1928-12-25 — Page 9

SINGER

JUNIOR-SENIOR-SIX

Car for every Puse and Purpose

Immediata Delivery

THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25th, 1928.

“ZENITH” MOTOR CYCLES.

H.K. $1,750, GILMAN & CO., LTD.

HOPKAR

MOTOR NOTES.

MOTOR-CYCLE ON THE

STAGE..

Mr. Juban Wylie, the well-known London theatrical producer, bas

MOTORING NOTES

A Weekly Review dealing with Matters of Interest to all Local Motorists.

LEA-FRANCIS OAR BREAKS

WORLD'S RECORD.

"At Brooklands Track on Septem- ber 10th a 1 litre Hyper-Sports Lea-

Motor Notes-Motor Risks-Bad Driving the Worst Peril-Saloon Car verses Open Tourer-

The Danger of Dazzle-A New Motor-cycle Chain.

BAD DRIVING THE WORST PERIL:

94 PEDESTRIANS TO BLAME IN 193 ACCIDENTS.

MOTOR RISKS.

INSURANCE CUM LICENCE.

ABOLITION OF THE UNFIT DRIVER.

Why not make the insurance

to

aurance policy is ai differant matter.

entirely Naturally, an insurance company which stands lose through the accidents of its clients is going to make some, inquiry into their physical fitness and past record. Only a few days ago,

received a proposal from a duly licensed driver, and, in answering one of the questions

ZENITH " "THREE H.K. 8570.

Agents,

•Hong Kong & S. China;

#

GILMAN & CO., LTD.

TIL. C. 290,

·Service

DURO MOTOR CO., LTD.

KOWLOON TEL. K. 926,

companies, and Lloyd's, all-in he would not be in the possession open competition, and surance will be refused if it is at

no in- of a licence, all possible to insure the proposer.

Mr. Pole pointed out that it would be easy to arrange for the licence to drive a car to become an attachment of the policy. Anyone wishing to drive a car would first maka application to an insurance licence would be attached to the policy, the insurance company pay ing the money to the authority concerned.'

staged a sensational modern mu Francis car established a new inter- been condemned by the Ministry of companies responsible for the issue on the proposal form, he disclosed company, and, if accepted, the s. ascertaining whether a driver is fit

cal comedy, Mister Uinders," in which Binnie Hale and Bobby Howca are the chief star

These stars actually use an All- British Arial motorcycle and aide car on the stage in a thrilling ad venture in catching a moving train.

NEW HUDSON SERVICE - BICYCLES IN DEMAND.

Large quantities of New-Hudson Service Bicycles continue to be called for by the Crown Agents for the Colonies, these being intended for service"

use in Nigeria, Uganda, and Tanganyika Territory and the Gold Coast,

In many cases the bicycles are fitted with Sarbo unburstable tyres, which are essential owing to the terribly rough nature of the country often traversed by the riders.

A NEW SUNBEAR CLOSED" CAR.

A

The comfort of the closed motor- cat has made this type so popular that open touring cars are now in little demand except in the cheaper models.

Coach building is a highly skilled craft, and the latest designs of closed cars produced by the lead- ing British firms are the very em bodiment of refinement and com· fort. A notable example is the new Sunbeam Enclosed Drive Iimousine on a special lang wheelbase 20 h.p. chassis. This model has innumer able interesting features, including ventilation devices in the doors which allow a current of air to pass continually into the interior but with all draught excluded. The rear seat is also made adjustable. both as regards depth of cushion and slope of the aquab," which 18 the technical term for the back portion of the scut. In the can- struction light alloy metals are used for the front pillars, obtain ing great strength in these porte, and also allowing them to be re- duced, in section," and thus provid. ing better vision, for the driver. The special, long wheelbase chassis has space for a roomy Body, and two occasional seats Are Btted in the rear compartment so that the, car can be used as a seven-seater whou desired. The price of this new. Sunbeam model is 2960....

The pedestrian has been exocerat- ed and the negligent driver has

national record in Class F. (1,100 Transport, who have inquired in 1,500 c.c.). Driven alternately by

to the causes of 586 accidents dur- Mr. R. M. V. Sutton and Mr. Eing the past year. Hallam, the Lea-Francis covered

Care-

thereby combine all the advantages of motor-driving licences, and that he was deaf and dumb. He

had held a licence for some years." of compulsory insurance and . physical fitness examination for licences, without any of the disad vantageat writes the London Morning Post motoring correspon dent.

tion was made to me recently by This somewhat startling sugges

No Right On The Road, "My contention is," continued Mr. Pole," that there are many unft people in charge of cars at the moment who have no right to be on the road. I do not contend physical disability are unft to that all man who suffer from a drive, but each case should be in people to do that are the insurance companies who have a direct finan- eial interest in the result."

Existing Machinery." Mr. Pela ia in favour of compul sory insurance provided the com- panies concerned, are not compelled to take risks that they would not accept in the ordinary way. He maintains that the machinery for to drive a car or not is already in existence, sad that this scheme. local would save the taxpayer any addi

tional burden, and also make it. unnecessary to bring into being a large body of officials for the pur- pose of examining drivers as to their fitness to be in charge of a

car.

Ical defects and bad road conditions Mr. A. R. Pole, one of the greatest estigated on its merits, and the sary for anyone who wishes to already apparently proved itself a

Only twenty-four accidents were 800 miles 1,403 yards in 15 hours, caused by people on foot. maintaining an average speed of less driving resulted in 300 serious 30.06 miles an hour. It aleo set up crashes and 268 deaths. Mechani- a new British record for Class F.

The car was a standard two- seater model, being the identical vehicle which ran as No. 56 in the recent International Tourist Trophy road race in Northern Ireland.

BEN NEVIS CLIMBED.

Ben Nevis, Great Britain's high- est mountain, has been conquered, The successful vehicle was, & 5.b.p. Ariel sidecar combination, which carried a passenger in addition to the driver. This is the first time that the ascent has been made with, a sidecar machine, although Ben

solo motor-eycle. Yaris has already been climbed by accomplished in the remarkably The text was good time of 4 hours 49 minutes, nad was carried out under the spices of the Scottish Western

Motor Club

It cannot be said that the 6-mile climb was altogether unaided, but the assistance which was required was not due to lack of power, but rather to the fact that in certain. places the shingle was so loose that wheel-grip could not be obtained."

Non-skid chains were fitted to the driving wheel at the start, but these did not seem to help much and were ultimately removed. The machine required. 00 attention whatever during the whole climb or descent, and was as sound at the finish as at the start. Trouble might have been expected from overheating, considering the very slow road speed compared with the high engine speed, but owing to the good lubricating arrangements, no signs of trouble were, apparent at any time.

which took a toll of 115 lives. were responsible for 131 accidents, Fifteen cyclists, of whom only one escaped being killed, were held to blame, and one horse-drawn vehicle was found at fault.

These facts are contained in the annual report on the administra tion of the Road Fund for 1997-99, which has just been issued.

Motor Vehicles.

The growth in the number of motor vehicles has gone ahead rapidly. In 1821 there were 873,700 motor-cars, lorries, motor-coaches, omnibuses, and motor-cycles in figures reached 1,898,800, with an Great Britain. Last year the income from the motor taxes and licensing fees of £23,000,000.

It is estimated that there is one motor vehicle for every twenty- three persons in Great Britain, and one driving licence for every nineteen persons.

census

The large motor-car is losing Popularity according to a taken of "

11 horse-power types. The increase in motor-cars between six and twenty-two horse-power was twenty-two per cent,; the de- crease in the sales of machines of higher rating was almost nine per cent.

Roads And Effect Of Traffic, Extensive research work is being carried on by the Ministry of Transport. The East Ham and Barking by-pass has been laid in twenty sections, each ɑne of which and of varying thicknesa is a different type of road surface

A long series of observations It is interesting to note that the have been taken. It was discover- machine was by no means speciallyed from inspection of the Barnet built, but was two-year-old stan dard model, which has already com- peted in many reliability trials, and which last year made a record climb of Ben Lomond,

What better present

by-pass that the road itself, as well as the surface and the subsoil of the land adoining, are constantly moving. The cause is laid to at mospheric conditions.

can you give than an Austin? A present that will bestow years of pleasure-of trouble-free, economical motoring; a present handsome in every sense of the word arid one which will give boundless delight for many years to come. For the Austin is so cosy so luxuriously comfortable and roomy--so light on running costs. Give an Austin, then the present which will be appreciated far beyond your own expectations,

Austin

For full particulars and demonstration Apply

Agenta -

ALEX ROSS & CO. `(CHINA), LTD.

Prince's Building,

Hong Kong

Tel. C, 27.

*Call at their New Showroom and Garage Salisbury Road,

Kowloon. Tel. K. 1486.

tinued, authorities on, motor-car insurate in London. After all," he con- the insurance companies are financially interested in the driving capabilities of *their clients, while the local authorities who issue driving licences are not. Anyone can pay 6a. and obtain a driving licence, even if he is blind, denf, or suffers from any other phy sical disability, but to get an in-

It might be argued that this would give too much power to the insurance companies, but it must be remembered that motor in furance in this country is highly competitive. There are at present the tarif companies, the non-tarift

It is necessary to point out that these proposals only apply to third party risks You cannot force a mar. to insure against any damage sad there is one point that should that may occur to his own vehitle,

There is one State in America be stressed here. It would be neces where compulsory insurance has drive a car to be insured against complete failure. In this case it third party risks before he could

was insisted that insurance com.. obtain a licence, even if he was not panies should take any applicant the owner of a car, In the case with the result that only one com of the chauffeur this would be pany is still selling insurance in simple, as his name would be en- that State, and that one is con- dorsed on the policy of the owner, sidering whether it should still but anyone wishing to borrow a continue to do so. Compulsory ia car would have to be insured besurance of this type would only re- fore he could drive it, as otherwise sult in increased premiums,

162

NEW RECORDS in 12 months !

W

ITHIN the past twelve months Studebaker has won 162 official speed and endurance marks... 114 in the United States under supervision of the American Automobile Association... 48 in Australia under super- vision of the Royal Automobile Club of West Australia. Studebaker now holds more official speed and endurance records than all other American automobile manufactur ers combined.

Studebaker and Erskine cars have demonstrated their un- equaled performance and stamina throughout the world by setting new records over burning desert sands, banked speedways, muddy jungle trails and snow-covered moun- tain passes. Convincing, spectacular proof of engineering genius, quality materials and precision workmanship. Each of the four new Studebaker lines-Erskine Director, Commander and President Eight-is perform ance champion, comfort champion and value champion of its class! Come in today and see with your own eyes how much more Studebaker offers for your money.

Studebaker's Four New Lines

Six,

Studebaker builds four piese lines of cars-The President Eight (30,000 miles in 26,326 minutes); The Commander (23,000 miles in 22,968 minuses); The Direct (2000 miles 4751 minutes: The Exkinn (1000 miles in 984 minases). Each is backed by Studebaker's 12-month guarance.

4.

PRICES RANGE FROM H.K. $2,320 TO H.K. $6,140. THE HONG KONG HOTEL GARAGE

(THE HONG KONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD.) · SHOWROOM-25, QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRAL

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