SPOKES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1260, 23 April 1896, Page 26

SPOKES.

I! y “ C YOLO METE I 1

Do the cyclists of Wellington intend doing anything during the present winter with regard to the laying down of a suitable race track for next season P The men who raced on the Basin Reserve last season are all anxious to have one formed, but they are too few to carry out the work themselves, and unless the other wheelmen of the city back them up, wo shall be no better oft’ in this respect than we have boon hitherto. And if a track is not laid, it is more than probable that there will bo no bicycle-racing next summer, for most of last season’s riders have declared that they will not race again until a track is laid. This would be a severe blow to tho sports gatherings promoted by the various athletic bodies, for nowadays the chief attractions at those meetings are undoubtedly, the bicycle races, and for every single individual who attends to witness the flat—“flat” is very expressive in this instance, for it is tho usual comment of tho public when comparing these events with bicycle races —events, there are fifty who will go to see a bicycle competition. The members of the Wellington Cycling Club took up a large number of shares when the Athletic Turk Company was formed, on the express understanding that a track was to bo laid on tho company’s ground, but tho prospect of a good track on that ground is as far off as ever. I believe it is the intention of tho company to prepare a grass track for next season, but unless they are willing to go one better and form a track with a cinder or an asphalt surface, they might just as well leave it alone altogether, lor the public want better racing, and tho riders more security from accident, than can be provided on an out-of-dato grass track. If the company will lay down a good track, it would pay for itself very soon; but if they are content to lay only a grass track, they will find it a dismal failure. There lias not been a good track formed in this Colony which is not now paying for itself, and some of them will ore long pay handsome dividends. The same may bo said of other tracks all over tho globe, and some of them have proved veritable goldmines to their owners. To my own knowledge there are several willing to take up shares in the Park Company, if they will only undertake to at one ■ commence the formation of a first-class track. The Wellington Cycling Club should call a meeting of its members to consider the matter, and other wheelmen should also he invited to attend. The Park Company has not kept faith with the Cycling Club, but there is no reason why tho latter body should not make another effort to assist the company to keep its promise.

What has become of the prizes Avon at the Wellington Cycling Club’s snorts and tho autumn meeting of tho Wellington Amateur Athletic Club? 1 hear that in neither instance have the prizes for tho cycling events been distributed.

The sole agency for New Zealand of the Columbia bicycle has been secured by Mr G. M. Yerox. The Australasian representative had arranged with Mr S. E. Wright to take the agency for the North Island, hut ho afterwards made the present arrangements with Mr Yerex.

I have to thank “ The Cycling Authority of the Southern Hemisphere” for devoting a whole column in order to explain that a bicyclo standard cannot ho “ lowered.” This is, no doubt, very true, but whenever a performance is recorded which is below the standard time, he knows as well as I do that t he expression, “ The standard was lowered by is as often heard as the technically correct expression. However, dear “ Cycling Authority,” I will promiso that the offensive expression does not occur again. By-the-way, I am glad, for the sake of tho readers of tho “C.A.5.11.” (let’s hope it will continue to provide you with heaps of this useful commodity), to hear that you havo discharged “Tyro."

On April 4th, at tho Melbourne Exhibition track, D. J. Walker lowered the Australasian quarter-mile record to 28 l-ssec. Zimmerman’s time on the same track, on the occasion when the champion was defeated by Pither and Walker in two mile races, was 30 4-osec. Walker’s time is 3-osec under Parsons’, which was made on tho grass track at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Bth December last, and which is still a world’s record for grass. The English quarter-mile record is only lscc under Walker’s, and when one remembers the poor opinion Zim. held of this track as compared with tho others of Australia and those of the older countries, it must be admitted that Walker’s performance is quite equal to the best yet recorded at J Lome.

At the Cycling Carnival at Melbourne on Saturday for tho purpose of augmenting the fund in aid of sending J. W. Parsons to England, America and Europe, tho International Scratch Mile Race was won by J. Megson, A. W. Harris second, and 1). ,J. Walker third. Won by a machine and a half. Time, 2min 48 3-ssoc. The Fivemile International Scratch Race was won by Porta, Parsons second, and Kirk third. Porta won by a length. Pither, Megson and Harris also started. Time, 12min 39soc. Parsons Handicap—K. Lewis, 30yds, 1 ; Ruble, 90yds, 2. When leading, Martin fell. Lewis Avon by a length. 'Time, 4min 11) 1-osee. Victoria Club Championship— Peeson, 1; Gargurovitcli, 2; Ilickok, 3. Time 2min 48 3-osec.

A London cable message states that the May syndicate lias purchased tho works and rights of tho Pneumatic Tyre Company for three millions. The original capital of the Company Avas .£22,500, and up to date the sum of ,£fi53,000 has been paid in dividends. Jt is expected that the company will he re-floated with a capital of six millions. Apparently the action of the North British Rubber Company against the company referred to for infringement of patent lights must havo gone against the plaintiffs, or the amount of the pur-chase-money would not have been so large.

At the Feild.ng Bicyclo Club sports on tho Bth instant, tho One-mile Maiden Race was won by J. L. Loavo with syds start, G. llayhittle (15yds) being second. The llalf-milo (open) avrs annexed by AY. Beard, Avith 50yds, winning by half a length from H. Lyon (120yds), avlio Avas the same distance in front of F. Hunt (scr). Great interest was manifested in the Half-mile Ladies’ Race, for Avliich Mrs F. Foavlos and Miss A.Quarter-main started. The former, avlio had 20yds start, Avon easily in 2min ll.lsoc. Both ladies Avoro bloomers, and Miss Quartcrmain rode from Bulls in tho morning, a distance of 17 miles. The One-mile (local) fell to N. Broy (135yds), Avliich he won easily. J. Coombes secured the Hurry Scurry, and the One-mile (open) Avas Avon by F. Hunt at scratch, S. Thacker securing the Consolation.

Porta, the Italian, has been showing good form in Australia lately, and he has twice defeated Parsons and tho other cracks.

A. AY. Harris, the Englishman, lias also been riding better, and has placed some good Avins to his credit recently.

The following, from the Fowler Truth, reads quite pathetic One year ago last November, when the Augusta Victoria steamed up tho Hudson River and into her dock at Hoboken, thousands of enthusiastic natives of America breathlessly Availed for Arthur A. Zimmerman to walk down the gang plank and stand once more upon the soil of tlie country whose racing honour he had so proudly and ably upheld in Europo. Now, alas! all is changed. Last week the old “Grinder” reached the United States after a tour of more or loss triumph around the world, and so little is thought of the arrival by (lie public in general that scarcely a handful of curiosityprompted Californians did him honour. His fair-weather friends had deserted him, hut those avlio know him best, and necessarily lovo him most, stand staunch ami true in the firm belief that Zim. will yet prove that ho is tho champion of them all.

It is again rumoured that the Dunlop 'Lyre Company intend darting a factory at Christchurch.

The Cijrler.i’ News says honest professionalism is a thousand times more acceptable and a thousand times hotter than dishonest amateurism. And so say all of us !

The folloAving is ail extract received from a young Englishman avlio had gone out to Rhodesia:—“l took train to Johannesburg. 1 stayed there a Icav days. I rode on my bicycle to Pretoria the first day, and started off again tho next morning at 2 o’clock. But it is very different lo Battersea. The roads Avere fearful; in some places it av:i3 only by courtesy that they could bo called roads at all, and tho old

bike bounded about till I thought it would dislocate my spine. I came olf about a dozen times, but the ground Avas soft and I Avas hard —hard as nails by now—and so I didn’t break anything, until at last the bike itself broke down, and there I Avas. I had to walk about GO miles in consequence. . . . I don’t think that this will ever bo another Rand —in fact, I am beginning to bo sorry I ever came.”

Miss McDonald, daughter of Captain N. McDonald, of the Bln if, thinks nothing, says the Southland Timer, of a spin from Invercargill to Lumsden, a distance of over fifty miles, and a few days ago she rode from Lumsden to the Bluff, a journey of seventysix miles. The road in many parts is exceedingly rough, yet the plucky cyclist— avlio, by the Av:iy, is a graceful rider—did not appear tired, and enjoys these trips immonselv.