1929-05-15 — Page 3

Page

MOTOR NOTES.

LARGER ROAD GRANTS.

MOTORISTS VIEWS.

ROUND THE WORLD.

LADY MOTORIST WELCOMED

IN NEW ZEALAND.

THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1929.

BRITISH 6-WHEELER MOTORIST'S APPEAL A SUCCESSFUL NEW; MOTOR TAXATION

IN AFRICA.

Modern · Transport (London),

gives an interesting account of a

demonstration run of a standard

AT SESSIONS.

COURT DIVIDED."

-wheeler in South Africa by the local agents in. Durban of Gur Motors, Ltd. A circular route from Miss Gladys de Haviland, who is Durban was taken through Maritz. Mr. F. G. Bristow, the generat secretary of the Commercial Motor making a world tour with an Ausburg, Greytown, Tugela, Dundee, Users Associations, interviewed by tin Seven, recently received a right Glencoe, Vryheid, Babanango, ar. 4 Press representative, said that royal welcome at New Plymouth in the increase from 50 to 60 per cent. the North Island of New Zealand. Melmoth, Eshowe, Ginginhľovn, in the grant for road maintenance The townsfolk turned out in great and Stanger, and back, to Durban.ped his car in Seven Sisters-road on class roads and the increase numbers to inspect the redoubtable It was overloaded to the extent of and was, in the opinion of police

officers, "very drunk." from 33 to 50 per cent. Ear class little Seven that was engaged.. 13 three-quarters of a ton,

sergeant Baker said that Adams be roads had already been indicated such an ambitious undertaking.

The Taranaki Herald states that The following is the account came very violent and on the way by the Chancellor of the Exchequer ; : and the inclusion of new construc-

a whole nursery, of local "babies" given by a representative of the to Holloway Police Station fell to the ground, and two police officers tion and improvements was wel was emptied into the streets torm in question:- give a welcome to

who said that the defendant was fell on him. One police witness come, especially if the 50 per cent. grant to all approved schemes for English woman

hopelessly drunk," stated in cross- "baby." roads and bridges other than class

examination by Sir Henry Curtis 1 roads did not apply only to class

Bennett that Adams could not roads.

stand up.

and the

MODEL.

AND ROAD FINANCE.

3

TOURING NORTH

AFRICA.

The new high speed 30 evt. model

Only a very low years ago the which was introduced by the

suggestion of a motor tour through Albion Motor Company, the well-

Mr. Stenson Cooke, secretary to Northern Africa colonies would Mr. Harry Vincent Adams, of known Scottish commercial vehicle the London Automobile Association, | håre raised a smile of derisicu. Selborne-road, Southgate, appealed manufacturers, some few months recently wrote the following letter Now all is changed and not only at the London Sessions against a ago, has made a most successful to the Manchester Guardian - cun the conviction and sentence of 21 days' entry to the market. It will be

private motorist travel The community is undoubtedly with safety through Algeria, Tuni. imprisonment imposed by Sr. recalled that special Overseas alive to the need for accelerating sis and Tripoli, but long-distance Bertrand Watson at the North model with high ground clearance road development throughout Great motor coaches are operating with drunk while in charge of a motes tured and the demand for this has traffic, the importance of which has London Police Court for being and 4 ft. 9 in track is manufae Britain to cope with the growth of great regularity.

This season an interesting 300- given clear evidence that this been continually urged by the Auto. mile motor route has been indugur- It was alleged that Adams stop-machine will be one of the most mobile Association. There is, how ate from Tripoli to Gadamer, pass. popular British vehicles on the ever, one important question to being through Jefren, Giado, Nahat

Chassis have al-borne in mind.

and Tgutta. The coaches used for Overseas market. ready been shipped to buyers in the Police

Year by year

since 1910 the this journey are of Fiat-Spa con- Argentine, Burma, Ceylon, Gold motor-owner alone has been speci- struction. fitted with fabric-leather Coast, Kenya, Malaya, New Southally taxed for road costs, and apart bodies built under Weymann Wales, Queensland, South Aus- from this is now called upon to license, and most luxuriously ap- tralia, Uganda and Victoria.

provide the bulk of the revenue pointed for the comfort and con- for derating. It cannot be too venience of travellers. The vehicles A SIMPLE TEST.

strongly emphasised that in com- rua only during daylight_and_the mon justice to those who own trip occupies four days. Two days motor vehicles may change in the are spent at Gadames in order to To prove that it is maintaining present method of financing road allow visitor an opportunity of set standard of efficiency a car should be able periodically to pass embrace a substantial reduction of teresting

construction and improvement must visiting this characteristic and in.....

The desert township. Counsel. How would you define certain tests, not only of perform the present inequitable burden of coaches leave in each direction. hopelessly drunk?

The witness.-Unable to do any mechanical mature. A test which is construction of a new road is the

ance, but of a more or less purely taxation upon motor vehicles. The three times a week and so popular thing at all.

has this route proved itself that as essential as it is easy is that of creation of a national asset; and the vehicles always carry their full Mr. Wilberforce (Deputy Chair-cylinder compression. In the old the present situation demands that complement of passengers. amps had to be lit for the last half 122). — Unable to rise and drink į days when starting up by hand was the whole question of road finance Other coach services are operat-

should be re-explored, not merely ing from the "one standpoint of the sible to explore the country with Tripoli, thus making it pos work to be carried out, but also ease and luxury, in sharp contrast of the equitable distribution of the with a few years ago, when only cost over Compression, benent from these

proved highways.

the intrepid We left Durban at 4:30 p.m. tourias The road to Maritzburg is very hilly for the first 30 miles, but the surface is fairly good. After In- changa the country is more level, Folly Shorts Hill being the only really big climb in the section. The first 56 miles were covered in 3 hrs. 3 inius,, compared with 3 hrs. 6 mins. taken by the regular 20- -seater express motor coach. The

Miss de Havilland says that this was one of the most rousing wel comes she has experienced and the people took good care that the traveller should have an opportu nity of inspecting the many wonder. ful sights for which the focality is

famous.

It means on this assumption." Mr. Bristow said, that what have been known as unclassifed roads, that is, rural and minor roads which previously were eligible for a 25 per eu grant and in exceptional cases a 33 per cent. grant, will now receive more attention. This ROYAL CARS FOR NEPAL, is certainly a step in the right. direction. The use of commercial vehicles, both passenger and goods,

a championship has been increasing on these rural award for the world's most cathu roads, and any improvement heresiastic, motorist it would undoubt will mean a better service to the edly go to some member of the communities along those roads, and loyal Family of Nepal. Népal is a also less wear on the vehicles them little tcingdom on the northern bor This improvement is one der of India, almost under the selves. which commercial motor users have shadow of Mount Everest, and there

If there were

of the journey. An early start was made the following morning. The road was particularly trying, the inrface being readered very bad by deep sand, long heavy gradients, and great masses of loose stones.

Leaving Maritzburg at 9.30 a.m., commenced a long climb known a Red Hill, but the Gay made. light of it, never dropping

some more. (Laughter.)

Dr. MacDonald, divisional police surgeon, said he had no doubt that Adams was drunk. When he (the witness) asked whether he had had

drink, the defendant replied: ne hundred.' Sir Henry Curtis Bennett.-You believed him?-No. (Laughter.)

In further cross-examination the doctor agreed, that exhaust fumes coherency.

the common order one almost auto matically tried the compression of each cylinder in turn first thing in the morning, but nowadays with 12-volt starters the starting handle is seldom touched. however, writes The Light Car and Cyclecar," is one of the surest guides to engine efficiency. compression may be due to several reasons, and if it exists in, say. power

been advocating for some time, and are few places in the world harder below second.. After miles of might cause unsteadiness and in-only, one cylinder, the loša

it must not forgotten that these contribute in commercial motor vehicle taxation and in petrol

users

tax over £20,000,000 a year.

to reach by automobile.

such that you

same it is there.

Poor

tion of this man

Mr. Wilberforce.-Was the condi- be difficult to detect; all the might have mistaken the effect of exhaust fumes 1-No.

A motor mechanic gave evidence that owing to exhaust the fumes would come into & defect in the

(Continued on nexè Column).

stendy climbing the road became A representative of the Roral culties except a loose, rough sur undulating and presented no diffi- Family recently took delivery in face deeply coated with red dust, Calcutta of a Studebaker President

We left behind us a cloud a mile Eight Limousine, A Studebaker Foor Bridges.

Director Berline, and two Erskine long and as thick as a Leadon fog. Mr.

The 48 miles between Maritzburg Bristow pointed out that Sixes. But the Royal Family re- and Greytown were covered in there are many industrial districta, sides in Khatmandu, expital of particularly in Lancashire, Fork-Neral. The new ears had to be bra. 37 min., which was an excellent Adams's car. shire, and the Midlands, which are shipped by rail from Calcutta to a absolutely cut off from economic city 38 miles from, the capital, | road transport by the existence of From there they were driver to a network of weak and restricted within 15 miles of Khatmandu. bridges. They hoped the Treasury For the final 18 miles of the trip, "would allocate more and more sums however, the cars had to be trans from the Road Fund towards reported by aerial cables over valleys medying this extremely unsatisfacand mountains where there is no tory position.

sign of a road.

performance.

Really Hard Golag. "We left Greytown at p.m... having had some business to trans- act there, and started on a section of really hard going. To make. matters worse, it was an extremely hot, still afternoon and the 19 miles Travellers are car-between Greytown and Keats Drift The commercial motor industry, ried over this 18-mile stretch in consisted of almost continuous however." he added. is very dis- coclie chairs.

climbing over rough, loose stones, appointed that the Chancellor bas After having surmounted all steep inclines and sharp bends. not seen his way to increase the these difficulties to get their cars, There then followed mile after mile allowance for pneumatic-tired com-the Royal Family can operate them of gruelling gear work through the mercial vehicles from 20 to 30 per on just so miles of road-which is giant cactus, in full bloom and cent, as compared with solid-tired the total extent of the little king growing straight out of the parch vehicles. We thought we had made dom's highway system.

ed earth and stones; but the Guy out a good case for the concession.

behaved well and succeeded in The reduction in the taxation of

reaching the top of the pass with- goods vehicles between two and 2)

out having to stop. tons unladen weight from £40 to £33 is, in effect, the introduction, of a new taxation class, for at pre- sent there is no difference between two and three tons. It will be a useful concession, but will not affect a very large number of vehicles, The total number of commercial vehicles on the road is 300,000, and the present two to three ton class accounts for 10,000,"

THE WORLD'S MOTOR PRODUCTION.

A SLACKENING DEMAND.

severe

"We were now able to give the engine a comparatively easy time until Kents Drift was reached. This drift presented no extra. ordinary difficulties, however, and Figures of a world mator census,

we were soon on the road to the taken by the American mobile, show when compared with range of hills which could only be Auto Tagels. This led us over another statistics for previous years that negotiated by means of a there was a slackening in the climb of several miles. This climb rate of output in 1928. The total proved worse than the previous one of cars, industrial vehicles, and pas and terminated in a long stretch The secretary of the County Counsenger "buses registered throughout of gradient so steep that only first the world was on January-1 las gear could be used. After mount- 31,029,962. The total on January 1ng the summit of the ridge and, 1928, was 29,505,475, which, though incidentally, this is the first time it records an increase, is on a per- that this hill has been sealed by rentage basis only a small one, for any car or truck-we had several the output of the American fac-miles, of downhill running into the taries has been larger than the plain through which the Tugela difference between these two totals. Hows.

Unemployment.

conces-

cils' Association said the sion regarding rond grants was an nounced "about three months ago, but the additional 15 per cent. grant when 50 per cent. or more of the men are drawn from depress ef areas was a new announcement and-unless the Unemployment Grants Committee had by any of the new total América takes not The river had to be crossed by chance forestalled the Chancellor less than 24,494,580 vehicles, corn-

Pomeroy we proceeded with the lamps switched on towards Help- maker and Dundee, finally pulling up for the night at Glencoe.

C:

A Fast RuXL.

menns of a punt and there was con- appeared to be a very considerable pared with 3,127,315 for the presiderable delay. After a stop at concession indeed. The only point vious year. was that it was very difficult to The production figures for the draw men from depressed areas into American Factories are not given, other areas because of the housing and, in any event, they would have accommodation, especially in rural no real significance, since the Ford areas. Still, this additional grant organisation has come back into was considerable enough to make eperation only during the past year, the effort very worth while.

Mr. Stenson Cooke, seeretary of the Automobile Association, said: "The absence from the Budget statement of any provision for the substantial reduction of the taxation

From Dundee a start was made and the full effects of this return in the morning for Vryheid, and will not yet be visible. What the what proved to be the fastest run temporary stoppage of this estab- of the trip, the 52 miles being cover- lishment has meant is indicated by ed in 2 hours mina. After a the fact that in 1997 the total Ame-delay at Vryheid we set out upon rican new output was 3,304,288 the rough and difficult journey of of motor vehicles is deplored by motor vehicles, against 4,298,002 for 61 miles over the Zululand border. the A.A., which represents over 1926, 300.000 motor, owners. There is an

European Figures,

to Babasango... After an hour on the road it became dark, and the strange moun- driver, being on

táin, could not get the best out of the Guy.

unanswerable case for a substantial As against these prodigious totals remission of the motor taxes. The Europe manufactured last year policy of recent years of saddling about 589,000 cars and vehicles, and motor owners with various taxation in the various producing countries On the fourth and last day of bardens for purposes designed to there is either a definite decline or the demonstration an early start benefit the country as a whole has a marked slackening in the rate of was made, 37 miles of very moun- created a position of grave injustice.output. The census estimates that tainous country between Babanango The slight improvement in the scale Great Britain's total outpat last and Malmoth being covered before for the taxation of the smaller year was 215,000 vehicles. This breakfast, after which came a long motor-cycles is welcome, but it is, compared with 200,000 for 1927 and and steady descent over much bet of course, only a drop in the ocean 180,000 for 1926. France, which is ter roads through the heart of pest the home of by comparison with the big question next highest among the European Zululand, of motor taxation as it applies to countries, manufactured 200,000 Dizizulu, the last of the Zulu Eshowe, Gin- the whole motoring community. vehicles last year, 190,000 in the kings, through

Ear'), Unpopular Budget," previous year, and 200,000 in 1920. gînhlovu (Elephant's An official of the Royal Auto Germany, the next on the list, Amatikula (Big Stream') and on mobile Club said the increased shows most decided progress. Last to the Tugela River again, but this grant would encourage local author. year the output was 00,000 vehicles, time much nearer the coast.

We decided to take the new ities to proceed with rand improve in 1928 it was 72,000, and in 1920 ment schemes, but the Budget as a it was 64,000. Italy shows a steady bridge, which, we were informed, whole had been a great disapoint- decline. Last year the total pro was not yet opened. This proved ment to motorists. It will be reduction was 50,000, in the previous to be true. We were getting on to membered," he said, that we had year it was '55,000, and in 1928 the good reads now, and our speed was asked for substantial rermission of figure was 54,700,

valy limited by the winding of the motor taxation and for a big pro- The figures generally suggest that road. We passed through Stranger gramme of road construction to be the absorption capacity of the world and miles of sugar cane. In fact, put in hand at once on a capitalized market is near the limit. There may the road is bordered almost con basis as a charge on the Road Fund., be no actual suturation point, but it tinuously by sugar farms from We still believe that such a pro- would

that manufacturers Eshowe to Durban-a distance of grame would give tremendous im-must look for the early coming of 93 miles. petus, to motoring in this country, a time when their products must go "On Compensation Flats we had and we shall certainly continue to to meet replacements rather than press for theso reforms.'

the needs of new motorists-that is, Sir Herbert Austin said he was the demand in the main will come very disappointed, because he felt from motorists who have an old car that the case for the motor industry to dispose of. This point has in put before the Chancellor of the fact been reached in America, where Exchequer a few weeks ago was to-day more than 50 per cent. of the sufficiently important to warrant annual output is taken up for some decrease in taxation.

seem

placement purposes.

aide-slipping test, which consisted of swerving about on the tarred road at a fairly high speed, but there was no side-slip at all. A steady run of 30 miles without in- cident brought us back to Durban. The running time from Eshowe to Durban (53 miles) was 4 hours 35 mins.

all classes who derive slow camel convom were available

new and im to travellers.

full sporting calendar and a sub- A WELCOME REVIVAL. stantial measure of public interest in motoring events can help very There are indications of a definite materially towards retaining some- revival of interest in motoring thing of the romance of motoring

This healthy sport,

It tends, says condition, and motor-care. coupled with the fact t 1829 is The Light Car and Cyeltear, to to witness more events, of first-class surround the vehicle with something.. After the magistrates had retired importance than almost any other of the glamour which used to at... to consider their decision, Mr. year since the war, makes it ap tuch itself to horse flesh, and to Court was divided in opinion, and sam prevalent in France is begin. nothing, counts in a motor-car save Wilberforce announced that the pear that something of the enthu put off the day when, as in America,

the appeal therefore would be reming to invade this country.

Aits size and its ability to go from heard next appeal day.

(Continued on next Column). one place to another.

Doing

what no other car ever DARED

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D

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