CYCLING.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. ! Subscriber, Clifton Fulls.— A member of the, Otago or tao Dunedin Cj cling Club cannot raca for money. The membership of both clubs is confined to ainalcuiv, and racing for money would render aoy member liable to dUqualifi. cation from membership and racing in Dunedia or any other place where there is not a " cash" club.

KOTES BY DEMON.

— Still ib rains, and there's not an item of local news this week. Perhaps th» most interesriDg topic just now is nexfc sesßon's mounb.- There seems to be a general desire to go in for light'machines, and from what I can gather our wciDg paths this year will find' splendid support from local riders who have ridden on the I roeds for » season or two, and now aspire to truck honours. r About 60 couples were present at the Bret reunion io connection with the Vincent Cycling Clubj held at Clj de on the 22ed inst. The lull was tastefully decorated, atd the music supplied by Messrs M'Laughlin smd Bsnutt was appreciated, while the catering in the hands cf Mr T. H. Bell was of excellent quality. The club are indebted to a number of youDg ladiei, who g*ve valutble assistance in superintending the catering department, and. as a whole the social wa» an entire success, enjoyable in every ' «cu«e, fnd .* matter "of congratulation to the 'members of the club. ' At the Sjdnry cycling carnival, to commence on October 3,' the programme comprises Se one aud'-teu-mile Australasian championships, ahalf-injle test race, tjvo handicaps, and .mile ahda-half club' relay race. The hitnamed eTent will be contests by three men from each club nominated. E*ch man will ride a lap, dismount, and start the second man, who will also ride a lap, dismount, and start the third man, and so on until each competitor has ridden two Ups. The club whose repreientative Jets borne first will bo awarded fth^tee. Tfau

will be « novel competition, which fhould-corn-1 mend itself to the' officials of bur local clubs I when making up, their programmes for the in- [ coming season. '

—7 The following note, taken from the latest issue to hand of the Sydney Referee, explains itself :— "The rajslery of the prize money won by Wally Kerr when last in New Zealand has been partly cleared np ab last. The Cyclists' Union, Sydney, has received a letter from the secretary of the Cyclists' Alliance stating that the cheque (Kerr's winnings and the * mount of expenses due to the union) was drawn and forwarded last February ; but as it had nob arrived he stopped payment and sent another, which is duly to hand.', The puzzle is what has happened the other one, and teeing that there was no Acknowledgment of its arrival tho wonder is that the alliance had not made inquuieo 'during these past five months. I have referred bo this matter several tiims, and am now pleased to record that all is well."

'■ Tho prize money for the Austral Wheel Race, to be run st Melbourna on the 28th Novercbar and sth December, is £350, divided &s follows:— Fi:st prize, £300; second, £40; third, £10.

Peter M'L&ren, cyclist, met with a serious accident ab Qoulburn, New South Wales. He was descending a steep incline ab » great pace, and ran into a barrier placed across the road in front of a culvert. He was thrown 7fb into the air, falling on his face. His nose was reduced to a pulp, rkeh was scooped off his face, and he is badly ditflgared for life. A Miss Coad was charged a', Christchurch with riding a bicycle on a footpath, in Sydenhaui. The offence was admitted^ but it was contended it was enly a li'-tle one, and the plea of sex was urged. The constable, however, stated that he had several times cautioned the lady, who had daebed through pedestrians in a manner that was no!> ab all safe. Mr Boetham said he did not see why he should make any distinction, If ladies claimed equal rights, they must accpb fqual liabilities. She would be fined 10»# with costs fs, the übuci penalty.

Mr L. ZolJner, the Newcastle (England) cyclist, who matched himself to rido his cjwle iv less time from Portsmouth to Newcastle than his opponent, MrTete, of tho same city, could sail his yacht the distacoe, arrived in Newcastle on June 1 an easy winner, as owiug to adverse winds the yacht was unable to make her passage north. Zoltcec left Portsmouth on the previous Saturday morning, and seeing thab he is a nun ofsoroe 43 years of age, must be congratulated on having ridden' nearly 400 miles in 2-£ days. His priza ta'ies the form of a magnificent drcseingbag, which has cost his opponent lOOga.

The 25-mila Amateur Championship of England wasruo. on thefinecement-sutfacedltraek at Wood Green on May 30, in the preteaca of 2000 spectators, and won by M. Dracoff, & Russian, ia 65min 15 4-sseo. He had the race ia hand all through, and, after taking a feeler at his men after going two laps, waited till the last lap for tho final effort, and then came away easily. There was a < errible sm ash in this raco, five^r six men falling on the bank through one of the competitors mistaking the numb.-r of laps traversed, and fclowing* apt No pacing was allowed, and the time, lhr smin 15 4>-s;ec, was consequently very poor. In thß Five-mile Professional Caampionsbip, J. Green won in 15min 9^sec, beafciDgJ. Gibbans Brooks and J. Piatts Bcfcts. The spectators hissed and hooted the competitors as they rode roucd the track at a funeral pace. The Mile Amateur Championship wab wen by P. W. Brown. The time was 3min 23 4-5.«e0.

Tho EngMsh cycle championships do travel. The ultra-chivalrous vjew taken of these eveDts by the council of the National Cyclists' Union, whioh throws them open to the bonajide amateurs of. the world, has already resulted in one of the 1896 championships going oub of the country. In time past we have seen one or other of them taken' away to Germany twice,' to Holland thrico', to America, four times, to Denmark once, and- to Ireland five times, though we do nob look on the last as foreign wins. Now Russia has her tarn, for on Saturday last a C*tford-ti'ained-alien, in the person of M. Dracoff, of St. Petersburg, succeeded in carrying off the 25 miles ia handsome fashion, and had his judgment and luck been as good as Bardaley's he might have taken the mile— tho blue ribbon of the Eoglish path — as well. We raise no objeccbion to theie championships being won by foreigners if tho gentlemen who come so far to compete are good enough ; bub we have said before and we say aga'n that now the world's championships, as conductad bythe International Cyclist*' Association, are established facts, the need for kespiDg our events open to the world has passed, units «, indeed, something like reciprocity is shown by the other countries, and oar men are permitted to enter for their championships. At present (says the Cyclist) it is all give and no take so far as we are concerned.'- [With regard to the fore* going an Australian writer says: "The nexb to win should be an Australian." Who knows ?1

On the afternoon of May 31, Jacqutlin, the holder of the No. 1 distinction badge for cycling, which confers on the wearer an income of 16s a day as long as he defends it successfully in a 2000 metre match, was defeated at the Velodrome de la Seine by Jaap Eden, the well-known Dutch cyclist;. The match was decided in three heats, and Eddn, who gave a splendid exhibition of ri-Jiog, now bscomes the holder'of the distinction badge.

At Cafcford on Monday evening, JuDe 1, J. W. Stocks, who bas been training for soaic time past, paced by five triplets and a quad, beat the previous British bast for 10 miles, doing the distance in 19min 30 4-sseo, or 3-s?ec outside Tom Linton's world's record.' Stocks would probably' have beaten this but: for the eighth mile, whioh was comparatively slow — tamely, 2mm lfsfc. . He, however, beat the world's beat; from.tlree to seven milSs (three miles, smin 44 3-Bsec ; four miles, 7min 43' 3-s*ec ; five miles, 9min 39£?eo ; six mile s, ilmio 36 3-ssec ; seven miles, 13min 31 4*5 sec), and the British best from two to tea miles. The peeing was excellent. Stocks rode a plain chM'n. Two miles occupied 3min 51 3-sseo. On Wednesday night Pope had a go at the five milts, bub he failed to eclipse Stock's figures. He," however, managed 1o create a world's record for two rnilf s, covering that distance in 3min 47^ec, His first mile was lmin 55 3-ssec, bub then he went at a rare bat, and got in lmia 51 3-556 C for his match mile.

To enable all the cycliDg companies thab have been recently floated, or are in process of flotation, in London to -pay dividend", every man, woman, and child in the world will have to purchase machines. > Over 20,000 people assembled at the Catford track (London) on Jane 6 to witness the much-talked-of and advertised "chain matches." They originated through Mr Gamage, of the New S'.mpson Lever Chain Works, offering to wager £1000 to £100 that his chain could beat all other! over certain distances. The challenge was taken up by Dr M'Cabe, who pitted the pivot chain againßt the Simpson. A considerable sum was spent by each side in perfecting the arrangements. Teams of French riders were brought to England to pace Simpson .chain riderp, and their work was perfection indeed. The Cyclist says that their modus operandi was beautiful. The paciDg team, when the time came for them to quit the track, brought their man right up to tae fresh tsam, .whom they themselves just cleared ou the outside. The new team accommodated their pace to the team going off, ttnd the departing team turned up the bink, and the rider dropped down like ft swooping swallow upon his fresh facers. The manoeuvres were carded out with the utmost precision by the French team?, fresh sets always rushing in with the wind, whereas the English teams changed against the wind. The Simpson chain men had fcb.e,?erTioei of nine quads, two triplets, ana » quint,

while their op] ononts were served by four quads and six triplets. The first event was a five-mile metch between C. F. Burden and J. Michael (Simpson lever). In the second mile Michael began to lose ground, and eventually was hopelessly beaten. The times wer« :— Firs!; mi!e, 2tnin 1 4-ssec; seooDd, 3min 57fcatc; third, 6min l£*eo; fourth, Bmin 36 3-Ss3c ; fifth, lOmin 40§«o. Birden üßcd an Alberb-Eadia plaia chiin. A. V. Linton, the Bordeaux-Paris hero, then rode a psced two milos. The times were :-One mile, 2min'l£sec ; two miles, 4naiu 2fscc. " The first 0? the two long-di&tance matchei was a one hour'a run between Tom Linton (Simpson) and J. W. S'ocka (pivot). Liatonwas beautifully paced, and before 13 miles had been covered he had lapped his opponent eventually winning by nearly anvle and &-quarter. Titar.s were registered a« follow* : — Five miles, 9min 52f.*eo ; 10 miles, 19mia 49£s»c ; 15 miles, 29nin 43 4-sjec; SdO miles, 40enia 24 4-skc ;25 mile3, somin 38£spc. In one hour 29 miles 613 yds, which is the Britieh record. John S. Johaeoa, the American flier, eßsay.nl a m ; le from ft flying start, and cub it oub inltniu 50§<cc. The final nntch was 50 miles, between E. Huret (France) and A. A. Chase (England). Ah 17 rniks Climo bftgan to loie ground. Hureb (Simps mi) wen by 57 4-sseo. From the 32nd to th« 50th milea inclusive new records were put up as follows ;— 3i miles, lb. smin 7<fec ;33 miles, lh7minlO 3-53 e c; 34 mileß, lh 9mm 13^t'eo ; 35 miles, lh l'mio. 14sec; 36 mi'.es, lh 13min 13 4-3jec; 37 miles, lh 15min 17 4-5«o ; 38 miles, lh 17min 24^ec ; 39 miles, lh 19:nin 34iseo ; 40 miles, lh 21 11 in 33sec ; 41 mi es, lh 23rain 36^ec ; 42 miles, lh 25min 37f *ec ; 43 miles, lh 27min 44J-ec ; 44 niilsn, lh 29inin 53"4-siec ;45 mile?,' lh 32rfiio 5 4-ssec ; 46 milea, lh 34mln 18§sec 5 47 miles, lh 36min27 3-53 ec ; 48miles, 1U 38mia'32 4- siec "; 49 miles', lh 40min 40sic ; 50 miles," lh 42min 4;2§8e0. ' The following report is^to be presented to memboro at th.Q annual nneeting of the, Otago Cyoliug Club on Wednesday tvaniug, August s:—

.You? committee for the season 1893-1893 has much pleasure in presenting to you the report and balance sheet for the year. Everythiug the club has undertaken has proved an unquUißed success, financially and otherwise. The finances as shown in the balance sheet, duly audited, prove the club to be in a very sound condition. It will be noted that extraordinary expenses wort? incua'ed in connection wich club furniture, track, Ac, but it is pleasing to noto that, after providing for all 3uch expenditure, a balance reasaian to the credit of the club.

Your committee thought it advisable to hold the opaning run of the, season in conjunction, with the Miuiiro Cycling Club and the Dilnoain Cycling Club, the muster totalling over. 200 cyclists, 'lha handsome photograph now in tho clubroom is a fitting record of the success that attended the initiation of the season. The usual fortnightly runs Avn-e held and were well attended. Wednesday afternoon runs v/ere also held in charge of Junior Deputy-captain Muir, and as a new departure were much appreciated. A vtry great amount of touring haa been done by members dining the season, much more interest being taken in this branoh of the fcyort than has hesn the ci&e itf tlw ras<\ The clubroom has been largely patronised by members, and though the expanse of maintenance has been very heavy, ie is considered that the money has bsen well spent, inasmuch that the clubroom affords a means of ke?,ping the members together, especially during the winter, and go-JS far towards creating a bond of goodfellowship among them. 'Die increased attendanca of m*mb<irs in the chibrooin demanded a considerable outlay towards extra fiiruiture. The piano, which had bee.i kindly lent by certain members, has been paid tor and U now the property of tho club. Attention to winter amusements for members has always been a feature of your club, and in this respect tho committee' deemed it advisable to obtain the.couseut of members to . purchase a billiard table. At a special general meeting of the- club the mutter \yas roasidereil, and the members present unanimously 'consented; to the proposal of the couirmttee. The handsdroe Alcock billiard tablo now in the clubroom wa? ultimately purchased, and haa proved .» source of considerable pleasure to members duricg the long winter evenings. Musical evening and soci'l dances were again held at intervals during the season, and the popularity of these functions attested to the fact that they were much appreciated by numbers. Billiard tournaments also afforded a means of pleasurable recreatiOD, and were keenly coutested. A fatt and safe track for cycle racing was for a longtime urgently wanted in Dunedin, and in order to obtain the same your committee agreed with the Caledonian Society to bear half the cost of banking the society's track more in accordanc with modern requirements, .thje club, in return for the outlny, obtaining concessions for the usi of the track. Tho preß^nt track on the Caledonion ground resulted, and has proved a veritable baou to our racing members, who in former times endangered life and limb whilst racing on the old track. The total co«t to the club amounted to £51 0s 7d. The second Interproviucial team race between the Invercargill Cycling Club and your club took place on the Caledonian ground, when the O.C.C. was again successful. The visiting team was entertained at a smoke concert in the clubroom, and was aleo driven to Waitati on the following day. The annual race meeting was held on January 11, 18SC, on the Caledonian Grounds, and proved an unqualified success. The receipts for gate money were exceptionally large, and exceeded the most sanguine expectations. The racing was of a high order, most exciting finishes being the rule, and representatives from all parts of the c jlony competed. The success of the meeting was in a great measure due to the untiring efforts of Mr F. W. Hart. Hon. sec, and to those of the supsrintendent, Mr J. -M'Donald. Your racing members were again very successful, both on track and road. Worthy of mention in this respect is Mr J. White, who distinguished himself as a path racer, having the largest number of wins— viz., nine firsts, two seconds, and three thirds, and who also succeeded in gaining the N.ZC.A. badges for the following standard times ; Half-mile, lmin lOfcaec ; and one mile, 2min 22sec. Mr L. Barclay proved himself a road rider of ftr,at quality, having succeeded in lowering the following records: Dunedin-Balclutha, Duaidlu-MUton, Duuedin-W&ibolft, and Oamaru

Dunedin. Mr Barclay is entitled to the dub's medal offered to any member who succeeded in lowering the Oamaru-Dunedin and Dunedin. ■Balclutba records.

The club's annual road race was held on January 25, 1896, from Dunedin to Waihola, and wrs well contested, rciulting as follows :— W. Begpr (0.C.0.) 1, D. M'Aliater (O.O.O.) % A. Tonkinson (D.0.C.) o A most regrettable incident wa3 the loss the club sustained by the resignation of Mr F. W. Hart, hon. secretary, who,, through his cloeo attention to the wolfaie of the club and by his courteous and obliging manner, had created a friendship which was felb by all member*, and great regret was expressed when he was obliged to sever his connection with the club owing to his re. m °val to Oamarui Mr 0. H. Holler was elected to nil the vacancy pro tern. The club thanks the donors of prizes, the gentlemen who kindly assisted at the race meetings, Messrs Mussen and Milnev (the delegates on flit New. Zealand Cyclists' Alliance), and the press, who gave such publicity to tho affairs of the club* , lhani»B are also due to Messrs Cooke. Howlison, and Co., S. R. Stedman, and W. A. Scott for special prizes. In conclusion, your committee congratulate members on the success which has attended th» club throughout the past season, and hope that Us affairs Will ever be in as satisfactory a state as at present;