His First Charges

Mr Guy's first charge was a Thorneycroft single cylinder car on gig wheels with solid tyres. This was in about 1905. Later came an Alldays and Onions, a twin cylinder vehicle of 8 h.p. on pneumatic tyres. Pneumatics, though they improved the riding qualities, were for a time a doubtful benefit on account of their poor wearing qualities. Punctures and blowouts were numerous but as the quality improved the advantages over the old solids were very obvious. There were no windscreens in those days and goggles were worn in dry weather for the dust and in wet weather for the rain. Mr Guy recalled many country trips with Mr Jenny. The Rai Valley was visited frequently. The Whangamoa Saddle was then little better than a track through the bush. The surface was poor and frequently rutted by the narrow treads of the wagon wheels which brought timber out from the valleys. Mr Guy had something to say about the destruction of the timber on the Saddle. It was a beautiful run in those days but little of that beauty now remains.

A trip to Motueka or Moutere in anything but really dry weather called for chains on the wheels for the section over the hills. Bogging in clay was not uncommon. What a contrast with the conditions we have to-day!

Mr W. W. Squires may remember what Mr Guy states was that gentleman's first ride in a car. A day had been spent at the Tadmor Sports and it was arranged that Mr Jenny should use Mr Squire's rail ticket, while the latter should ride home as passenger in the car. It was on this trip that Mr Guy received the first of two tips which he got in the whole of his career as a chauffeur. On setting his passenger down at his residence in Nile Street five shillings changed hands. It is not revealed whether it was out of appreciation of the trip or whether the passenger was glad to get down onto solid land again. Anyway it was not long before Mr page 36Squires became one of Nelson's ardent motorists so it may be assumed that the trip made a favourable impression.

In answer to a question regarding fuels Mr Guy replied, "The old Yellow Label Pratts was in most country stores as soon as a few cars got on the roads." The name of Yellow label must bring back memories to some of our older motorists.

One of the chauffeur's jobs was to carry Mr Jenny's camera on the trips. The Count was an ardent photographer but his gear was heavy and cumbersome compared with the cameras of to-day. It was no small load to carry up some of the tracks in the Ronga Valley and such places.