CYCLISTS' NEEDS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 237, 6 October 1945, Page 6

CYCLISTS' NEEDS

NEW TYRES AND TUBES

MANY MACHINES LAID UP

Years of rationing of tyres and tubes have reduced the number of cyclists on the roads and streets of Auckland, and every day cyiists whose machines are laid up are asking cycle traders when the restrictions will be relaxed. Although the war is over, they can be given no ray of hope.

"Many who would use their cycles to ride to work are compelled by the rationing of tyres to pay fares of up to 7/6 a week and spend up to an hour and a half night and morning on public conveyances," said Mr. L. B. Clarke, secretary of the Auckland Cycle Trade Association, this morning. He pointed out that Auckland transport was so roundabout that a man often had to travel a long distance to reach a place not a great distance from his home. Thus a man who lived at Penrose and worked near the terminus of one of the radiating tram routes had to come into the city, board a tramcar and travel out; while, if he were permitted to use his cycle he could make the journey in a direct line in a short time, almost without cost.

Tyres and tubes have been distributed under the control of the Ministry of Supply, through district committees, for four years, and only those who are able to establish a claim to use cycles as essential transport are eligible for supplies. To qualify they must show that they are more than a mile and a half Jxom the nearest public transport, or, if they are on heavy work, a mile.

"There must be thousands of bicycles laid up to-day," declared one cycle dealer. 'When peace was declared it was expected that the position would soon begin to impi/ove, but so far there is no sign of a change."

Country cyclists were stated to have less difficulty than those in the city in securing new tyres and tubes, because other transport was usually meagre. During the war there was much repairing of "old crocks," machines which had seen their best days, but lately some increase in the number of new cycles from Britain had been noticed. There was no indication that the supply of either tyres or tubes had yet been expanded to take care of the increase in the number of machines, and manufacture was being maintained on an even level. .