1931-12-01 — Page 2

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CARS AND THE COURTS.

ALLEGATION OF MANSLAUGHTER.

POLICEMAN'S ROAD DEATH

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1931..

SPARKS

FROM THE PLUGS

FLOODLIT POLICE.

SOUTHAMPTON SOLVES TRAFFIC PROBLEM.

Southampton's policemen have hern put. "on the spot!"

For some time the local authoris ties have been examining various nthods of making poliromen on point daty more easily visible at night.

AT OXFORD.

London, Nov. 4.-The cage for the prosecution against the 21-year-old Oxford student, James Alun Davion; who is charged with the The use of white sleeves has only manslaughter of Police-constabla partially solved the difficulty; on Alfred Needle, at Oxford. was the other hand, there has been con- opened in the local police-court,siderable ground for the complaint It is alleged that the constable that the policeman's sombre uni- was killed as the corner of Cowley form and statuesqué pose HOTY DA rond and Magdalen-road by a natural engouflage, making it ex- sports car the driver of which failed Feedingly difficult at night for to stop.

to distinguish between policeman and read surface.

motorista

A statement by i witness during the hearing that a pulice-officer had

This excise, however, is no longer told him it would be better not to valid at Southampton. At one of specify how many miles an hour the town's busiest cross-rends a

car was travelling evoked a pro-high-powered spot-light has been in test by defendant's counsel, Mstalled for night use, And the Earenger, K... against what he policeman on point duty stands in described as "gressly improper " beam of Sercy light, such as is procedure.

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RETURN OF THE SIDECAR.

WHERE IT "SCORES.

In talking" of the show with many motor-gycle friends I was

CHURCH BECOMES A GARAGE.

WORK UNDER STAINED GLASS WINDOWS

A church; an Army billet; an

rather surprised to hear the aer aeroplane works; a garage that is. tion that the sidecar was coming in brief, the remarkable history of back into popularity, writes" Kirk. In church that was ruined by petrol. In the spacious days of the last stone," in the News Chronicle: 1 had not noticed any great increase contury the citizens of Sunbury, in in the numbers on the road during the Thames Valley, walked every the minor, but last week-end I Sunday to the Church on the edge mmade a long tour and kept charof Sunbury Cominon. Unaware of vation at many points. The result the impending motor-car, they had, was that I have a strong idea my built it by the side of the long, friends are right.

straight highway running between Staines and Kingston, When the first motor-car went snorting past, it heralded the doom of Sunbury Common Church...

One of the causes of its drop in Bades was a wrong iden that the sidecar was unsafe. Actually it is about the safest thing on wheels on the worst of surfaces.

Less Prone to Skid,

how to drive it boats the solo In the hands of a man who knows

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AMONG THE EXHIBITS,"

IMPRESSIVE RANGE OF PRICE:

AND POWER.

With all the exhibits in place and the covers removed, the Commercial

Motor Show was as gaily coloured

us aur private car show, and far more varice and impressive. There

Travelling Shop.

The first Willys Overland ekhibit to catch the eye was the travelling shop. It has the 25.35 h.p. six- oylinder Willys angine, four-speed gear box, twin rear tyres, and 13ft. lin. wheelbase. Tho chassis weights

-BRITISH CAR DEMANDS.-

PROSPECTS OF CON- TINENTAL MARKETS.

The Agures now available in the returns issued by the Ministry of Transport show that in the apron

27ewt," and its price is £25. On months down to July 31, 93,809 new the same chassis was shown a 20- seater couch, and on a shorter

cars were registered as compared with 104,908 during the correspond- were vehicles seating from two to chassis with the same engine a 65 passengers, carrying loads of socwt. van. Other exhibita included

ing period of 1930, a drop of 10,000. from dewt. to 30 tons, ranging in a variety of lorries and vans of two greatest number of new car, regin In the rotums for July the

power from 3 to 280 hp. and intons" capacity and upwards, driven tration in any horsepower onto- price from E90 108, to well over

by four-cylinder engines.

gory was 3,335, 9. h.p. vehicles, and £2,000.....

the total of all categories up to 18 There were three now models ou h.p. was 13,033 and of all above 16 the Albion stand, One is a bus" | h.p. 10,076,

The figures dro interesting as chassis with a 20-85 h.pt six eflinder

At one extreme was the Rover Searab, with its air-cooled rear en-j gine propelling a light but roomy

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By 1913 the noise of the traie had little van; at the other cross-country-engine, known as the "Valiant 1 showing the effect of the trade do-

machine and the small car. I am not saying that it is unskiddable-quieter spot. that would be foolish-but a correct- usually reserved for the Dragonly aligned side-car outfit is far less Kilig in Christmas pantomimes,

At previous hearings the Rector of Lineola College, where Davies

When this innovation was tried matriculated last year, was ucespi-

ous Southampton's policemen were ed bail Defendant ja on. She re- inclined to suffer from stage-fright, sidential list of the college, and hand preferred to take up a more address was given as Essex House, soseure und incidentally, pre carious-point of vantage out of the limelight. These inhibitions have now, however, been overcome, and the system is working smoothly.

Thame.

5

Davirs was given a seat behind, Mr. Earengoy, who stated that his client was not well,

·

prone to skid than any other motor vehicle, and when a skid develops it can be checked more easily, due in a measure to the quicker acting staaring."

you

I have heard it argued by ex perienced men that the sideer machine is slower than the solo and is more costly to keep in repair. It is something on which Mr. G. R. Faliuz, for the Dire

The scheme of floodlights for cannot generalise, but there is little tor of Public Prosecutions, and

policemen has not been in opern-in the speed iden in the weather that at the time of the eberge

tion in Southampton long enough of an average British summer, Davies was studying under a tutor

final verdict on its though on fine days, with the ronils at Essex House. He owned a 13. to pass

but motorists have this hard and dry, I suppose the colo horsepower motor-ear of the sports

must be admitted to be the faster type, which was capable of a speed advantage-they are able to ses greater than sixty miles an hour.policemen and their signals at a At ten p.m. on Oct. 14 Davies left considerably greater distance than Thame with a friend. He was driv. before. ing his ear and his friend.was driv.

I

Night traße has been speeded up, ing another. One drove behind the the risks of accidents have been re- other to Oxford, and at 10.45 pduced, and it is the opinion of the friend left his car as a garage many that some such system might and got into Davies'.

well be introduced in other large centres.

Carried 105 Feet, From this point the accused drove along Cowley-road at an ex-

Witness said that he had formed his own opinion as to the pace at which the car

Was going before speaking to the police officer. The police officer said that it would be better not to specify how many

vehicle. In the matter of expense, when you consider the many points in favour of the sidecar, especially comfort, the small additional ex- panee which may come for minor re- placements is negligible.

Since then the old church has

been put to some remarkable uses, and has now reached a new phase in its career by its conversion into.

vehicles built to carry loads of many

pression upon the motor industry, (It is shown with a 39-påläsonger and also as revealing the tendency. Iseloon bus body with sliding head of the buying public at home to this costs £1,300 complete, and the turn to the smaller and lower horse- power cars largely as a result of chassis only £1,030,

taxation. All this has an important bearing upon expert trade and must affect its extension to some extent, unless overseas markets can be found for the smaller cura upon

The other two are goods chassis, 3-4-tonner with 30 hp. four cylinder engine,. price £775, and a 35-70 h.p. 6-ton "overtype" lorry, The engine is a four-cylinder and

become so intolerable and the dust such a nuisange, that it was with

conducted, and so the church was time, their wheels articulated so diffealty that the service could betons and haul a trailer at the same

slozed and a new one built in that one can rise a foot or more above the other without twisting the frame or tipping the loud, and the engine driving four wheels on a decent surface, but two extra ""quick service" motor repair wheels when emergency arises. depot, During the War it WAS

Typical, in a way, of the whole the body of lorry type with enclosed taken over by the Army authorities and used as a

billet, and later it (exbibition was the display on two cub over the engine; the privé is benne a factory where aeroplane stands of the Morris Commercial parts were made. Then a petrol pump appeared at the porch, and

it

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Endorsed by over 600 Automotive

Manufacturers

GARGOYLE

Mobiloil

No Worries in Touring, As transport purely the sidecar han it every time. This solo is limited in its passenger and weight- carrying, as some thousands dis serered this summer when they Vacuum Oil Company, Inc.

zied to get essential luggage stow-

away for their holiday tour. With the sidecur it is wonderful how many passengers one can carry

tremely fast pace, continued Mr. Paling. "A number of people walking along the rond saw the car It was part of Police-constable Needle's duties to try the doors of sbops and see that they were far miles an hour the car was travelling without any too great detriment to tened. He tried the doors of a shop, and proceeded across the because he (witness) was not certhe speed of the machine for its

road to try the doors of a public house.

tain.

Mr. Earengey: When was it that The car driven by Davies hit the you went through your evidence constable, and either carried him with the police officer in this way? or threw him a distance of 100ft.-To-day. This thoroughfare is a well-lighted"

Rother

2

Turning to the Bench, Mr. one, and the width of the road at Barongey coinmented, the spot is 41ft. The car was being disquieting thought." driven on the wrong side of the road. According to the marks found on the road it was only 10ft from the off-side korb.

"After the accident apparently the accused applied his brakes, because there were skig marks or brake marks on the road for a dis- tance of Bft. He then accelerat ed and drove away without stop ping,"

Mr. Paling, interposing, said that Mr. Earengey should not make a speech to the Bench at that stage.

Mr. Karengey I repeat, a ris ther disquieting thought, and 1 hope during the rest of this case

ness for a business man

Another

They ought to know!

for othe years the needs of the motor-car were ministered to there. A correspondent who visited the church" recently found that it pre ented a strange appearance in its latest guise of a motor repair de

mechanical welfare. And if its touring you have in wind-well, you have no worries at all. excellent strong point in favour of pet. Between the transepte is a the sideer is its greater clean steel girder supporting an overhead crane, while in the chequared light shed by the stained glass windows, mechanics" work at benches fitted A into the recesses in the walls. chain slung over one of the wooden arches held up the front axle of a ear being repaired.

I have an idea that next year vill see a remarkable revival in every form of motor-cycling, and that the sidecar will come back with

rush.

BRITISH PROGRESS.

On the outside of the roof the names of a bottled milk and a brand of petrol painted in large white

this officer will remain in court ONE VEHICLE FOR EVERY 112 letters laim the attention, of the

and not interfere with witnicesta.

Mr. Paling: If anything was said

to this witness on that point it was on my instructions. If I wish

OF POPULATION. :

Grant Britain now stands second only in the United States in its mubær. -of commercial motor

At nine o'clock the next day, Mr. to convey anything to any of my vehicles. This is revealed, a Paling added Davics arrived with witnesses I shall instruct, the policeories of notes, issued by the Society his friend at Aberystwyth. He offer to do as I think it in that of Motor laft the car with a friend, and later matter.

returned i Oxford. He was ár. Mr. Earengey: Witnessca

Traders.

ManufactureIK and

The United States has 3,403,154 goods and passenger vehicles-on:

rested at Lincoln College, and mads supposed to come here and give vehicle, for every 35 of the popula no reply to the charge. The car their own storica without any in-ion-while Great Britain has

hurrying stream of traffic which flows almost senselessly past.

AUTOMATIC SIGNALS TO BE IGNORED.

CONTRARY TO TRAFFIC ACT.

The Huddersfield Stipendiary:

was considerably, damaged. Police fluence by the Crown, or by the de-433, representing one for every Magistrate has decided that the constable Needle was removed once. If Mr. Paling likes to take of the population, bospital, where he died.

The world's comdierein motor,utomatic signale drested at Hud-

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the responsibility of conveying an it is estimated, represent apni dersheld street cropsings last year The speed at which defondant was intimation of this kind to the ontoly a value of over $400,000,000, wore in contravention of the Road

In the United States, the average' Traffic Act and that it was driving, it was contended, was such police officer-that it is bettor that tax with fuel paid in 1000 was £0.56.offence, to ignore them unless the that he had not the proper eon a witness should not specify any and in this country it was $7.00 trol that a motorist should have,

particular rate of miles per hour-With the further increase in the circumstances were dangerous. He the police ALIMODS Police Officer and Witness,

whatever the reason, I submit it to tax, the total taxation, Meet dismissed

and indirect, in a full nancial Mr. Enrengey asked a witness grossly improper,

year from all forms of motor trans-brought against William Edmonds, whether he was warned by the police

Other evidence was given, and the port, it is stated, pay be estimated of Albert Strost, Btechford, Bir- to reach £55,000,000, making themingham, and said the authorities officer not to specify a number of marga

hearing adjourned bail being vorage tax (including fuel tax) had failed to issue the regulations miles an hour in" estimating the

over 235 per vehicle.

required by the Acti renowod. speed of the car,

.

£1,087,

An exhibit which attracted Con- tinental visitors to the show was that of: W. H. Dorman & Ca, of Stafford (No. 345 in the gallery),

range of models. There were in all 23 vehicles shown, frum Bewt, vans double deck buses and 6 ton lorries, and even these do not cover the complete range of the firm's pro-a firm which, besides making a big drets. New models include a two-

ri

ton economy " lorry, price £203,

range of engines suitable for all passenger and commercial vehicles, a Sion Courier chassis with for is fully equipped to undertake the ward control 4-cylinder engine, price manufacture of foreign machinery, 2725, and u

20-seater bus chassis The stand exhibits included four-

which makers are being forced to concentrate more and more.

"People Who Matter"

ri

PEOPLE WHO MATTER, to the advertiser are the people who can afford to buy his goods. Most of these people buy. and read the

with 4-cylinder engine, four-speed cylinder engines from 12 to 15 h.p.|| Hong Kong Daily Press,

gear box and twin rear tyres, coat-rating and a six-cylinder of 42-108

ing only £280.

MANIER ALERT

For Service:

h.p., besides casting and silencers.

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MODEL "522 C" is the medium powered car which, although widely accessible on account of its low price and running costs, embodies the most modorn features and the most valuable improvements,

Most brilliant on hills and in acceleration, thanks to the generous power of the engine. FAST: over 100 Kms. (62 miles) an hour. Stable and sure on any kind of road both because of the remarkably low frame and the use of hydraulic brakes. Easy to drive with new silent gear box with special engagement for high gears.

11

It is the ideal "Six for the motorist who likes habitually to maintain high averages.

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FIAT GARAGE: 350, Hennessy Road. Txi. 54821.

1'