt. All preliminary details have been settled, and from now onwards I shall be Jouking forward to the day when I fulfil my life's ambition.
In the meantime I have a strenuous racing season before me, both here and on the Continent. begin in twelve days' time with at- tarks on the 50 kilometres, 100
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MOTORIST'S REPLY TO CHANCELLOR.
"COMPLETE TRAVESTY OF THE POSITION."
The deputation froin the con- ference of twenty-two motor urs Lanisations which waited, on the (hancellor of the Exchequer to lead for reduced motor taxation have issued a statement criticising Mr. Churchill's unfavourable pe
ly. The statement says:-
Mr. Churchill's references to fortunate " andbuoyant motorists suggest that owners of motor-ears and motor-cycles are wealthy and privileged persons. The fact is that these vehicles are indispensable for many profes sional and business purposes and as an aid to the better and healthier distribution of popula tion,
The Chancellor's observations on the subject of road accidents were irrelevant to the case with which he was dealing, and mis- leading.
In his references to protected British motor manufacturers Mr. Churchill gave n. complete travesty of the position.
The British industry enjoys no greater protection than that of any competing country, nor is it the only British industry that is protected.
" COD
kilometres, 50 miles, and 100 miles ¦ The conference of motor or Brooklands records, and shall later ganisations," it is stated, attempt to break my own record tends that motor taxation can be for the fastest lap on that track." reduced and road improvement de- It is believed in motoring girdles veloped on a large senle if the re- that with perfect streamlining and venues are applied to the purposes an engine, or engines, as powerful to which they were originally as that used in the Golden Arrow, pledged and a sound financial the world's land speed record will policy be adopted by the Govern reach five miles a minute.
ment,"
SAFER -ROAD SURFACES.
ABOLISHING THE PERIL OF ASPHALT.
GIRL MOTORIST CENSURED.
CORONER ON DANGER OF.
DOGS IN CARS.
The scandal of roads laid so dead,
I consider it very wrong for a smooth, that they are veritable motorist to have a dog on the near death-traps after the slightest fall side of the driving seat," said Dr. of rain, and solution to this W. A. Whitehouse, the coroner, at pressing problem of modern traibe a Deptford inquest. The case was conditions, have been discussed re- oag in which Jane Manning, aged cently at a conference "representa seventy-three, of Ricgstend Road, tive of two dozen organisations Catford, had just left a post office connected with the modern high-after drawing her old age pension, and was crossing the main road,
Way.
The result is published in a when she was knocked down by a Imoklet just issued, entitled motor-car.
"British Standard Specifications The jury, returning a verdict of for Asphalt Road Surfacing,' "Accidental death.""added a rider which contains the following signi- that the driver of the ear, Miss Ada ficant passage:-
Mary Thompson, aged twenty-one, of Plough Lane, Wallington, should have exercised more care.
With a view to providing a roughened surface asphalt after initial compression, and while still warm and in a plastic con-
reasonable
The coroner said he understood
dition, shall be covered with a that Miss Thompson „had an Aire- layer of approved, clean, hard dale dog on her nedr side. He felt half-inch or three-quarter-inch sure that she had lost her head in gauge chipping which shall
be the emergency.
then rolled or otherwise pressed. into the asphalt so as to project above the auriace.
If this is enforced it will, it is believed, be the end. of death-trap 1oads. As far as can be seen thore is no reason why it should not be enforced. The Ministry of Trans- port, which holds the purse strings of the Road Fund at home, has the
power.
It has circulated a letter recently to road authorities to the effect that those who desire to avail themselves of Road Fund grants will be ex- pected to adopt the methods cut lined above.
The feature of the asphalt road is its extreme hardness and im munity from softening in hot weather.
AN AID TO REVERSING.
Reversing in the dark is always rather difficult, says The Coinmer cial Motor, particularly so when the vehicle is a long one with an enclosed body which cuts off the driver's view rearwards. Many men overlook the fact that certain types of spotlight which are com monly fitted to coaches and other vehicles can be turned around to face towards the back of the machine, often without having to leave the driving seat to effect the adjustment. This tip may save good deal of paint, varnish and language.
THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS. WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 1929.
MOTORING ON THE WATER. A RAPIDLY GROWING SPORT
Motor-boating, which was Onit the prerogative of a selected few, has of late years been coming much to the fure and promises to become a popular sport.
|
Reliable and Fast.
A layman cannot travel about from place to place in a sailing boat without a knowledge of sail ing, winds and tides, and so on: it is only experience, and much of that, which will fanble a efficiently to handle such a craft, Besides which, in these restless days, very few of us can afford the time to go sailing very pleasant though it is-or the nieana to maintain the upkeep necessary to a presentable sailing yacht.
WARNING POSTS.
Highway authorities, it is learned. have the Minister of Transport's approval to acquire and erect A.A. safety posts wherever they are needed. These posts, which are al- ready to be seen on many of the new by-pass roads, are about 2 ft. in height and carry & little red safety-first triangle, which sparkles when the lights from headlampa fall upon it. "For "denoting danger points, writes "Focus," in Tàc
fast and efficient transport by water small, light, and silencing is not as well as a considerable amount of of primary importance. It uses thrill, novelty and excitement with much less fuel than a speedboat, and quite high speeds are attain out any personal danger.
There is abs a great development | aisle.
The hulls, being necessarily of a parallet lines of the outboard motorboat, This must not be con-light construction. are inclined to fused with the speedboat primer, or fragile, and such a boat muss not be expected to stand heavy weather. one is liable to disappointment.
There is, however, a great deal of fun to be obtained with these little things: and one great advan- tage, due to their extreme port, ability, is that they enn be used an inland waters so conveniently. Light Car and Cycleear, they have
There are several makes of boat,, always struck me as being singu but, as a rule, they follow one larly practical whilst they are of general design. The contro! posi- great value in warring one of tion is forward with a steering nasty bends and corners." wheel, lighting and so forth like a car. There are usually seats for five or six people, then, the engine sents for two or three more passen- (totally enclosed), and at the sterngers; the petrol tank being right
(Continued on next Calamn). aft out of harm's way..
Various Models. The difference between the two Nowadays bur roads are too erowded to get the pleasure that one
is rather analogous to the difference used out of mere motoring, the
between a motor-cycle and a car. car has become more of a necessary
The outboard matar-boat consists of means of transport than a pleasurej A speedboat, on the other hand, a light ball-usually to hold one or and the recent English discovery is no more expensive than a good { two persons, although lately larger For that is what it amounts to offer, is not too expensive to run, i models have been put on the market the fast motor launch, or speedbont and is even easier to drive than and a detachable engine and pro- as it is termed in America (where ear because there is no gear-chang-peller unit, which is attached to the this type of bont has been ining, no cross-roads, and nothing like familiar use for twenty years ar ng much trafic to avoid more), has given a tremendous They are reliable; and besides impetus to the public interest in taking you out into the fresh air, this pastime.
put into your hands a means of
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stern of the boat.
It has a great deal of popularity, beranse it is naturally cheap, and light and portable. As in the case of a motor-cycle, the engine is
· ECONOMICAL THAN EVER
MORE
PRICES:
Tourer Roadster
$2,140
2,640
Coach
2,390
Coupe
2,390
Sedan
2,640
Agents :
Garage & Service Station :
GILMAN & CO., LTD.
4A, DES VEUX ROAD."
TEL. C. 290.
"DURO MOTOR CO., LTD.
132, NATHAN ROAD, KOWLOON, TEL. K. 226.
Redesigned engine insures lower
operating
costs
Whippet Six has always been faster, livelier more powerful,
Tnotable for operating economy. performs brilliantly under mill and
Now comes the new Superior Whippet Six, with a re-designed higher compression engine. This increase in compression ratio results in greater economy in the consumption of petrol, assuring more value from petrol used, and more miles
per gallon.
The new Superior Whippet Six is also
ing conditions.
In beauty of line and colour, the new Superior Whippet Six is the style authority in its class. Larger bodies afford roomier interiors and
With the rowerkabis
"Finger-Tip
added riding comfort. Your nearest Willys Overland dealer will gladly demonstrate this finest of light Sixes.
LOWER
COST
OPERATION
The new superíor
WHIPPET SIX
WILLYS · OVERLAND
FINE
MOTOR
CARS