CYCLING NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10652, 13 May 1895, Page 6

CYCLING NOTES.

5 [BY P.OVEK IN “ CANTERBURY TIMES.”] | Mr D. Wood has presented tbo Pioneer \ Club wit a two photographs taken by him !!! at the Cycling and Athletic Championship Meeting at Napier in February last. They show the atari; of the final heat of the Onemile Bicycle Championship, and the start of tho Ten-milo JSicyclo Championship. Tho riders come out very distinctly. The Honorary Secretary of tho Pioneer Bicycle Club liivi arranged a series of cribbage and euchre matches during; tho winter months with tfae Christchurch Cycling Club, Union Sowing Club, Lin wood Chess and Draughts Club, Lmwood Football Club, Wooiston Cribbaga Club find Sumner Cribbaga Club. The club’s billiard tournament will bpea on Monday evening next, and tho second of tho caries of winter “ socials ” will be held on the following Thursday in the clu'Drooms. At the annual meeting' of tho League of Hew South Wales wheelman held on April 17, tbo annual report stated that the receipts for tho year amounted to .£1519, and the expenditure to £1036. There were, however, a few small accounts to come in, nnd after all was settled it was expected that there would be a credit balance of about £375. Metal rima are now being grained and , varnished to represent wood. The effect is a pleasing and striking contrast to the sombre black. At a recent moating on the Winter track in Paris, the three races ware christened Prix Shorland, Prix Lacy Hiilier, Priz Zimmerman. L. S. Moiutjes, the South African, was in England when the mail loft, on a business visit. Ha told a pressman, that he had retired permanently from the path, and that there were at least half-a-dozen men ia South Africa quite good enough to fill his place. The man (says Cycling) who could introduce a system of plating that would resist the insinuating attacks of the elements, would quickly achieve his fortune, and, at the same time, got his name written in the annals of cycledom aa a banefaetor. Since ho hssfsiled to materialise, however, it b! worth knowing that paraffin and briUka/.tine form an tffootivo mixture for preserving polished steel. It should be

applied with a soft cloth, and a beautiful lustre will result. A company has recently bson formed ia Brussels to be known a. 3 the Accident Insurance Society. _ The company ’will insure cyclists against accidents when riding, from any cause whatever, by means of yearly, monthly, or daily tickets, which may be purchased of all cycle makers, agents, or hiring establishments in Belgium, daily tickets coating 40 centimes (4d) and monthly tickets five francs (4a). In case of accident tha insured injured person will receive two franca per day, with free medical attendance for a maximum o? thirty days. Ia the esao of the loss of two members of his body (arms or legs) ha will receive £OO franca, for the loss of one member 300 f tancs, while for tho loss of uoa of an arm or leg ho will receive 200 francs. Iu tho case of death his widow, orphans, or nearcat relative will receive 1000 francs, or £4O. Tha second annual Grand Pris (tha blue ribbon of cycle racing ia Paris) promises to bo tho moat important cycling event that ban yet been held. The proposal submitted to tho Municipal Council for tho creation of a prize amounting •to 25,000 fr has been referred to a committeo for further coutuderation, and there is every prospect of the Bum being voted, as out of thirty-four replica received from councillors, whose opinions have beau asked ou tha matter, no fewer than eighteen are favourable to the vote, and ©sly nine hava exprestod them intention pf. opposing it, the replies of the others being somewhat evasive. Tha proposal in to bo considered subject to the condition that, in tho event of the council making a grant of IS.OOOfr, another 10,000 k should be added by the track proprietor who undertakes ,to organise tho rape. Should the event become a fact* a prize of IOOOfr will be awarded to tho journalist writing the best report of the race. An English papor, tbo Cycle, ia a recent issue contained an article on tho expenses of makers’ amateurs, and how England's so-called amateurs, men who fill comparatively humble positions in life, ora enabled to spend tho whole of tho summer racing. An interesting table of tho expenses (without the rider’s fee) of soma road recording rides is appended. For instance, the "ex’s” of a Land’s End^ to John o’ Groat’s ride amount to about £250 ; London to Edinburgh, £SO ; Bath ami back, £4O; London to York, £3O ; and Brighton and back, £25, Tha article concludes as follows“ Tho state of amateurism iu cycling racing to-day is a fares.” Tho latter expression ia not nows even to us at this end of the world, and tha rottanneas in cycling is equalled by the condition of Bifairs in amateur athletics. In fact amateurism in England, ia most branches of sport, ic, as tha Cycle says, a farce. Yot'tha people who bolster it up call tho colonial who takes money instead of a trophy for his prize, a__ professional. The sport in tha colonies ia virgin white compared with the European, which ia tainted through and through with impurities and chicanery.