1929-08-24 — Page 13

THE

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. MOTORING SUPPLEMENT. SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 1929.

AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION.

"Membership Nearing Half a Million.

[Special Report to the Hongkong Telegraph.]:

London, 17th July, Tho Twenty-fourth Annual Meating of the Automobile As sociation was held at the Savoy Hotel on the 17th instant, Mr. Charles McWhirter, Chairman of the Committee of the Association, presided.

had entered its twenty-fifth year. This induced reminiscences. Founded in 1905 with a member- ship of 100 with barely suficient subscriptions to maintain less than a dozen cycliat patrols then; and now, the membership

that morning was 406,400. In presenting the Annual The Balance Sheet issued in Roport and Accounts, the Chair-1906 showed subscriptions amount man stated that the Association ing to £558; the present accounts

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Distributors:

showed an income from subscrip-|- tions for the past year of £605,125, | If anyone in 1900 had forecast suck an enormous increase in the

the Automobile Association, they would have been regarded as foola,

over

CAR

COMRADES.

nay. UNMATCHED IN APPEARANCE

The busincas of selling motor cars can have its moments of thrill, especially in countries which Indulge in revolutions. A Item from Mexico recent news tells of one such incident, and illustrates what might be termed "the cameradorio of the car."

The Association had now issued THRILLS OF SELLING.

1 million badges. The milestones of A.A. momborship were reckoned by the one hundred thousand. In July, 1914, the total reached 97,000; in August 1014 came Armageddon-the War. By Armistice Day the member ship dropped to 80,000. Then occurred a crisis in the affairs of the Association, and it was then that the Committee adopted an decided that those 30,000 members exceedingly bold policy. It wis

were entitled to the same services that they had had when they joined the Association, before the War. £70,000 was therefore drawn from reserves, fu order that there might be the same rond service Tor A.A. members that they enjoyed when they joined. This bold polley paid; in 1920 the member- slip reached its first hundred thou sand; in 1924 its second hundred thousand, in 1926 its third hundred thousand, and

Roberto Diaz, car saleman, was on his way from Guadalajara to when at 2 am, the train pulled Mexico City on the night express,

up with a jolt. The bridge ahead had been dynamited by a rebel force. A Tusillade of bullets was poured into the tmin, and men, women and children, cursing screaming and crying, tumbled from their berths and sprawled fat on the carriage floor. After a volley or two the firing censed, and bandits invaded the express, commandeering whatever money was possessed, by the passengers, two who were ordered not to leave months back the total member-the train under threat of instant ship pissed the 400,000 mark. death, They were now looking forward to being the first Association with membership of half a million, It was typical of the times, that ladies were taking to the steering wheel as readily as they did in Victorian days to the sewing machine, and the more forward to the push-cycle. The personal ladies' membership at the present time was 50,000.

Resplendent General.

When dawn came, Diaz peeped through one of the windows, and saw a hundred or so rebels busy sharing the spoils As he looked a big touring tur arrived, and a stalwart personage in vivid ap. parel stepped out. The car in- terested. Diaz, because it was A Hupmobile eight, and he chanced One of the most practical and to be the Hupmobile sales manager widely appreciated of recent A.A. for Mexico and Central America. innovations was the institution of He took a chance, waved to the the permanent twenty-four hour chauffeur, announced himself, and service at Fanum House, the asked how the car was running. London Headquarters. Fanm Tho chauffeur invited him out, House was accessible to members and he was treated in a very during the whole of the twenty-friendly manner, later being intro- four hours. Emergency enquiries duced to the vivid personage own- varied from simple requests for ing the ear. This proved to be advice in the 'biiddle of the night--the revolutionary leader, General or early in the morning-concern- Escobar Torrean, and after re- ing the attachment of a spare ferring to the performance of his wheel, to an appeal asking the Iup. over cactus deserts, and A.A. to postpone the departure of rocky mountains, he ordered his a French stemmer leaving early in men to return the money they had the morning, for ten minutes, be- carlier taken from Diaz.

member had hail a mechanical breakdown on the road, The departure of the bout WHA postponed!

CARAC

The A.A. night rond service had brew extended. The A.A. road patrol service was also larger, and of miles covered by the patro during the past year was twem faix millions.

A. GOEKE & CO. the numb

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Mr. Mirter referred to the suggestio that Municipal Authoriti were desirous uf employin A.A, påtrals on trafile work. Tey had never accepted that pro sal, and he wished to re-aflirm at all A.A. patrols were trained, quipped, and controlled solely the Association.

The election of hotels for motoris was not a simple pro- blem. juring the present year, out of 10 applications for official appoint tents, they had had to refuse 00.

The train passengers were held prisoner there for two days, when'

force of Government troope arrived, causing the rebels hastily to retreat. It was at this juncture that the general demonstrated how definitely he had need of a car with a quick gateway.

VALUABLE MARKET.

The value of automotivo exporta from the United States and Canada during 108 tutalled $678,565,249. This is more than twice, the figure of 1923, which was $218,908, 183.

this type, which had been per- sonally examined by A.A. officials:

was

Over 73,000 A.A. road signs were now, crected, and a new sign had been introduced. It known as the “Advance Direction, sign; it was put up at some dis- tance before a turning to the right or to the left, so that motorists would be in no danger of over- running the proper turning.

All

previous records with touring had been During the

year

In vw of the increase in the numbe of small ears, which in turn hated a demand for the Jower priced and cheaper class of hotel, he had analysed the A.A. starr: 1ist, and had found that 74% of A.A, appointed hotels were of the "one" or "two star" type, that is to say the most economical type. They had earri- regard to this matter still farther by eclipsed, inspecting a large number of itineraries had been issued cover- boarding houses, cafes, anal farming 4 million miles. Juses for those members wha Foreign touring was becoming required good food and satisfac. increasingly popular, and they tory accommodation at reasON-

were constantly adding to the able prices. The Supplement to services available to members. the Handbook covering such places This work had necessitated many inchaded 850 establishments

visits

various of personal

countries in Europe. In August last, the Association was received personally by Signor Mussolini,! who took is great interest in the A.A. organisation, and promised a number of facilities. General Primo de Rivern also promised A.A. members-most favoured untion-privileges,

YOUR CAR

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NOTICE

ΤΟ

ADVERTISERS

All advertising to be inserted in this Motor Supplement, must be delivered not later than 2. p.m. on the Wednesday of the week of publication.

10

The development of aviation umang private owners of aeroplanes had, in the opinion of the Committee, justified them in starting an Aviation Department. Many members were. Owners បរ aircraft, and after consideration the Committee had decided that the organisztion of the A.A., should be devoted to the services of such members as were, owners of private alreraft. They were undertaing in connexion with the Schneider Cup. Race in September, a huge parking scheme capable of accommodating over 1,000 acroplanes, and at Cowes, there would be a smaller park for the Moth type, of aeroplane,

With regard to the Accounta, the broad result of the year's working was that they had a surplus of Income over expendi- ture of £7,699 The income from subscriptions and entrance feer amounted to 748,818. The in-! come from Investments was practically the same as the pre- vious year, 116,784. On the ex- penditure side it was Interesting to note the very low amount in connexion with overhead charges. The total of these chages was £117,500, which practically amounted to 10%.

The Report and Accounts were put to the Meeting, and carried unanimously.

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