Cox wins road race

One of the most outstanding harrier events of the year is the Port Chalmers road race, which was started in 1902, and which, with the exception of the war period and 1922, has been held regularly ever since. The eighteenth road race was held on Saturday in dull but fine weather. The road, however, was very slippery, and there were several bad stretches. Forty-four competitors faced the starter. The competitors are permitted to choose any route between the starting and the finishing points, the only condition being that they do not venture inside the railway fence. Most of the journey is covered on the road, though a short cut is used on reaching the top of the hill before Sawyers Bay, the runners rejoining the road at the rear of the station. Thirty-seven runners finished. B.G. Cox, who secured the fastest time, is a member of the University Club. He is regarded as one of Otago’s most promising runners.

Pertussis can kill

Whooping cough is one of the most infectious of the common diseases of childhood. During the last 10 years 502 deaths have occurred from this disease in New Zealand, an average of 50 a year. It is a distressing malady in itself, and often leaves behind serious damage to the sufferer. Whooping cough may be acquired at any age, but as it is so infectious few people escape it in childhood, and many parents have come to regard it as one of the almost inevitable accompaniments of childhood. Children under five years are most frequently attacked. The disease is particularly fatal to infants and the very aged. A germ discovered in 1906 by Bordet and Gengou is generally accepted as the true cause of the disease.  The organisms causing the disease are disseminated in the spray and droplets of sputum emitted during coughing and sneezing, so that those in proximity to the suffered run risk of infection.  In general it takes from seven to 14 days for infection to develop.

Aid to navigation

Following experiments carried out by the Marine Department, a wireless set and direction-finding apparatus will be installed at Cape Maria Van Diemen on the official visit of the steamer Tutanekai to the northern lighthouses in about a fortnight.

In view of the dangerous nature of the coastline in the vicinity, the apparatus should prove of great benefit to vessels, which will be able to gauge their correct whereabouts during heavy fogs or storms.

Motorcycle query

A Lawrence rider writes: “Could you advise me as to what to do to a motor cycle that runs sweetly to, say, about 30 miles per hour, but if I give the machine any more throttle the engine seems to pull back? The motor bike is a 2 ¾ horsepower OHV model, and carries a guarantee of up to 60mph, and yet after running perfectly on about quarter throttle, the bike will stop eventually if I give it any more. I might state that the machine is getting any amount of oil, and I do not think it is carburetter trouble owing to the perfect running at slow speed.”  

— The trouble is probably caused by the carburetter, the jet probably being of incorrect size.

 — ODT, 28.6.1926